Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-11-23

NuilS DOOT llIUIdU WAS TiVlnO anu
weeping alone and disconsolate in
his little miserable cell, she was en-
ioying the snow by sleigh-riding on
the road, a9d the ice by skating in
the park, st as if she had done
nothing els turing the whole course
of her insia ,ifitant life. i- --4
IL takes women who have seen
trouble to be true, just as it takes
men who have seen vice to be hon
est.
Timian's sister, however, turned
out to be an angel of mercy and of
mercy and of love. Not day passed
but she visited his cell, and brought
him some delicacies to vary the
monotony of prison food. This was
the poor mans consolation, and yet
she had unwittingly given him a
great blow.
He had asked her to visit the par
ents Of the girl he loved, and be-
seech them to permit their daughter
W cOIuc anu see ullH.
His sister complied with his de-
sire, and called on the parents. Just
rs she stepped to the door she was
met by the girl herself, who passed
by with simple nod Of the head
and jumped into a sleigh which
stood in the street. The merry
sleigh bells struck knell in the sis
ter's heart, and she turned away
weeping.
The next day she told her brother,
thus thinking it the best way of
curing him of q passion for one who
was unworthy of him. But the
story only made him more bitter
and unhappy, while it did not take
away a jot of his love; in fact, rath-
er increased it. ... ......
AT length trial came on in the
Court of General Sessions. The
Judge looked eminently severe, and
the prisoners counsel looked any
thing but hopeful.
Mr.. jackson, Of the firm of Jack
son & Co, dry goods merchants,
was also on band, and testified to
the facts in the case very simply
and straightforwardIy. It was evi-
dent that in his mind there was not
a doubt Of the prisoners guilt.
The Assistant District Attorney
then made his little speech, which
evidently had its effect on the jury.
He wound up, after a rambling dis
course, in which he conclusively
proved to himself that he was an
uncommonly smart man, by propos-
ing to pardon the prisoner if he
would confess to his accomplices.
The prisoner answered, that not
being guilty, he could not very well
have any accomplices.
Then the prisoners counsel made
his defence, which was, it was too
no defence at all. 1t left
everything vague and proved moth
ing. The same evidence was brought
as in the police court, that the pris-
oner had gone to bed that night;
that his character had always been
good, &c. III ~
The Judge then summed up, and
certainly leaned against the prison
er. This satisfied the jury, who re-
tired, and came in in fifteen minutes
alter with the verdict of 'guilty."
His honor the Judge then gave
the sentence: r...,
/" Fifteen years confinement in
Sing Sing safe prison at hard Ia
bor.''
The pris, 4r sank down on his
chair with q groan. His last hope
was gone.
At the same time cry of despair
filled the courtroom. 1t was his
sister. # Gp ... a".
.t -. CHAPTER II. ..' o..
The night after this scene in the
Court of General Sessions, two no
torious characters got into 4 '''muss"
in one of the purlieus in Houston
street. 1t was a common story.
One had nsulted the other. This
one had resented the insult. An
affray was the immediate conse-
quence. Pistols were fired. One
of the rufiians fortunately received
a shot in the breast which would
have killed any other man. But, in
some way or other, these men who
deal in crime all their life long seem
to be the last to suffer by it. That
shot would have killed any other
man. But this man lived.
Doctors were called in and found
it a very desperate case. They said
the man could not possibly live over
twenty-four hours. As it proved,
he lived forty-eight.
The mans name was William
Purdy, and he was notoriously
bad character. For many years he
had been known to the police as one
of the worst 'cases" in the city.
The worst of men grow cowardly
on thei;. death bed. When he knew
the verdict which had been pro-
nounced upon him by the doctors,
his first care was to call for priest.
The priest came.
He found the wounded man in the
commissions of agony.
The sight o. the minister of God
seemed to lend strength to the dy-
ing man, and he revived by the
simple influence OF the presence of
only one who could give him a word
of consolation in his last moments.
"What am about to confess ia
ther," he grasped, 81 wish to have
made public Immediately after my
death" ...
The priest nodded assent.
The criminal then went on to re
count the crimes of his lifetime,
until even the priest, who was used
to many such death bed horrors,
felt his flesh creep under the terrible
ordeal.
But the end of the confession
above concerns our story.
Father" he said, Gin the last
crime have committed, | am most
guilty, but in it not alone have been
guilty for myself, but | have made