The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-09-13

| grin.
mo, haint, says 1, a little crusty,
and walked of, for 1 never liked Jess
pryin' ways.
'Weli, some days afterward, l was
sittin' in my cabin readin' my Bible
one evenin' when a squad Of men rid
up and come in without waitin' to be
axed.
"You're my prisoner! says the one
1t the head, clappin' his hand On my
shoulder.
''What for?' says I.
:FOr murder! says he.
And then they begun searchin' the
premises, and presently they found
the dead mans pocket book, which
I'd put away after counting the mon
| ey.
:Where did you get this p said the
man who'd spoke afore.
81 won't tell, says l.
'Why not ? says he.
s'Because I've give my word to a
dead man. says l, and 1 won't go
back on it,
'.I1l show you where the dead man
is,' says Jess. Roker, comm forrid
with his sneakish grin.
sThen l knOw'd Jess'd been eaYes-
droppin' at the funeral, and had given
information agin me. l made dash
at him, but dozen hands seized me
aud held me fast.
Jess led the way to the grapeyines,
and in q few minutes the man had
buried was removed from his restia'
place.
"What have you to say aow?' says
the sheriff.
''Nothin,' says 1, rememberin' my
promise.
Then strange man present spoke
to the sheriff in private. They exam
ined the pocket book together. Then
I was handcuffed, and took away
thirty mile to Jail.
sT'would be too long a story to tell
all that passed till I was tried. A
young lawyer took up my case. For
a long time wouldn't tell him any
thing. insisted I'd give my word to
dyin' man, and couldn't break it.
But the lawyer was smart chap and
out-argued me. His main pint was
that a lawyer was bound to keep his
clien.'s g. CT It's, and anything l told
hin,'dEbe rs safe as with myself. Be-
SIDES, he said. whatever promise l had
given, the law would imply condi-
ton that l wasn't bound to keep it at
the risk of bein' hanged and even il
I'd agreed to be hanged sooner'n tell,
'twould be agin public policy and
void. I give in at last and told him
all.
well, after some delay, the trial
come OH. The witness that swOre to
seein' the murdered man last was his
own brother, which was the same man
who held the private powwow with
the sheriff the day l was took up.
'He swore that him and his brother
had come out to buy land, and had
been stoppin' for some days with
settler in the neighborhOod. His
brother and him had started out one
afternoon to take look at the coun-
try, but he had got tired, aud not feel
in very well had turned back, while
his brother went on, intendin' when
night come to stop at the nearest cab
in. After that he had never seen his
brother alive, but he fully identified
the pocket book and the body. The
pocket book had three thousand dol
lars in it.
MY lawyer cross examined the wit.
ness very sharp and mixed him up a
good deal. In fact he contradicted
himself so much that mOre'n one Of the
jury began to look doubtful.
sAll at one the truth began to flash
on to me.
ssThat's the man that done itp says
I, springin' up and putin at the wit
ness. 4 know now why the dying
man didn't want nothing said! Il
srhe officers forced me back into my
seat and the witness took out his
pocket handkerchief aud begun weep.
iu' vilently. He could stand anything,
he said, sobbin' sooner'n bein' charg-
cd with his brothers murder.
This scene powerfully affected the
very jurymcn that just afore had be-
gun to show signs of doubt and they,
%, took out their haudkerchiefs
and wiped their eyes and blOwed their
noses and then shook their heads.
The young lawyer made good
speech for me, but 'twant no use.
When murdered mans money and
body's beta found on the prisoner,
it's easy to see he don't stand much
chance.
sThe jury brung me in guilty, aud
the judge pronounced sentence.
sAs I'd got to be hung I'd a been
glad to have it over; but the Judge
gave me couple of months to prepare
tor death, and said he hoped I'd i'm
prove the time repentin' of my great
offence.
Them sixty days passed mighty te-
dious. Every one of 'em was spun
out with sutferin'. Hold your hand
in the fire a mint aud guoss you'll
think it was full hour.
.To add to it all, Parson Piget kept
teazin' of me to confess. He said he
couldn't offer me no hope unless did
told him my hope wasn't in Mm
that put my trust in. One that didnt
want no lynn confessions. felt sorry
afterwards for he was q good mar, and
l have no doubt meant right. -.