Litchfield enquirer., 1873-05-22

Ing officer of the court, called upon the prisoner to say everything which he had to offer in his defence He had thus far listened to all the proceedings of the court as if completely stunned. and as if 1 1t were inexpicable to him that he could be arraigned on such fearful accusation, that, namely, of having treacherously. caused the death of his comrades. Upon my exhortation he collected himself and began to speak in his defence. still re- member his words distinctly, for they were so well chosen for man of his rank as to excite my surprise and admiration.
 ''I do not fear death" he said. s:for I have often looked it in the face. but to die, knowing that those at whose side I lived and fought for years will curse me when am no more is frightful, and for me the more so, because so surely as I hope for salvation-I am innocent of all the crimes with which am charged, with the exception of that of cutting down the officer. Of that I am guilty; but I ask you slrs, what would any one of you have done had you seen your afianced bride 1nsulted and struck, as was mine? This, however, IS minor matter What gals me most IS the accusation of having left 'my post and betrayed my comrades. Of this charge I wish to speak. .. 
 When I reached my station, I dis mounted. tied my horse to a tree, and paced to and fro, to warm myself, keep ing at the same time an eye upon the town where the lights in the windows be- gan to go out one by one, and everything to become quiet. The thought occupied me that the capture of the village would be easier than We had believed, and ney- CT in the slightest degree did the possibil- lty occur to me, that among the inhabit- ants there could be any one in whom I had any interest; for since the beginning 1f f the TaE ad haa dhaEa Rathng from my that my parents had moved to this town. I had been walking up and down for per haps an hour, when I suddenly heard rustling in the adjacent bushes. I step ped behind tree, and looked narrowly toward the spot. Next moment a female appeared, whose countenance could not see. as it was concealed almost entirely by hood. She was hastening along the path towards the town, when called to her to stop or would fire. AS may read fly be supposed, she was paralyzed with terror at the sight of a soldier so near her, when she supposed there were none with ill miles. She stood still until came up to her. I was on the point of asking her what brought her into the woods at that late hour of the night, and telling her that she was my prisoner, when she gave a loud cry. called my name, and fell up- on my neck. Then first, Major, did I discover that 1t was my betrothed, Carlin Krrobyi, to whom had been engaged even before had entered the army. She told me how my father, a year before, had come with his family to S-, but was now lying dangerously ill.-how she had been sent by my mother to place distant several miles, to fetch as last hope fa- nous physician who dwelt there, but that on her arrival, she had learned that few days before he had been murdered and his house plbndered by the Croats of Jel- lachich, and how at last she was returning. to S. when stopped by me- 1
 "You may imagine, gentlemen" con. tinued the unfort1pate man, ''what fright ful news this was for me, and what were my feelings at the thought that my fath- CT, sick unto death, my mother, sister, and bride were all in this place which we were about to attack. knowing ss did what they would have to expect from our troop CTS when heated by conflict. My betroth- ed entreated me to come with her to see my father yet once before he died, and when I told her that this was impossible, she represented how might quickly re- turn to my post and that nothing would be discovered. At last consented to go with her, as she promised that my absence need not be for more than half an hour. The lights were all extinguished and not a soul to be seen in the streets of the town, and we reached my fathers house without being seen by any one. How it became known in the town that our regiment was encamped in the woods and on the bank of the river, do not know. Perhaps mother may be able to tell you. My father held my hand in his until he died. could not leave him, and hardly had closed his eyes, when I heard the shots outside, and knew that our troops had already entered the village. A few minutes after, the officer with our men entered the room and what happened then you know already"
 In order to test the truth of Szelady's story. more for the satisfaction of my own curiosity than for the sake of any advan- take which could result therefrom to him, I summoned his mother, and sought to ascertain from her in what way our occu- patton of the woods had become known i'll the town. From her answers it seemed
 
 Michaels arrival, had given the intelli- gence to the leaders of the troops station ed in the place. Michael's statements with regard to the motive which induced his coming to S. were, as it appeared, essentially true, and he could be charged with no intentional treason; but the fact that he had left his post was put beyond doubt by his own confession, and the sub sequent attack was in any event to be re- garded as consequence of this offence. Moreover, the wounding of his superior officer, although he had had provocation for this, was an unpardonable crime. I felt compassion for the young man, on account of the peculiar circumstances which had misled him into committing this offence, but duty left me no choice
 Sentence of death was therefore pronounc- ed, but, as particular favor, an hour was given him to take leave of his friends and prepare for his end.
 In order to prevent any attempt at flight, l caused him to be shut up in a stable, | which joined upon the house of his father, and placed sentry before the building. His mother, sister, and betrothed, who after the first shock had gained compos- ure and bore the sentence of the young man with a caimness which at the time appeared to me unfeeling, were admitted to-see him one after the other; and, after they had taken leave of him, priest who had been taken prisoner in the town was admitted to administer the last consola- tions of religion, and to accompany him to the place of execution. The mother and sister did not remain long with him, but his betrothed much longer, indeed, | for so long time that the pr1estwas ob- liged at last to interrupt the interview. Just as the hour had come to an end, the priest came to me with the request on the part of the prisoner, that his betrothed might be allowed to see him once more, but without witnesses, as he wished te give her a last commission In order to show the unhappy man ever favor in my power to extend, I granted the request, and the priest thereupon accompanied the maiden to the door of the stable, and closed this after her entrance. As some time elapsed without the reappearance of the young woman, he entered himself, in