The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-08-20

tim again stretch his restored limbs
and fasten them to the chains again
the cranks begin to turn.
This time no scream, 40 yell, but
faint whisper "T can no more"
The judge who first interrogated him
approaches. "Confess, Harrik," says
he, "and all is right" Il...,
"Yes, yes, he was therel" says the
victim.
The crank goes slowly on. ....
eft was Gilman, was it ?" ...
eyes, yes y
"He wore brown coat, did hep"
eyes, yes |"
"You swear it was he who aided
your"
eyes, yes for Gods sake yes I"
The cranks stop. The declaration is
written down, and pen put in the vic.
TINS fingers, who traces the semblance
of q cross under it.
The court adjourns. They have suf.
fered, though not on the rack They
leave. Only one remains.
When all are gone, he rises and
speaks few words to the warden then
turning to the prisoner, he assists in
carrying him to the leaning chair. The
poor man looks thankfully up to his
sympathizing face. The warden enters
with tray. On it is a strong cup of
coffee, and some refreshing food. The
man says thanks with O glance, while
the Judge leaves the court room.
What have written is no fiction, but
simple narrative OF what occurred in
the Court OF Justice, at Nimegue, in
the year 1760. For the Judge who
showed compass ion was my grand
father. and he had good occasion to mar
From my father heard it more than
once, as an only son is anxious to hear
over and over what belongs as it were
to the family.
Yes, the merciful Judge left the court
room, and went to his home. His wife
received him with love, and in the
blessed atmosphere of domestic affec-
ton in vain he tried to forget the hor-
rible scene he had been compelled to
witness. In vain
Harrik was q man who always bore
good character. The father OF numer-
Gus family, he had an enemy-one who
with all his might and craftiness tried
to do him injury. This was known and
acknowledged by all the witnesses. In
all his troubles his next neighbor, Gill
man, had been his friend. This was
known and acknowledged by all the
witnesses. But one afternoon, when
the dusk OF evening set in, and people
returned from their work, Harrik vent
ed his anger on the cause of his
troubles. From words they came to
blows; crowd gathered. Beside the
two men, third man was seen--was it
| Gilman? The struggle was short. The
troubler of Harrik's peace fell down,
stabbed in breast and back and side.
Harrik was arrested on the spot. But
where was the other man 4? He was
gone.
cit was Gilman" said most of the
witnesses. "We knew him by his coat.
1t was Gilman"
Others seemed to doubt. Gilman was
found at his home, busy with his do
mestic duties. He seemed very agita-
ted but was it sorrow for his friend,
or was it consciousness of guilt? In
court he protested his innocence, and
appealed to Harrik, who simply said:
81 did it. Gilman was not there"
But the many witnesses who insisted
that they had seen him and no other, as
well as the known friendship of the
two, induced the court to get the final
convincing proof from Harrik.
He was condemned to the gallows.
Yet one day, and the convincing proof
would fell. Hence the rack !
They had been successful Gilman's
doom was sealed.
But the merciful Judge had his
doubts. That night he was sleepless.
1t was long past midnight, when he
was startled by the ringing Of the door
bell. 1t was the warden. Coming into
the presence of my grandfather, he
said
"Sir, the unhappy man is restless
more than once he has asked me when
he was to die? I told him then he
cried loud: 20, Gilman! Gilmanl' At
last said: what about Gilman ?
Thsn he said nothing. Just now he
stopped me in my POUND, and said:
Jochems, could you not go to the gen.
tleman who was so kind to me2 l want
SO much to see him. Said I: But it
is late, Harrik-it won't do! Then he
began to beg me so hard, Sir, that I
did not like to refuse. He has but one
day more to live, sir, and l saw you
were kind 10 him, 80 l took courage,
and said would CO."
While the honest warden was talking,
my grandfather was already busy to
prepare himself for the visit. They
went through the silent streets of
Nimegue, up to the prison. The jailor
unlocked door after door, and ushered
my grandfather into the cell of the con-
demned man. A sad sight it was! On
stretcher lay Harrik, wreck of hu-
manity his tortured limbs powerless,
his face alone showing life. With
glistening eyes, he looked at my grand
father, who took seat beside, and
clasping his hand, said:
"What is it Harrik? What can do?"
There was a moment of silence. The
man looked steadily at the merciful
judge. At last he said:
"You have been very kind to me,
sir. l have something to say, bnt am
afraid, sir. The rack The rack
And as if all his torments returned
at the very thought, he gasped for
breath. At last he said:
"I cannot die with lie on my con-
sciencel Blood enough Blood enough
But poor Gilman-poor dear Gilman |"
"Speak," said my grandfather-"I
am no Judge now; am only witness
Of what you have to say. Gilman was
not there ?"
The man stared long, then he said,
I thought you might have pity. But I
ana afraid-I can no more bear the
rack"