The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-03-08

est attention 10 frequent Interrupt
tions, such as "cowardly curl" "No
fight in him!' "Takes water like a
spaniel ~ Cap now betrayed some ex.
element, adding in o tone slightly
raised, "I tell you men not to molest
me; / have been unfortunate hereto.
fore, and will not be forced into another
of those affairs" The Johnsons inter.
preted the manner of utterance and
meaning Of the words as expressive of
fear, grew louder in their abuse, en-
ploying the most offensive epithets, and
finally made some coarse allusion
to Dawn. From that moment until the
end of the tragedy he was insane.
Cap was discharged but the next
Grand Jury indicted him for man
slaughter, certain members of the gamb.
ling fraternity, which was then power
ful and respectable, and of which the
JohnsODs were all prominent members,
having worked steadily to that end.
The required bail was furnished, and
Cap still lived with us: but the interval
till the day of the trial was the darkest
and most unhappy in our lives. Dawn
now devoted all her thoughts to him.
Her life was changed from impulse to
quiet, and the whole atmosphere in
which she moved continually associat.
ed itself in my mind with the idea of a
whisper in an empty hall.
Wien the day of trial came, she took
her hat and went away alone over the
hills toward Rotten Wood, and did not
return till evening.
The testimony, that day, was about the
same as that taken at the examination,
only that a new feature was developed
by the questioning. Attorney
Knight, seeing his best and perhaps
only opportunity to convict, attacked
the strongest point in favor of the
prisoners acquittal, with the questions
concerning the relations existing be-
tween Cap and Dawn, intending to
show that she had no honorable claim
upon him strong enough to give him
the right to take another's lifc in de.
fence of her good name.
When the character of the testimony
was becoming more delicate every mo-
ment, the prisoner, unable to bear up
any longer, requested, though his coun.
sci, to be permitted to make state
ment. This request being granted, the
prisoner stood erect and said:
II have not asked this privilege for
my own sake, but for hers. had resolv-
ed never to tell this story but the cir
cumstance5 of the last few hours have
combined to force it from me. 1t will
remove all doubts as 70 the purity and
innocence of that poor child; whether
or not it improves my own name mat
ters but little now Most of you know
my history since came here in 40; not
one is acquainted with it before that
time. l am native of Maryland, and
came to this coast in '42-long before
the discovery of gold-being then only
twenty-three years old. Five months
before leaving home, became engaged
to lady of Washington city; but the
parents, being moderately wealthy, op-
posed the union. We were young, pas
sionate, and deep in love, and, taking
advantage of the absence of the old
folks, one evening, we were married In
the presence of few young friends,
under the roof of her parents. One Of
the servants informed them of the un.
usual proceeding in progress, and,
shortly after the ceremony, the mother,
greatly excited, and the father, perfect.
ly calm, presented themselves. He in.
formed me, very quickly and coldly.
that he should make no attempt to pre-
vent me from taking my prize away,
and providing for it; and, in the same
cold, formal manner, requested us to
leave.
l had intended to do this, but We
thought he would act with some father
ly consideration for his child after the
deed was done. 1 held a small position
under government, with a moderate
salary-enough to provide for us com.
fortably. Her father had some infiu
ence, and he used it to effect my remov
al. He succeeded, and not long after we
were in the midst of proverty. Aftel
struggling for several months, con
cluded to seek some new place, anC
endeavor to build up new home.
obtained passage as common sailor
for the outgoing voyage, on board The
bark Mollie Dean, engaged in the early
California coast traffic, and one morn
ing left my dear young wife alone
believing that her fathers h )stility
would cease, and that he would tax;
her home again as soon as 1 was out o
the way. When we cast anchor at Mon
terey, six months after, my clothe,
were scarcely sufficient to ch eat tn,
name of nakedness; and it was Just a
, well that the pocket had been ripped
from my pants for patches, not havin,
a dime to put in them.
Success came after a time, though
never very lavishly. Yet / always ha,
plenty, and forwarded money to m,
wife whenever the opportunity pre-
sented itself. heard from her, though
and it was not till after Marshall foun
gold that letter came from Washing
ton, signed by Mrs. Combs bring
) ing me news from home-such rews =
The prisoner paused moment, look
, ed out of the broken window, hi
!, thoughts Tar away.
D "She was dead !" he resumed in loy
e tone, and stopped again, gritty soun,
D issuing foom between his teeth. TIL
Court room became still as death.
@ "Starved Found dead one morning
d at her fathers door-a mass of rattlin
bones And this occurred eight years be
fore the letter came, and "a month bt
e fore l landed at Monterey! Poor girl
4 | suppose she thought he would bur
/, her at least; and he did.
Q "The woman wrote that she had oC
a cupied an adjoining room in one of tn
J. low tenements of the city; had bee
n / ...FN a. L. 1.