Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-08-10

FOOll, dlu doeCuiPa'"5 - .
bag of gold kept by his uncle. had
aroused him, and upon being discover"
ed, had driven his hunting knife into
the heart of Mr.. Mercer. The gold
| was on the floor, it's weight having been
torn through.the bag when it was rals-
ed.
The knife with which Mr.. Mercer
was killed was one he had given to
Frank soKae days before, was large
hunting knife, encased in a silvsrscrab"
bard.
Pale as death, but showing no signs
OF fear or guilt upon his handsome face,
the prisoner sat unmoved by his sens
tence, which was to die on the gallows.
! When asked if he had aught to say,
Frank arose, and looking around the
courtroom, in a clear voice answered ::
81 have! Circumstantial evidence
has condemned me. ] admit it looks
as if did the deed, but am guiltless
of murder. Dropping my peseusslon-
cap box in mountain stream, return-
ed home for more, for without caps my
gun was useless. 1t was lovely night
and determined to enter the house by
my window, get the caps and return
without waking my uncle. | tied nay
b ,rse to the fence, sprang into the Win
dow, and then heard loud orash,
call ont, and shrek in the direction
Of my unole's room. Rushed thIther-
dark form dashed by by me in the un-
certain light o. the room and l fell over
something on the floor. With fear in
my heart I arose, lighted a candle, and
saw my own knife, which had done the
deed, lying near I picked it up, and
thus I was found by the negro and
seen by the peddler As God is my
witness ! did not murder tho good old
man who has protected me throughout
life, and whom I loved as though he
was my own father. l am guiltless of
the deed, but submit to my fate"
A silence fell upon all there we're
however, but few who believed the
youths statement; among the latter
was Mr.. Devices and his family, who,
through all, remained his staunch
friends.
Frank Mercer was to be hung-to
die an ianominious death on the gallows
and hundreds focked to the little
town where the execution was to take
place, to see him die. How disappoint-
ed they were to find that the night
before he had escaped. How, no one
knew but he had left a note addressed
to the jailor, thanking him for the kind
ness shown him while he was In his
charge, and his regret that his escape
might cause him some trouble, but say
ing that he had an opportunity of
escaping, and took advantage of it, for
he had no idea of dying an ignominous
death for an act he was not guilty of,
merely to CRAFTY the curiosity of a
gaping crowd. Freedom was offered
him, and he accepted it, and he hoped
he would yet be able to prove his
innocence.
This was about the substance of the
letter, and when it was published in
the local papers, there were some who
were glad that the boy had escaped the
gallows.
Mr., MERGERS property was in his will
all left to Frank, and it was found to be
considerable. Trustees assumed charge
of it, and before long the quiet commu
nifty had settled down to its usual rou-
tine, and the murder and the escape
were in short time almost forgotten.
Ten years had passed away, and no
word of the fugutive had been beard
and people believed him dead. One
exception was Mary Devices, now
grown to womanhood. She had never
believed him dead, and through her
life had treasured Franks name in her
honest heart, the mystery which hing
around him but adding strength to Der
regard. Her sisters had married, her
mother was dead, and together with
her father they had lived in the old
homestead.
Business called Mr.. Devices to Ha-
vana, he took Mary with him, and they
set sail from Charleston in fine ship
running South. They had been some
days at sea, when in the dead of night
the fearful cry of sire" was heard,
which aroused all from slnmber. In
vain we're efforts made to queneh the
flames. The seamen in fright rushed
into the only available boat, and it sank
with them, and left them struggling
in the ocean, borne away by the wind
and waves. while Mr.. Devices and
Mary, the captain of the ship, and a
few others were huddled away upon
the stern, awaiting the awful doom,
that must. to all appearances oyertake
them.
''Sail ho!"
The joyous cry came from the cap
tain who had been straining his eyes