Litchfield enquirer., 1872-03-21

modes and instruments by the aid of which you fondly imagine to invest your- selves with attributes which belong only to Omniscience; and now warn you. you and it is voice from the tomb. in whose shadow already stand, which ad- dresses uthat you are about to com nit most cruel and deliberate murder" He paused. and the jury looked into each others eyes for the courage they could not find in their own hearts. The voice oi conscience spoke, but was only for few moments audible The sugges- tions that what grave parliaments. learn ed judges, and all classes of ''respectabil- lty" sanctioned, could not be wrong, much less mIlrderous or cruel, silenced the ''stlll, sman' tones, and tranquilized the startled jurors.
 Prisoner at the bar," said the judge with his cold, calm voice of destiny, q cannot listen to such observations; you have been found guilty of heinons of fence by jury of your own countrymen ! need scarcely say entirely agree. I am as satisfied of your guilt as if I had seen you commit the actxWith my own bodily eyes. The circumstance of your being a person who, from habits and education. should have been above committing SO base crime, only aggravates your guilt. However, no matter who or what you have been, you must expiate your offence on the scaffold. The law has very properly, for the safety of society, decreed the pun lshment of death for such crimes; our on- iy and plain duty is to execute the law. l"
 The prisoner did not reply; he was lean- Ing with his elbows on the front of the dock, his bowed face covered with his out spread hands; and the judge passed sen 1 tence Of death i'll the accustomed form
 The court then rose, and turnkey placed his hand upon the prisoners arm, to lead hlm away. Suddenly he uncovered his face, drew himself up to his full height he was remarkably tall man-and glared herceiy round upon the audience, like q wild animal at bay. "My lord, he cried, or rather shouted. in an excited voice. The judge motioned impatiently to the Jallor, and strong hands impelled the pris- i oner from the front of the dock Burst Ing from them, he again sprang forward, | and his arms outstretched, whilst his glittering eyes seemed to hold the judge spell bound, exclaimed, "My lord, before another month has passed away, you will appear at the bar of another world, to an- swer for the life, the innocent life, which God bestowed upon me, but which you have lmpiousiy cast away as 8 thing of naught and scorn!' He ceased, and was at once borne off. The court, in some confusion, hastily departed. It was thought at the time that the judges evil dently failing health had suggested the prophecy to the prisoner. It only excited a few days wonder, and was forgotten.
 The position of barrister in such cir cumstances is always painful 1 need hardly say that my own feelings were of very distressing kind Conscious that if the unfortunate man really was guilty, he was at least not deserving of capital pun ishment, 1 exerted myself to procure a re- prieve. In the first place I waited pri- vately on the judge; but he would listen to no proposal for respite Along with number of ndividuals-chiefx of the So- ciety of Friends-I petitioned the crown for communication of the sentence. But being unaccompanied with q recommend ation from the judge, the prayer of our petition was of course disregarded: the law, 1t was said, must take it's course. How much cruelty has been exercised un- der shelter of that remOrseless expression!
 would willingly pass over the succeed ing events. Unable to save his life, I en- deavored to soothe the few remaining hours of the doomed convict, and ire quently visited him in the condemned cell. The more saw of him, the deeper grew my sympathy in his case, which was that of no vulgar feloh. e'I have been a most unfortunate man, said he one day to me. "A destiny towards ruin in fortune and i'll life has pursued me. I feel as if deserted by God and man; yet know, or at least would persuade myself, that Heay- en will one day vindicate my innocence of this foul charge. To think of being hang ed like dog for 8 crime at which my soul revolts? Great Is the crime of those i'm beetle jurors aud that false and hard hearted judge, who thus, by airreversible decree, consign a fellow-mortal to death of violence and disgrace. Oh God, help me-help me to sustain that bitter, bitter hour ]" And then the poor man would throw himself on his bed and weep.
 But the parting with his wife and child ren. What pen can describe that terrible interview They knelt in prayer, their wo-begone countenances suffused in tears. and with hands clasped convulsively to- gether. The scene was too narrowing and sacred for the eye of a stranger. I rush. ed from the cell, and buried myself in my lodgings, whence did not remove till all was over. Next day, James Harvey, q victim of circumstantial evidence and of a barbarous criminal code, perished on the scaffold.
 Three weeks afterwards, the court ar- rived at populous city in the west of England. It had in the interval visited another assize town, and there Judge A had left three for execution. At the tri- als of these men, however, l had not at tended. So shocked had been my feelings with the mournful event which had taken place at that had gone into Wales for the sake of change of scene. After roaming about for fortnight amidst the wild solitudes of Caernarvonshire, I took the stage for the city which I knew the court was to visit, and arrived on the day previous to the opening of the assizes.
 s'Well, are we to have. a heavy calen- dar ?" inquired next morning of broth CT barrister on entering the court.
 Rather light for 8 March assize," re- piled the impatient counsel as he hustled onward. There's Cartwright's case highway robbery in which am for the prosecution. He'll swing for it, and per- haps four or five others"
 "A good hanging judge is A." said the under-sheriff, who at this moment joined us, rubbing his hands, as if pleased with the prospect of few executions.
 ''No prospect of the prophecy yonder coming to pass l suppose 2"
 ''Not in the least, !" replied the bustling counsel 'He never looked better. His illness has gone completely off. And this days work will brighten him up"
 Cartwrights trial came on. I had nev- CT seen the man before, and was not aware that this was the same person whom liar vey had incidentally told me he had dis charged for theft; the truth being, that till the last moment of his existence, that unfortunate man had not known how much he had been sacrifice to this wretch's malice
 The crime of which the villain now stood accused was that of robbing a farmer of the paltry sum of eight shillings, in the 'neighborhood of nfracombe. He pleaded not guilty, but put in no defence. A yer dict was recorded against him, and in due form A sentenced him to be hanged.