The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-15

hour, giving the finishing touches tt
a speech / was preparing, more,
confess, for my own sake than ths
prisoner's-when the door opened
and the prisoners wife, with hasty
and unsteady steps. advanced snd
stood before me. Her face looked
haggard, but CLEAN of eager JOY
shone from her eyes.
II have walked twenty miles to
see you tonight" she said, II have
at last the proofs of my husband;
innocence. Il
She spoke in an assured tone. and
when | bad heard her strange story
through, my conviction of its truth
amounted TO certainty.
"Have you any evidence of the
facts you have related other than
your own word ?" asked.
no." she replid, tremulous and
anxious, ''is that not sufficient"
"a wife cannot be q witness fol
her husband | answered, reluctant
ly.
The strength that had borne her
up gave way, and reelipg back, she
fell swooning to the floor
l raised her gently and placed her
in chair, and when che had suili
GENTLY recovered to understand my
words, l did my best to sooth and
calm her-striving to make her
comprehend that, though her lips
were sealed as witness, now that
she had placed the clew Of truth
in my hand, l might, with heavens
help, be able to lind fer her husband
way out of the perils with which
lying circumstances had surrounded
him. Above all things | cautioned
Der to keep her secret, and by no
means, unless l sent to her, to be
present at the trial.
On the morning the ease came on
Jed looked despodent; but, on the
whole, bore up with courage. A
jury was soon obtained, and the case
opened. The prosecution proved sub
stantially the facts above narrated
by a number of witnesses, all of
whom | suffered to go without cross
examination. till it came Jem Bur-
kits turn.
Jem. as the strongest witness, was
reserved to the last. In addition to
what tie others had told, be knew
the fact of the peddler's presence at
the prisoners house on the fatal
night, where he had left them togetb-
er at q late hour, and besides be was
able to expose the falseLood Of Jed's
story of the horse.swsp.
The witness gave his evidence
with confidence and clearness. 1t
evidently had tie effect of dispelling
any lingering doubts of the jury, in
wh use faces stern look Of conyic
tion was plainly visible.
For the first time, / rose to cross
examine. The witness confronted
me with al air of csmposeure.
"Please open and examine that, T"
| began, handing him a small par
eel.
He eyed me suspiciously, and with
nervous fingers began to undo the
wrapping. He gave sudden start
when he had removed it, aud sill
ver-cased hunters watch fell from bis
hands to the floor.
"Did you ever see that before Z" |
asked; taking it up and reaching it
toward him, but be shrank from
touching it.
w-I never did," be stammered,
bis face turning ghastly white
"Let me refresh your memory" |
proceeded. THAT is the dead mans
watch, and here is the pocket-book
containing the money for which you
murdered him. You were followed
on your last visit to the hiding place
in which you have kept them, where
you were seen to take them from
their concealment, and after assuring
yourself of their safety, to replace
them. When you had gone. the per-
son who watched you, and who is
now within call, took possession of
these evidences Of your guilt, and
they are here to confront you"
The base wretch shrank upon his
knees in abiect terror.
"Have mercyl" he exclaimed,
turaing appealingly from one Won
dering face to another. Have mer-
CIV, and | will confess ALL" and he
did so, relating in broken sentences,
the story of his waylaying and MUIR
dering the peddler in the darkness of
the early morning, and the steps he
had afterwards taken 20 cast suspi-
cion on the prisoner.
The words, mot GUILTY" had just
fallen from the lips of the foreman.
when a cry of joy rang through
the court room, and Jed's wife, who,
in spite of my injunction, could keep
away no longer, fell weeping on her
husbands bosom. Convinced from
the first of his innocence, she had
felt almost an equal conviction Of
Jem Burkett's guilt, and by stealtbily
hanging on the latter's steps, with
the vigilance Of woman devoted
to purpose, she was at last enabled
to unvail the terrible secret, and
save her husbands life.