Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-09-26

sounds. A solution OF the mystery was
not long in suggesting itself. Eliza had
disappeared; she was no longer to be
seen about her fathers house. Aher many
low murmurs had circulated, the father
was Intercepted respecting his daughter.
He replied that she was missing certainly !;
but whittier she had gone he knew not.
He had nothing whatever to do, he said,
with her disappearance.
This explanation was not satisfactory
The whisper went about that James Bax-
well had assassinated his daughter, to pre-
vent her marriage with William Kat.
Finally this conjecture was SO torclbly
pressed on the attention of the public au-
thorities that they were compelled to ar
rest Baxwell, and inquire into the matter.
The dwelling of the merchant was exam
ined, but nothing suspicious was found.
THE cave the cave is the place ~ cried
some of the crowd. The magistrates then
descended into the cave, and there, on
lifting some loose stones, they found q
portion of Eliza's dress, sprinkled all over
with blood. and small quantity of her
hair. clotted with gore.
Baxwell protested his innocence, but
the proof seemed strong against him, and
he was brought to trial. The result was
his conviction for the murder of his daugh-
ter. and his condemnation to death.
On receiving this awful sentence. the
unhappy merchant seemed overpowered
by the dreadful nature of his situation. He
. continued in state of almost total insen-
sibility during the interval between his
trial and the day of execution. On the
morning of the latter day, the jailer came
to announce to him that the moment was
= In n.
fearful trembling, and cried again-what
he had reiterated to all who saw him dur
ing his onfinement-"Before my Maker
l swear that ! am gultless of my child's
DEATH"
They led him out to the scaffold. There
he found, among others. William Kat,
who, 1t should have been said, was the
most important witness against him at his
trial, having repeated to the court the
threat of death which Baxwel. in his
presence, had uttered to Eliza. No SOON
err did the doomed merchant behold katt
than he paused at the foot of the scatfold
and solemnly said. "My friend, in one
minute / shall be in eternity. wish to
die in peace with all men, Give me your
hand-I pardon you freely the injury your
evidence has done me-" Baxwell spoke
with composure, but the effect of his words
upon Katt was very striking. He became
pale as death, and could not conceal his
agitation.
Baxwell slowly mounted the steps of
the gallows, and gave himself up to un-
dergo death by the rope. According to
the ancient custom OF Gibraltar, the exc
cutioner commenced his duties by crying,
in loud voice, "Justice is doing justice
is done!" He then placed the black bon
net on the head of the condemned. and
pulled it down in front so as to cover the
eyes. He had just done this when he was
stopped in his proceedings by loud cry
from the side Of the scaffold:
cit is who am guilty. alone"'
The cry came from William Katt. The
magistrate in attendance instantly called
him forward and demanded an explana-
ton. The young man avowed that he had
carried off Eliza, with her consent, to be
his wife, and that she was now residing
not far off in concealment. But to her he
did not communicate the measure he had
taken to revenge himself on the father.
He had cut off portion of her hair while
she slept, and clotted it with the blood of
lamb-also sprinkling in the same way
part of her dress which he had purloin-
ed. These articles he had placed in the
cave, and there emitted personally those
cries which had borne SO heavily against
the merchant. The generous pardon
which Baxwell bestowed on him had
awakened Che said) remorse in his breast.
and compelled him to avow the truth.
This confession was partly made at the
scafold, and partly afterward. AS soon
as Katt had spoken out so decisively, the
executioner turned to Baxwell to take
from him the ensign of death. The mer-
chant, almost unobserved, had sunk down
In sitting posture. The black bonnet
was drawn from off his eyes and head,
and 1t was found that he was corpse {!
No exertion had the slightest effect in
awakening in him spark of life. The
physicians. saying all that they could on
such subject. declared that he had died
from the effects of strong imagination.
William Kat was conducted to prison
amid the clamors of the populace, there to
await judgment for his misdeed, but what
this Judgment was we are not told.
1t is added that Eliza, on learning her
fathers fate, retired to convent for life
but. if she was married to Katt, it is i'm
possible that she could have taken the veil
in any religious order, except in case of
his death. 1t is unquestionable. however,
that few daughters have had greater need
for repentance and penance.
If it be asked what healthy or useful
moral can be drawn from these CHASTITY
records of legal error, we may answer
with an old maxim, which cannot be too
strongly commended to the consideration
of all those who are concerned in the adj
ministration of justice: at is better that
ten guilty persons should escape than that
one innocent should suffer"
CHRISTIAN REED.