Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-04-10

"A SEDCCER OENTENCED-l Hc HioO
trial in the State under the new law OF
Virginia which makes seduction
felony, punishable by imprisonment in
the penitentiary, took place in the Cir
cult Court of Augusta on Monday. AS
the case was new one under the code,
it excited great deal of interest, and
the court room was densely crowded.
The parties to the case were VIM. Nj.
Taylor, charged with the seduction of
Mary Catherine Cameron Hess in the
month of November, 1878, both parties,
being residents of the county.
Miss Hess was young lady 20 years
of age, though she looked like a child,
with an unusually petite figure, with a
blonde baby face, and full head of
regular golden hair which a fashionable
woman would give a small fortune to
possess. Her features were small but
regular, and heightened color on taking
the witness stand made her what boy
would call a beauty, and what a man
would call very pretty woman. She
had on black velvet hat, bright strl-
ped shawl, brown founced dress and
light gloves and parasol She gave her
testimony with a modesty and frank
ness, but in so low tone that it was
with difficulty she could be heard by
counsel or jury, except on one occasion,
when question of counsel would have
led to the conclusion that she was a
wanton, when she raised her head with
eyes blazing and exclaimed with fury
of energy Il sware before God l never
didT During all of her questioning
she sat with her eyes fixed on the floor
with her parasol, maintaining silence
so long between her answers as to take
on the color of obstiuacy. AT the pro-
poundieg of some of the most painful
questions by counsel the scene was
piteous; the eagereyes Of a thousand
men filed with prurient curiosity strain
ed to catch a glimpse of the poor mite
of girl sitting with downcast eyes, her
cheek afame, and the perspiratiou
standing in beads on her forehead; to
hear her answers which were so low
that they had to be repeated by the
Commonwealth Attorney to the jury.
At one time, after full minute of ago
nv, she broke into weeping, which the
brutal crowd took with disappointment,
having expected something. to use
their vile language, "richer" than that.
Sometimes, when bard pressed by the
opposing council, she answered with a
touch of vivacity almost amounting to
pertness but she only smiled once, and
that was during the reading of the love
letter in which "Dear Birdy" occurred
80 frequently; but the smile faded ont
quickly when she recollected the differ,
ence between the days when that was her
pet name, and the scene in the court
room now. Sitting on q bench near
the witness stand wasthe mother of the
girl, who kept her face buried in her
handkerchief, weeping until the time
came for herself to take the stand.
VIM. NJ. Taylor, the accused, was a
large young fellow of seventeen, with
frank and rather good looking face.
The jury took the case on Friday
afternoon, and on Saturday returned
with verdict of guilty, assessing the
punishment at one year in the peniten-
tiary, and recommended Taylor to Exc
cutive clemency. The prisoner exhibit
ted no particular emotion on hearing
the verdict, nor did be attempt to car
ry it of lightly. He was taken back to
prison.-Staunron Tindicafor.