Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1877-08-29

luSdi. tucu tWO uVtobdtiohS w i"pN
Succession. John Raddle, witlYa ball
in his thigh, the shot Of dropping
pistol, saw Frederic Mayfield fall for
ward OH his face. The others ran
back; there was a CHASTITY group iu
the moonlight; n corpse wetting the
dark turf with it's blood; q girl roll
| ing and shrieking beside it; four
men, white and staring.
"lIe's done for" whispered Scott
Jefiris. "Gitup and git, uncle. Find
yer boss and travel for the swamp"
AS John Raddle and his relatives
disappeared, Mr.. Seymour came up.
Oh the scene. He had been Awakened
by the alteration; had looked out Of
the window Mt the moment when the
three Jeffrises were retiring before |
Mayficld; had dressed az rapidly as
possible, and arrived too late. All
that he could do for his pupil was to
carry his body into the house.
Next day there was a prodigious
excitement in the district. At first
public opinion was somewhat di.
vided as to the guilt of John Raddlc,
many persons sympathizing with
him when they learned the prOvoca-
, ton under which he had acted. But
!, when the Judge of the Circuit Court,
old Squire SOmers, Col. Thornton,
, and in general the lofty and wealthy
citizens, took the ground that muir
der was murder, the commonality as.
scented to the proposition, and agreed
that the fugitive must be brought
/ to trial. His low origin, his generally
, evil life, and especially his crime of
selling whisky to negroes, also work
e ed to his prejudice. Perhaps, too, his
| pecuniary success was now an injury
. TO him, tor envy abounds in back:
$ woodish regions, and is a good
n hater.
}. The feeling against the homicide
was heightened by the excr;ions of
G Col. Mayfeld, who, on receiving
h news of his sons death, hurried post
II haste to Somefviiie, attended by
l. several martial connections, as a
D. Highland chief of the olden time
travelled with his duihnewassal. The
|. Colonel was man of forty five,
3, swarthy, small, 1.-THE, and graceful; a
a. planter Of unusual wealth; aleading
u politician in the state, and a thorough
e aristocrat in feeling; but smoothly
condescending with the masses, per.
is suasive, fascinating, and eloquent.
70 Full of grief, but full Of vindic:ive-
ne ness, he was determined that John
in Raddle should die; and he labOretl
oil for that end very much as he would
,d have labored for an election to
Congress. 1t must be admitted,
w suppose, that verdicts in South Car
Id DINA did not at that period follow
Mt strictly in the footsteps of law. TC
secure favorable result in court il
il was often necessary to secure fay
II, orable public opinion.
al "tIy son did perfectly right dc
-. clared Col. Msyfeld to Col. Thornton
I'd az to other heightened personages
II. ale did Just what / would hav,
of advised him 10 do, and inst what yor
would have advised him to do
Oh Marry the daughter of Cracker
ed OF the keeper Of crossroads gro
t., Gerry! impossible! 1t was mos
l., insolent demand, and urged with il
nix legal. insulting violence. What vii
at our class come to il such demand
can he made on it The boy di
perfectly right-as l might hav
known he would. AS fine a boy-a
Dis gcntlemauly a boy here the Colo
ed ners voice quavered little-"ye'
ay Sir, as noble and honorable a DO
elf as your own.'
i'm Thornton grasped hts hand i
to silence, and Mrs. Thornton bur
ed. into tears. Tho sorrows of the d.
graded Raddles were crowded OF
tly of sight by the SORROWS of this fir
er, gentleman their associate an
equal.
w To commoner spirits the Colon
BUS insinuated that the whole adventu'
her had been matrimonial plot Of Il
,ed Raddles; that they had put o.
md their girl az Il bait, with Me hope
our thereby deludiug or bullying u ri'
md youth into marriage; and that fin
ght ing their game fruitless, they h,
ms, murdered him in coarse anger,
rfs. mere savagery.
"rm glad l met up with ye
An Colonel said more than one CO
III WINGED farmer. al never got at 8
ose full rights Of the case afore now
unit 1t is q picture OF justice in
ach simpler and more popular stag
tile. One is reminded of Lncius Quinti
impioring the Quirites in favor
was his sou, C@so; of Virginius declai
uni, ing with sobs in the Forum, IN p
,ere paration for the trial of App