National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1874-02-06

f With the glory Of thy love.
A TALE OF THE CIRCUIT.
It was first night on the circuit afte
vacation, and old Tom Badgers turn fol
story.
Toms forte lay in the crimina
line." He had cheated the gallows &C
often that Bill Quipley used to say hi
wondered how he could look hemp
field in the face.
"Did I ever tell you," said Tom
giving his tumbler of julep an exhaust.
i've suck-"Did I ever tell you, boys,
about Obed Scott's case ?"
No, he never had.
~ should like to have such another
now," he resumed. cit was just des-
perate enough to put one on his legal
metal; and I think, with my present
experience, I could win three times out
of five under similar circumstances.
But was boy then"
"How was it ?" we asked, desirous to
cut short the preface.
"The case was in nutshell" said
Tom, coming to the point.
"Enos Burdge was an old settler,
without wife or child, who began to feel
hampered as the population averaged
half man to the square mile. He de-
cided to sell out and go West.
"He had choice tract of lam, with
comfortable cabin on it !; and Obed
Scott, the likeliest young man in the
settlement, made an offer to buy it.
Obed, instead of squandering his gains
foolishly, as too many youngsters do,
had saved them up. One reason of his
prudence, mayhap, was his engagement
to Hettie Ward, the prettiest girl ever
saw"
The old lawyer stopped to honor her
with reminiscent swig.
"Though Others" he continued,
"offered more, lin payments, Enos
accepted Obed's bid for the latter was
ready to pay cash down, and Enos said
he wished to quit the country for good.
and didn't want to leave no unsettled
business behint him.
son the day fixed for completing the
contract, Enos went before justice Of the
peace, and duly executed deed to Obed
Scott, which he carried away with him
Saying Obed was to meet him that
evening, pay the money, receive the
deed, and take possession after which
it was Enos' intention to pass the night
with an old friend to whom he was to
pay small debt, and whose house lay
in the direction of his journey.
"But Enos never reached his friends
house, and the only account given of
him after leaving the Justices, was by
Obed Scott, who said he had met Enos
at his cabin, as agreed on, paid him his
money, and gotten the deed and then
rEnos had gone away, leaving him in
possession of his purchase. TEL
There was no honester man than Enos
Burdge. That he should have left the
country clandestinely to avoid paying
the one triding debt he owed, and with
out stopping to bid his friends good-by,
seemed thing hardly credible.
WI. Rumors of foul play began to be
circulated and those were not wanting
who limited at the possibility of Obed
SCOTS having thought it an economical
stroke to put Enos out of the way, and
so possess himself of the deed without
paying the stipulated price. 4
: $50 rife did these rumors grow, that
isundry good citizens at last called on
Obed, and told him that thorough in
vestigation was necessary to vindicate
his name. s, ...
"Instead Of inviting inquiry, as good
policy, to put it on no higher ground,
would have dictated, Obed was indig-
nant, or feigned to be, at the imputa-
tion cast upon him. His tone enhanced
rather than allayed the prevailing
doubts, and q search of the premises
was begun without waiting for his per-
mission. -a sl .s.l, ll s1s-s-7.r -
"Not far from the cabin, beneath
some scattered straw, signs were dis
covered Indicating that the earth had
been recently disturbed; and on digging |
down little way, the mangled corpse |
OF Enos Burdge was exhumed
"Obed admitted that he had taken
possession of the cabin on the evening
of its late owners departure, and that |
he slept there that night. Enos Burdge
had never been seen alive since. Who
30 likely to have slain and buried him
where his body was found, but the man
who had both the motive and opportu-
nifty? ",si ~. s..''- al '''.'.
"That was the question I asked my
self when retained to conduct Obed's
and confess was unable to
return satisfactory answer. Still, I
felt bound to do my best, and did it
" On the trial, the facts were proved
much as have related them. In sum-
ming up, made the most of Obed's
good character, dwelt ON the fallacious-
ness Of circumstantial evidence, read
cases from the books to show how many
JUDICIAL murders it had been accessory
TO- and wound up with . strong appeal
20 tne Jury to give the defendant the
benefit OF every reasonable doubt.
but old Pa1wax, the presiding
Judge, stripped the gliding of nv
speech BY repeating, 10 his charge. the
usual platitudes about the impossibili-
ty of circumstances lying. True. he
told the iury that the prisoner was en-.
titled to tho benefit Of all reasonable
doubts: but then he emphasized the
word reasonable in such a way A To-
plainly enough, that IN his