The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-07-02

"Pshaw, your nation produces as many
honorable criminals as any other. ToyOur
work, sir, and quickly. If you have con,
scientiOuS S%crupleS, remember an enforced
sin lies lightly on mycOnscience lay that
comfort to your soul. No more words,''
he added peremptorily-"not one; this is
the time for actiOn.''
d" refuse to obey your cruel command.
Let me 60"
, The man who had been writing. and I'M
til nOw had taken N part whatever III the
scene that was passing round him, then
rose up and joined the group. Laying his
hand lightly on my grandtather's shoulder,
he said:
There is no escape for YOU, Doctor;
every ome you hesitate you prolOng
that wOman's pain. She must die; and
you can despatch her with painless speed"
What if [ refuse: You cannot force
me to commit so foul a MURDER
He pointed to two swarthy figures.
| (eithcr soldiers or iiveried servants OF some
noble fami ly-my grandfather could not
tell which, who had been standing mo-
tiOnleSS by the couch, and answered:
"Thcn those faithful fellows will dis
patch YOU, and afterwards dispatch her;
they are not professional, and their work
will be clumsiiy done. If the operation
be not performed upon your patient be-
fore the clock strikes you know your fate;
if YOU are Obdurate, remember you throw
! nNrr, ,-p,- nu-,, lif. without CaUinu hpTS
| She is doomed: no power on earth can
| save her.
1t was vain t speak or eXpOStulate with
those fiends in human form. He felt they
were as stern and memorable as fate. 1t
was as cruel as horrible and cOWardly.
Five men assembled to witness the pro
fcsSiOnal murder of a young and beautiful
woman! What had she done? whom had
she offended? Some secret machinery
was at work these men were mere in
! struments in the hands ofa higher power
they had owned as much; they had no
personal interest IN the matter. They
were there to carry out justice, they said
secretly. it was true; bat the woman
had been lawfully condemned, and the
/ sentence Of the law must be privately eX-
/ ecuted.
The wOman'S yes were fixed upon
them throughout the whole of this rom
vcrsation. and travelled from one face 20
the Other. in hopeless agony; not Il word
passed her cas-, and only the II despair
ing. changclcss expression sat like a seal
upon her face. She knew there wa no
escape for hcr-none. There was only
/ the one question to be solved Was she
to die by ihr unwilling hand OF a pitying
stranger. or be killed cruelty by profrs-
sional murdcrcrs? What a world OF ter
rOr must have been cOmpa Sed in those
few moments of her life As she lay watch
ing and waiting there.
The clock began to chimc the quarters
it wa about to strike. At a given signal the
~statue-iike figure stepped forward and
rapidly uncoiled Il rope with a moose al
ready made: they We're about to slip it
over his head and hang him to beam
which ran alOngthe center of the ceiling.
The horror of facing a sudden and violent
end seized him-his death would avail her
nothing for whom he died. His senses
werein Il whirl; he threw up his hands
and spraug forward.
"Ill do it :" h" exclaimed, and fell on
his knees beside her. They DilL have
your life; [ cannot save you, child but |
can shield YOU from their rough, cruel
hands. and put you painlessly to rest.
Forgive me, forgive me, but it is in mercy
to you | do this cruel deed"
The white hand went out to him and
closed over his in Il soft. fOrgiving clasp;
the agony died ont of the sweet eyes as
they rested one moment on his face then
with Il low sigh She closed them and turn
ed away her head. In another moment
her young life was ebbing slowly Away.
He remained by her side, holding her
hand in his and watching till all was over.
He would not for a second leave her with
| those stern men, lest a WOunding word or
rough touch might disturb her OF her
way from this world to the next. He was
conducted from the place in the same way
as he had entered it, and when his con-
dnctorS took leave of him they suggested
that it would be well if he would leave Ma
pies with as little delay rs possible. This
forced murder for such it really was-
Law upon his conscience to the end of his
life, and filled it with n long rcmOrSe-a
living nightmare-for that scene was al
ways present to his mind. The change
that had so long puzzled us puzzled us no
more. He could not carry his secret to
the grave with him, so gave it into II
keeping.
LISA terrible story!' | exclaimed.
"And, unlike most terrible stories, it is
true" ne answered. Come ont for Il