Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-02-10

~
anticipated the blow. Springing forward
he dealt the landlord a violent blow upon
the neck, then struck him upon the FORE
head The blows felled the landlord to the
floor in falling his head struck the corner
of the stove. r,g Ia, -v
When one Of the walters lifted him up,
he hung lifeless In his arms. Water was
dashed in his face, his pulse was rubbed.
Blackburn, with his friends, who at that
moment entered the saloon, looked on with
frightened faces. F.l L..
my God = exclaimed one of the walters,
he is dead.' ...... t, fl...
'Deadi DEADp repeated Blackburn,
now almost sobered by Che scene, that can't
be possible / never meant to kill the man., 3,
These words were afterwards made use of
during the subsequent trial by his counsel
No matter, we arrest you for murder
replied the waiter, with resolute tone
that efectually sobered the man before him.
'Wixly is dead-you killed him.
Il call you all to witness that am inno-
cent of murder-he struck at me first-if
he be really dead'--the remainder was ut
tered in low tone. The group; around
the dead man turned towards him with
palng faces. Death stalking in there in
all his majesty, without single note of
warning, appalled, them. Glasses were set
down untouched. Several stole out quietly
Others closed around the murderer mena-
cingy. The murderer looked at them as
a stag at bay regards the hounds from
which it finds there is no escape.
Don't touch mel yield myself pris-
oner-let the law take its course. He said
not another word until he was confronted
with the magistrate, when he requested
slip of paper, upon which he wrote q few
words, which he desired them to send to
his wife. These were the words
Sophia, an innocent Of murder, but 1
broke M promise. One glass has ruined
me. DO not come near me 2ntH you hear
from mo again.
No signature was appended TO this hasty
scrawl, which was blurred with tears. But
the wife was with him ere another hour
rolled around. to comfort and cheer him.
There was trial, after months of agon-
izing delays that added ten years to the
face, and old age to the heart of the young
wife. When the trial was concluded James
Blackburn was sentenced to seven yeaR
Imprisonment In the States Prison. 1t was
proven that Blackburn was an Industrious,
ingenious, well-doing mechanic one year
before the murder was committed. Nothing
was adduced on the trial calculated to in
fiuence the jury against him up to that
time. Subsequently,, it was proven, he had
INDUCED in liquor, and upon one occasion
had committed grevous assault upon an
unoilending citizen while under its influence
Being the first offence, his character saved
him from the extreme penalty attached to
such misdemeanors. On the present occa-
sion, his character, with the remembrance
OF the former assault, only served to clinch
the conviction in the minds of the jury that
lenercy in the second case would be detri-
mental to the interests of the public.
When asked whether he had anything to
say in his own defence, James Blackburn
arose promptly and replied, May it please
your Honor, have. 1t is simply this ::
All human laws are imperfect. l am a
living, suffering illustration of the incon-
sistcncy of what you term Law. do not
complain so much that you first sell the
right to selfish men to deal out poison
which inevitably produces all manner OF
evils and crimes, which you yourselves
afterwards punish severely, as | complain
against the lack of law, or some regulation
which ought to shield the man who has
endeavored to abstain from all Intoxicating
drinks, from the temptations which besct
| him in the shop, in the counting-room, upon
the street-in all his outgoings. One glass
has deprived me of seven years of my life,
has almost broken my wife's heart, and
deprived our child of its natural protector.
l had taken a solemn pledge never to touch
the accursed thing again. My tempter was
a pretended friend who knew this history
of my life. Understand, your Honor.
am speaking as much for all who may be
striving 70 fight down their desire fol
strong drink as l am for myself. III live
shall never taste another drop. But !
ask you to consider if ii would not be well
to at least endcayor to shield others from
the thousand and one temptations which
beset man to drink only one glass