The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-11-29
HOARY HEADED MISCREANT.
Within the Shadow of G..btet-A
Scsna Of Blood and Horror,
a Mothers Su>PiciOns-COnl
of the Terrified Murderer.

"a HOluOT SuSpACtOHS-OOM IN
of Ghe Terrified Murderer.
A dead silence reigned in the court
room at Zanesville, Ohio, precisely at
noon Oh the 18th of November, 1913,
when the iuiY in the case Of the people
against Simon Stoddard, tor murder in
| the frs. degree, retired after ali hours
deliberation. From the grave and gloomy
looks Of of the jurors it was evident
that the verdict was unfavorable to the
| prisoner.
The latter was still very young man.
/ Tall and slender as he was, his face might
have been called progressing but for
! the deep pallor which overspread his fea-
lures at this moment, and the intense
terror that was depicted in his deep black
eyes.
9 Have you agreed upon d verdict,
gentlemen of the jury ," asked the clerk
of the court.
The foreman of the jury nodded his
head affirmatively.
" How say you each ?" continued the
clerk, "Do you find the prisoner guilty
or not guiltY?"
" Guilty Of murder in the first de-
gree"
There was a loud sigh, as if heaved by
the whole audience. All eyes were riv-
eted on the prisoner, who was trembling
like an aspen leaf. Thick pearls Of
perspiration gathered on his forehead as
he rose in obedience to the direction of
the clerk.
g Simon Stoddsrd," said the Judge,
gravely, to him, ''have you anything to
say why sentence of death should NOT
now be passed upon you?"
F." Your Honor" replied the prisoner, in
tremulous voice, everything is against
me. And yet, "a sure as there is a living
God, | am as innocent as you of this fear
full crime, of which | now stand convict
ed. | acknowledge that circumstances
are against me, but | never murdered
poor Agnes Middleton. They say muir
der will out. | trust that the perpetra-
tor of this bloody deed, now imputed to
me, will be detected before it is too late.
Otherwise i guiltless man will be legally
murdered on the scaffold !"
There were numerous and au.Iihle signs
of Impotence among the audience dur
ing the delivery of the culp rit's address.
The Judge then said to him with pro-
found emotion:
Simon Stoddard, do not yield to
hopes that will prove groundless. You
have been convicted upon an unbroken
chain Of the most overwhelming circum-
stantial evidence of a murder of the most
revolving character. A fair young girl,
who had reject ted your addresses, was de
liberately inveigled by you to a lonely
spot in the woods, where you had vic
lent quarrel with her. An hour later she
was found there with her throat cut from
ear to ear, and with number of gashes
upon her body. You yourself were found
shortly afterw&rd at a neighboring tav-
ern IN beastly state of intoxication.
While no traces of blood were discovered
upon your body or your clothes, you had
in your pocket razor, upon which the !
physicians discovered blood stains, and !
which they pronounced the instrument
with which you undoubtedly inflicted the /
deadly wounds upon your victim. You
have been ably defended, but your elo- /
quent counsel has been unable to break |
a single link of the chain of evidence !
against you. Nothing remains for me
but TO earnestly urge you to pass in re-
pentance and contrition the brief space |
of time for which you will still remain /
upon this earth. The sentence of the |
court is that you be taken by the sheriff |
of this county, between the hours of s /
and 10 a. m, on the 18th of January /
next, to the yard of the Jail, and be hung
by the neck until YOU are dead and may /
God have mercy upon your soul :"
The prisoner seemed petrifed with her-
ror as he received his doom, and he had /
to be almost carried back BY the jailor to
the gloomy cell, where hewas to await his I
execution.
In GAINESVILLE it was not then doubted |
that Simon Stoddard was guilty. In
times gone by he had been very popular
among the people of that place. He had
been sober, steady young man, and
made good deal of money, being an
excellent composition. He had fallen in
love with Agnes Middleton, the charm
ing daughter of lawyer in good prac
tice. Mr.. Middleton, upon being APP
piled to by Simon Stoddard for his daugh-
ter's hand, repulsed him somewhat
haughtily.
NV daughter shall only marry gen.
tleman, the proud man said to the COM
positor. 81 have had her too well edu-
Gated to let her pine away her life with a
man inferior to her in knowledge and cul-
ture.'
Poor Simon was almost crushed upon
hearing these cruel words. He appealed
to the girl to stand BIZ him, but Agnes
was tinid creature; she did not ven
ture to bid defiance to her proud and
stern father, and she begged Simon to
forget her. His, however,, was an ar
dent nature; his love of Agnes was so
deep and fervid that be would have died
rather than give her Up, and when he
saw that all hope of obtaining Agnes
hand was gone, he became utterly de-
spondent, and began to drink hard. As
usual in such cases, the downward road