The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1874-11-26
TIPToN. IOWA. NOV. ae. 1874.


"Only half an hour! We have but
Little time to spare. We must agree
before dinnee time by some means or
other. les almost twenty four hours
since we have eaten . morscl, and to
miss another meal would be absolute
suicide"
"Heigho! hats fact, = said anoth-
er, "and suicide is an unpardonable
sin. If . man commits murder, he
may have time TO repent; but to com.
init saicidc. he must 90 to spurgatory
at once, without the bench, OF clergy"
Those who are in favor If hanging
are usually more fixed in their opia-
ions than thos- on the other side
thus exactly reversing the only chart
able maxim Of criminal jur,spradence,
viz: thst it Is better tscn guilty
persons should escape than one inno-
cent one sh mld suffer. This was
most unfortunately true in the case of
poor David Dubious.
| .'lt would b. thousand pities,"
said one Of his friends, ITO hang an
innocent man. |
"That is very true" ,"rsplied one Of
the opposite side, "but then you
know that it is better that twenty in
nocent persons should be hung than
one guilty one should escape; 20 the
MAXIM says"
"Why, as 10 ihe MAXIM" said
Jonathan Slandsbout, s'there may be
something in that. But still, / have
hitherto been in favor OF the acquittal
of poor David. because I had my
doubts abou, his being guilty. How
ever, all manner of doubts must yield
TO circumstances. So far - ] can zee,
The evidence is BY no means clear -
70 the fsllow's guilt. But then on
the other hand, who is he, that twelve
respectable men should starve for his
life? A fellow, at best, Of doubtful
reputasioa, ! man. Who, IL he 10 no,
guilty Of this, or some other murder,
may well be spared from the world"
"There is much truth in what you
say, said Ichabod Avery; shut hen,
consiieri, how shall We answcr to
God and our consciences, for our YER
dictP'
"True," said Joseph Judgment,
"there's the rub ! acknowledge the
pfisoner ebs Of little or no value to
the community, and Is likely to be
guilty Of murder AZ the best Of us.-
But then we are bound to decide ac-
cording to evidence"
"And what said Obadiah Lank-
ey, "is 10 become OF our stomschs in
the mean time ? l an - oonscien.
tious as any other man, | don't care
who he is; and think I've proved it
well, too, in standing out as long -
! hare. But all things must yield to
circumstances, rs neighbor Stand
about says, and self preservation is
the 6rst law of nature, as another gen
tleman observed; wherefore, for one,
I'm for having some dinner"
sAnd too,said Christopher Come
about 81 pity tho poor wretch Of
4 prisoner, and yoa oil know l have
fought hard for his acqnit,al. But to
go to the length Of starving on bic &C.
count, I coulden't possibly think of
it,"
ssBut have you NO. mercy, no bow
els of compassions" said Tchabod
Avery.
"Bowels of compassion!" exclaim-
ed Obadiah Lankey, pressing his
hands upon the gastric region--"how
can man have bowels Of compassion
when there isn't morsel Of anything
in his stomachi The idea is prepos-
terous."
"You are exactly Of my mind, said
Jonathan Standabout. ''Charity be-
gins at home, and it is our bounden
duty to take care Of ourselves, what
ever may become Of our people. For
my part, the evidence Of DAvid's guilt
begins to look much clearer than il
did q short time ago. At any rate,
considering all things, l think we
can't do better than to hang him."
Il can't .gree with you there, Said
Joseph Judgment 81 must still ad-
here to the poor fellow, though l am
starving. I can't get over my oath,
my conscience, and all that
Your conscience ~ exclaimed
Christopher Comeabout; whaf sort of
conscience is that which prefers the
life Of poor wretch Of doubtful rep
utation to the comforts of . good din
ner, which no one among US 10 dispos-
ed to doubtp As to the prisoner, I'd
stick to him till all was blue, il Was
not SO Internal hungry. But I'm not
bound to commit murder on my stom-
ach.
Wherefore gentlemen, much ..
regret the taking of any innocent
mans life, ! must IN this case agree
to a verdict Of guilty."
well, well,' said Joseph Jndg
ment looking at his watch. it's hard
Casa monstrous hard case. 1t
wants but a quarter ofan hour OF din
ner time-and our landlord informed
me that he should cook those fine
canvass backs. The prisoner, As far
as can understand the evidence, is
as likely to be innocent as gnilrv; |
don't know what to think. indeed.
One thing is certain, however, must
have some dinner-I can't think Of
starving my conscience won't allow
me. Gentlemen, I'll agree to any
thing that's reasonable" )"
"I'n very glad, sir said one Of
original seven who were in favor of
hanging -"I'm very glad you have
finally concluded to listen to reason.
We are all agreed now excep, one,
and l think he'll come over in time to
dine. What say you, friend Avery,
shall we hang the prisoner ana go TO
dinner, or no?"
"Why, indeed, gtntlsmcn, ,'on't
know what to say--l -.e satisfac-
tory proof Of the mans beng guilty.
It's hard case, a coneounded hard
case. Our dinner must nearly be
ready; and something ought to be
determined on soon. Really, gentle
men, l think you had better agree to
acquit him."
s.Oh, we can't do that, positively"
said another Of the original seven.-