Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-05-31
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.

CAHIIAL PUNISHMENT.
In the ReVteao of November, there
was an account of the trial of Harry
Blake for murder, who was convicted
upon circumstantial evidence, and hung.
About three months after his death. the
Judge who presided at the trial received
a note from q prisoner under sentence
of death, requesting to see him without
delay, as his sentence was to be carried
into effect the day following. On his
way thither he overlook an old man
walking slowly, who accosted him, and
recognized him to be Caleb Grayson,
VINO mad been a witness at Blake's trial
and had q similar note to his own. but
equally at loss to know the meaning
of the summons.
They both entered the cell together.
The prisoner did not move, but raised
ms head, when Grayson recognized hay
ing seen him at tavern the night be-
Tore BIake's execution, and at the gal
lows, o
Well, Judge" " said he, "I sent for
you to see if you can't get me out of
this scrape Must l surely hang to-
morrow p" asa--r
The Judge shook his head, "Tt's idle
to hope; nothing can prevent your exc
cution."
can application might be made to
The authorities" said the prisoner.
Pardons have come sometimes on the
scaffold." ..'... -~~ '-
" None will come in your case" re-
piled the judge sit is needless for me
to dwell on your offence now, for it was
one that had no palliation, and you may
rest assured, that whatever NAV have
occurred in other cases, no pardon will
come IN yours. In fact, I understand
that an application has been made for
one by your counsel, and has been re-
fused"
The features of the prisoner under
Went no Change, nor did the expression
OF his tace alter in the least. But, after
moments pause, he said, els this
true, Judge-upon your honor ?"
g 1t is, " replied the Judge.
"Then I know the worst, " replied the
prisoner, coldly, "and will now tell
what L have to communicate, which
would not have done while there was q
hope of escape. You, said he, turning
to the Judge, "presided at the trial of
young Harry Blake, who was accused of
murder, and sentenced to DEATH"
"I did,
" And you," said he, turning to Gray
son, "were one of the witnesses against
him. You swore that you saw him stab
Wlckhtfe. On your testimony princi-
pally he was hung"
| was," replied the old man. "I
saw him with my own eyes"
The prisoner uttered low sneering
laugh, as he said, turning to the Judge |:
You, sir, sentenced an innocent man.
And you, said he, turning to the other,
"swore to falsehood. Harry Blake
did not kill Wickliffe. He was as inno-
cent of the sin of murder as you we're
more innocent than you are now"
The old man staggered as if he had
been struck, and leaned against the
table to support himself, while the con-
demned felon stood opposite him, look
ing at him with an Indifferent air.
Yes, old man." said he, sternly
you have blood and perjury on your
soul; for I, l." said he, stepping for
ward, so that the light of the lamp fell
strongly upon his savage features, "I
murdered William Wicklife 1 did it /!
Thank God, / did it, for [ had long
score to settle with him. But Blake had
no hand in it. I met Wickliffe on that
afternoon alone, with none to interfere
between us. i told him of the injuries
he had done me, and told him that the
time had come for redress He endeavor-
ed to escape, but followed him up I
grappled with him, and stabbed him.
AS lid so, l heard the clatter of horses
hoofs, and [ leaped into clump of
bushes which grew at the roadside. At
that moment Blake came up, and found
Wickliffe lying dead in the road. You
know the rest. The tale he told was
true as the Gospel. He was only at
tempting to draw the knife from the
mans breast when you came up and
charged him with the murder"
"Good God can this be possible %
calculated the old man. "It cannot
Villain, you are liar |"
'Pshaw p muttered the man. "What
could [ gain by lying =? Tomorrow I
die"
'T don't believe it I don't believe
it p' exclaimed Grayson, pacing the cell,
and wringing his hands. "God in mercy
grant that it may be false that this
dreadful sin may not be upon me-"
The prisoner sat down, and looked at
the Judge and the witness with a calm
ness that had something almost fendish
in it, when contrasted with the extreme
agitation of the one, and the mental
agony of the other.
At last the old man stepped in front
of him, and, with calmness so sud
denly assumed in the midst of his
aroxy ism of remorse that it even over