Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-12-17

told them 1 had something to communi-
cate concerning the foul deed, and L
thought it not unlikely should give
them some clew to the assassin.
When all had collected, and ar
ranged themselves, as | had directed,
in semicircle before my door-eager,
expectant, excited--I came forward,
holding in my hand an egg. Then l
made them a snort speech on the SUI
perstitions of mankind, which contend
ed had their origin in mysterious facts
revealed from the other world by Gods
good providence for the protection of
the innocent and the punishment of the
guilty, and among other things, men,
toned how the ghosts of their victims
would often haunt the murderers, COM
polling them TO reveal their crimes
how land and sea had been known to
give up their awful secrets-and how it
had been asserted that if the guilty
wretch place his hands upon the body
of the man he had secretly slain, the
wounds would bleed afresh.
And now, gentlemen" l continued,
81 hold in my hand as sure test as
any 1 have named. This simple egg,
so far to view, contains the murderer's
secret. Let him but take it in his hand,
and the frail shell will crumble to pieces
and show to all thai it is filled with the
blood of his victim. You will excuse
me, gentlemen, for putting you all to
the test. We do not know each others
secrets-the murderer of theyoung man
we buried yesterday may be among us
but only the guilty need fear the trial,
the innocent will surely pass the ordeal
unframed"
AS said this, Fixed my gaze upon
the dark visitor, my suspected man /; l
never saw a more wretched and CHASTITY
countenance, nor greater struggle in
any living being to keep a calm and un-
moved exterior.
The egg began its round. Some took
it gravely, some lightly, some turned
slightly pale, and some laughed out
right. But on it went, and came near
er to the man for whom it was intended.
l could see that hewas trembling-that
his very lips were getting white.
cit is your turn now!" said at
length, in cold, stern tone.
"Mine !" he answered, with a ghast-
ly attempt at smile. Why-why-
should II take it Poor Wilson was
my-my friend"
"Let him prove it now" 1 said
"All eyes are upon you. Take the or
deal sent by heaven, and prove your in
nocence-V you can"
He glanced hurriedly around. All
eyes were indeed upon him, and with a
look of awakened suspicion. He made
one desperate effort to be calm-then
seized the fatal egg with trembling
hands.
The next moment il was crushed to
atoms, and his hands were vet and
stained as if with human gore.
A wild yell burst from the crowd.
A despairing shrek came from the
lips of the guilty wretch and falling,
rather than sinking, down upon his
knees, he cried out:
"God of mercy, forgive me | did
kill him did kill him for his gold
his goldl o, cursed gold o, God of
heaven, forgive me y
"And how many before him ?" de-
handed 1.
"Three I! three ., God OF mercy
forgive me -
There was another wild yell, or rath-
er howl of fury-a rush like wolves on
their prey-and the poor wretch was
seized, almost torn limb from limb, and
dragged furiously away.
In less than ten minutes from his con-
fession he was dangling from neigh
boring tree, swinging by his neck.
So died the murderer, whose name
have suppressed, because he had re-
spectacle friends who are still living.
/ will only add that, believing him
guilty, had previously prepared the
egg, putting red coloring matter in it,
expecting to see him crush it through
his superstitious fears of supernat-
ural discovery. They promised me the
reward for the detection of the murder
err but this / declined. Justice was
all had sought, and this had OBJ
tanned.