New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-29

AdIu Win A4Hl; Out theY can not. without
proof how can he be found guilty! And
he knows now that there is none. They
may imprlson or even transport him for the
poacbing business, or for the burglary; but
they cannot take away his life. They have
no proof.
No proof?
The police constable who examined the
= cottage is now brought forward, and again
there is a COmmOtion in court. He is known
to be an important witness. His evidence
is as follows:
The cottage door was aiar when he
reached it, and the girl was sleeping on the
floor dressed, with her head leaning
against a chair, as if something unusual
had occurred. 1t had been showing outside
and there were traces of nail boots and
snow upon the kitchen floor, and up the
stairs. Witnesses had followed the tracks,
hoping to discover that the man had CON
cealed himself in the bedroom; but there
was no trace of him beyond a small bed in
| the corner of the room, in which boy CT
about three years old was asleep. On
1 holding lighted candle to the bed, he dis
covered that the breast Of the child's night
dress was stained slightly with blood;
! there was stain on one shoulder and on
one side OF the head, as If it had been
| pressed against.sOmething that had blood
! on it. There was no scratch upon the
childs's body any where from whence the
marks would have proceeded. Witness {
had quietly cut oft the lock of hair and
also taken possession of the night-dres,,y
awakening the child in so doing. He "a
naturally been excessively terrified, tenJ
was, moreover, too young to be questio,nnd
Here the night-dress and two curly Ti,,lrs
of tlaxen hair are produced. Time fbaa IN
some measure erased the stains, bout vet
they are there.
No sooner are these things brop'ta Gov
nd fbou 10 IA q
forth his hands, gives a cry ratl5 ar tn n a
groan, and exclaims- - 'N"1 %
20 Cod who'd ha' thought al(Ga nv how
nd hang me-" 20 10y w
Many present are moved to te o,a. ~ I,is
piteous cry from the man whose ln,adanI1a9
ton five minutes before they hhave been
thirsting for ''0
1t appears, too, that the incident 3.~iros q
new impetus to the counsel, for never W., :
prisoners cause more elOquently pleaded. |
He represents to the jury that the blood |
upon the clothes was, under the circum.
stances, nothing. 1t might have come
there in the struggle, long before the death
blow was dealt. IL fact, the whole evil
dence CT the witness Butler, is most vague.
Could it be easy positively to identify any
one in the uncertain moonlight, under cover
of a dense thcket! And as for the evI-
denoe of the voice, could they condemn
him upon that's When a man was stunned
could he be certain of anything7 All this,
and much more, he urges upon the iurv. |
and then they withdraw. In an incredible
short space Of time they re-enter the court,
and amidst the breathless excitement of all
present, give their verdict of mot guilty"
William Hardy is acquitted of the crime
of murder, but he is found guilty on the
second charge OF being an accomplice in
the burglary that had been committed at
Westminster.
Even in this instance the evidence against
him fails to prove that he was principal J
actor, and he is sentenced to six months | :
Imprisonment only.
Now the punishment also is over, and a
1eW Bill Hardy has returned to his native
village. Prison fare and prison discipline.
after such an accident as befeli the man i
previous to his trial, have thoroughly t
broken down the once iron constitution. ,
and a miserable, disabled wreck cr0uches
over the same old cottage hearth once more
lie will not poach agaid, Tor he can not He /
will not quarrel with or swear at his wife, I
or he has nonee He will not in softer mo- =
nents lift the little Joe upon his knee. for
he boy has been dead six weeks e
Oftene during the two years of exile.
pent half in concealment and idieness.
alt in reckless sine Hardy was recoms +
nended to 60 to the colonies and start in a
lew life unknown But he could not 90. So d
ong as he. could send something to Jenny. b
e knew his youngest darling would not
taryeo -
Many days during fine weary hours Of i'm. a
risonment, he almost felt he should die. IL
ut for the one thought Of seeing his boy c
nee more, the only creature Oh earth he Fl
yer really loved. H.
The knowledge that he returned a con. j"
fcted telonO with the stain of a grave sl?s. b
iciOn upon him. did not trouble him. He Il
ad escaped hanging, q fact which amplv y
atisted his conscience. Home in his 1uind i
-as Joe. and for him he would live. 81
But Joe had been ruin over bv a wagon, a,
nd killed on .he spot: and when Hardy B
anne home that was the news ne heard. .,
The clergyman Of the parish visits aim -
but 10 him he is either suIler b
: actually rUde: so the rector has thought
wiscs 20 leave him Il great deaf to Miss "
Orgester. whom he wilI sec and talk 10. ; =.
acause Jenny tells him that she taught Joe 81
is letters and that lie loved her. VI
Six weeks after his return Bill Hardy Is hi
ing an his Bed propped up with pillows h,
o longer strong nor bu.iTo nor feroc!ons.
ut Tasted almost to shadow and the -
mp of life Is burning low. t
Miss Forester is sitting 5T the Bedside. IL
10 has been Teadingo Jenny is 8obbing in m
corner and the children. are down stairs, -
2Ty miserable indeed wishing they could pr
aye their dinnerse 0G 90 out 30 play and. IT
the truth must be told, feeling dea;tily | IA
Hardy is whispering something 20 Miss nc
9rresters and suddenly she falls upon her II
lees beside him and murmurs some words bI
audible save to the dying mani 70
Then he speaks louder than at firsto
'''Tain't no ouse to peach upon me. miss.
this world: Ill be at another bar afore