Litchfield enquirer., 1872-02-22

and the memorandum. s.I am not afraid pf losing by this transaction. You do not know me yet. ..zssssese..-1 .-1 !.
 sA queer stick" thought Burton. as he sgained the street; ssbut Old Nick is sell
 sn 50 hlack aa he's painted Es was . plaguy while, thought. signing his name; but wish I could sign mine to such good purpose"
 Burton laid the accepted bill, face downwards, on the bank counter, took a pen, indorsed, and passed it to the man. aging clerk. The gray-headed man glanc- cd sharply at the signature, and then at Burton, Why, surely this is not Mir. Hprnby's signature? It does not at all resemble it 7
 'fNot his signature !" exclaimed Bur- ton what do you mean by that?"
 s'Reynolds, look here," continued the clerk, addressing another of the bank em- plogees. Reynolds looked, and his im- mediate glance of surprise and horror at Burton revealed the impression he had formed.
 s.Please to step this way, Mir. Burton, to private apartment" said the manager.
 s'No-no, won't" stammered the un- fortunate man, over whose mind a dread full suspicion had glanced with the sud denness of lightning. ''I will go back to Hornby:" and he made desperate but vain effort to snatch the fatal instrument. Then, pale and staggering with confused terror and bewilderment, he attempted to rush into the street. He was stopped, with the help of the bystanders. by one of the clerks, who had jumped over the counter for the purpose. -
 The messenger despatched by the bank CTS to Hornby returned with an answer that the alleged acceptance was forgery. It was stated on the part of Mir. Hornby that Mr. Burton had indeed requested him to lend two hundred and fifty pounds, but he had refused. The frantic assever- ations of poor Burton were of course dis regarded, and he was conveyed to jail. An examination took place the next day before the magistrates, and the result was, that the prisoner was fully committed on the then capital charge for trial at the en- suing assize.
 1t were useless, as painful, to dwell up- on the consternation and agony which fell upon the dwellers at Grange Farm when the the terrible news reached them. 4 confident belief in the perfect innocence of the psisoaer, participated by most persons who knew his character and that of Horn by, and that it would be etriumphantly vim dicated on the day of trial, which rapidly approached, alone enabled them to bear up against the blow, sad ts await with trembling hope the verdict of jury.
 It was at this crisis of the drama that I became an actor in it. was retained for the defence by leng-kpown and esteemed friend Symonds, whose zeal for his clielt, stimulated by strong personal friendship, knew no bounds. The acceptance, he in- formed me, so little resembled Hornby's handwriting, that if Burton had unfolded the bill when given back to him by the villain, he could hardly have failed to sus- pect the nature ef the diabolcal snare set for his life,
 In those days, and until Mir, now Sir, Robert Feels amendment of the criminal law and practice of this country, the ac- ceptOr of bill of exchange, on the prin- ciple that he was interested in denying the genuineness of the signature, could not, according to the English law of evidence, be called, on the part of the psesAeutinn, to prove the forgery; and of course, after what had taken place, we did not propose to call Hornby for the defence. The evi. deuae for the crown consisted, therefore, on the day of trial, of the teatimany of persons acquainted with Hornby's sigma ture, that the acceptance across the incul- pated bill was not in his handwriting. Burton's behavior at the bank, in endeav- bring to repossess himself of the bill by violence, was of course detailed, and told heavily against him.
 All the time this testimony was being orix, ,l,vyo 1f kHa seats of the crowded court, exulting in the vice, We could see but little of his face, which. supported on his elbow. was par tially concealed by handkerchief he held in his hand; but ], who narrowly observed him, could occasionally discern flashes from under his pent brows-revealment of the fierce struggle which ragged within.
 The moment at last arrived for the pris- oner, whose eyes had been for time fix ed on Hornby, to speak or read his de fence, and breathless silence pervaded the court.
 Burton started at the summons, like a man unexpectedly recalled to sense oi an imperious, but for the moment forgot ten, duty. s
 James Hornby he suddenly cried with voice which rang through the as. sembly like trumpet, 'stand mp, and il you can face an innocent man"-
 Hornby, surprised out0f his self posses. sion, mechanically obeyed the strange or. der, sprang inyeluntarily to his feet, lei fall the handkerchief that had partially concealed his features, and nervously con fronted the prisoner.
 "Loek at ne, say" continued Burton with increasing excitementi "and as you hope to escape the terrors of the last iudg. ment, answer truly: did you not, with your own hand, and in my presence, sign that bill ?"-
 ''This cannot be permitted, interrupted the indge.
 ":H you do not speak," proceeded the prisoner, needless of the animation from the bench; ''or if you deny the truth, my life, as sure as there is God in heaven, will be required at your hands, If, ir consequence of your devilish plotting, these men consign me to 8 felon's grave I shall not be cold in it when you will be calling upon the mountains to fall and cover you from the vengeance of the Judge of heaven and earth 1! Speak, man-save me: save your own soul from mortal peri whilst there is yet time for mercy and re pentance !'
 Hornby's expression of surprise and confusion had gradually changed during this appeal to its usual character of dog ged impassibility. He turned calmly and appeahngly towards the bench.
 s.You need not answer these wild adiur tions, Mr., Hornby," said the judge, as soon as he could make himself heard. 4 smile curled the fellows lip as he bowed deferentially to his lordship, and he sat down without uttering syllable. sIay the Lord, then, have mercy on my soul P exclaimed the prisoner solemn ly. Then glancing at the bench and ju ry-box, he added, ':And you, my lord and gentlemen. work your will with my body as quickly as you may; I am lost man 7 The calling of witnesses to character the opening of the judges charge, point ing from its first sentence to 8 conviction elicited no further manifestation of feelinf from the prisoner; he was as calm as de l spair. ,.4.- 4.-.ass..sEsas6I The judge had been speaking for per haps ten minutes, when hustle wal heard at khe hall as if parsons were striy