The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-05-25

ful heart, ''He did it,
"He who is he 3 inquired William,
gently.
Their father"
':Did you know he intended to do it -
mo. He sent word that should meet
him at the grove, and he would give me-
money to support the children. When
asked him for it, he swore, grew angry,
and IN rage strangled the babies. l
tainted When l returned to conscious-
ness, was alone-the infants were lying
dead among the bushes.
''What is bis name p anxiously in~
qnired her brother; "where does he live!'
Shaddering, she drew back, aud in II
wild, distressed voice, cried, "dontt ask
me. | ought rot TO have tcld anything.
He loccd me. Don't ask me-
Tell me his name p pleaded her bro
ther.
''His name his name! / don't know
alive. ! don't know. | ought not TO
have told anything
Thus she simply denied having c0nl-
mi,ted the murder. Beyond this, noth-
ing could be learned from her; and of
such scanty materials her lawyers were
compelled 10 build her defence. They re-
led mainly upon her disturbed mental
condition The unsettled state of her
mind could he easily assumed TO avoid the
responsibility of guilt, urged the prosecu-
cuIing officer, and besides, If she did not
oerpe;rate the crime, her silence after the
horrid act, rendered her an accomple6
after the fact, and thereby as principal 10
/ the murder. So the court charged, and
/ the jury found her guilty She WAS sen-
/ fenced TO be hung at Chester.
Her brother used almost superhuman
efforts TO avert this terrible doom, II
petition WAS drawn up, which was rapidly
, signed, setting forth the circumstances of
the case. the shattered condition of her
mind, and her misfortune as rendering her
an unfit person upon whom the extreme
penalty of the law should be visited -
When William went 10 the prison before
he left for Philadelphia, she seemed soils
ciious for her little stool, for she said
"no matter what shall happen, promise
my dear brother, that you will take care
of this for Lizzie's sake" And to the
clergyman, when he spake to her uf death,
she simply said, "Tell Will to keep my
stool. / have loved it so much" In
answer to his question, If she dcsirId TO
confess anything, she said, No, l never
committed the murder >
''Are you resigned to death, should
they fail to procure pardon p lac fur
ther asked.
"Oh, ycs!" she cried, her whole face
Frightening up; 81 want to die"
Time passed and the day for the execu-
tion came. No news from her brother,
and when the officers came to lead her
forth to execution they found her sitting
uFen the little stool, gazing on vacancy
elias William come p she asked
+ When told the import of their visit, she
seemed TO receive the summons without
emotion, and WAS taken ts the place of
execu,ion-at the intersection of the Pro-
vidence and NIiddletown roads. Spring
er's store is near the site.
William all this time had worked un>
ceasingly, and the Governor after seine
delay, granted pardon. In those days
the roads were usually in bad condition,
7 and the heavy rain that had lately fallen
rendered them worse, and impeded Will
. liam S return 10 Chester. for Btrhy creek
was so swollen that ii could not he fordel,
and much time was consumed befure "A
F boat could be procured. Urging his horse
10 extraordinary effort, the animal fell
, dead beneath him. Procuring another,
he mounted and rode across the fields,
through the heavy ground, leapipg the
, fences as he went From The brow of =
, hill Ec saw the crowd assembled ut the
place Of execution. lie screamed, shout.
, ed, waved his hat, bat in The intense cx-
, citcment he was unhceded and uuheard,
All were gazing at the galsws, and ii
, another mcment he saw a woman's form
suspended in the air.
a shrek of horror that they who heard
, never forgot, burst from the agonizcd
brother, and the spectators turned to be-
hold a man, hagoard and trave! stained.
besrGing horse that staggered from
weakness, as he put forth fresh effort
under the goading whip and spur. ~
pardon a pardon + the rider cried, as
his horse stumbled and fell dead. VIII
, liam Wilson lay senseloss at the foot of
the gallows. Too late The body was
cut Down, but the reck had been dsloca-
: ted, and the unhappy girl was dead
When rcsuscitaied, to the surprise Of
all beholders the mans face was stamped
with lines of age, and the dark locks of
youth had changed to snowy whiteness,
, Agony. in few moments had doue The
work of years.
Sadly the bro ken hearted man took the
little stool from tue cell, and departing
from the haunts Of men, hc abode in n
cave in Dauphin county, where he died
a half century ago, a man of sorrow and
of years. To this day he is remembered
in that locality as William the Hermit
A BRIGHT littlo girl at Milton. Wis. :
having been desired to write !: sentence IN