The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-02-28

doubt or argument, and a bill wat
found, and Mario Cropt was duly in
dicted of the crimes which had beer
alleged against him, and in few days
he W uld appear for trial.
/ had three cases for the commence
ment on my docket before that OF
Mario Cropt; and, as there were sew.
aral other matters that engaged the at.
teniion of the court, it was week
before he was brought up. But he
came at length, and once more he ap-
preached me.
This time he said, Three thousand !!
if 1 woald make the case break down
against him.
Villain as he was, with heart as hard
and wicked as could be, had never
seen man who SO dreaded imprison
ment. Never before had he been in
prison. He had been often appre-
hended and had been frequently hned
but never had been restrained of his
liberty for any great length of time.
His Indian instincts were strong and
he felt, he told me that he would rath-
er die than be shut up in close prison
where there could be no more roam
ing the forests and green Wales.
Cropt had secured one of the most
able lawyers III the State, and the gov
e 'nment witnesses were crOss-ques-
toned and brow-beatcn unmercifully /;
and, in addition to this, the prisoner
brought forward witnesses who had
been paid and prompted for the occa-
sisn. But the mans guilt was too ev-
ident. In my plea L presented the case
as it appeared to me, and, as believed
it must appear TO every reasoning man.
And l presented to the jury the man
they were to pass judgment upon, ASK
ing them to look at him as he sat be-
fore them.
The charge of the judge was very
brief, and entirely against the prisoner
and the jury were out just twelve
minutes, when they returned q ver-
dict of Guilty
Mario Cropt.tremblcd not an atom
at this, for he had been prepared for it,
but when the judge, in solemn accents,
pronounced his penaity-five years at
hard labor i'll the state prison-he
shook like an aspen, and for few sec
Onds l thought he would break down.
But presently he revived. and looked
around until his eyes rested upon me,
and, when he saw me he bcconed me
to come 10 him, l looked at his hands !;
they were ironed and empty, and went
to the dock.
Thomas jefferson Leverett,' said he
speaking my whole name as though
he would fix the identity beyond dis
pute, am going to prison to stay
five years; and 1 shall see you again.
When 1 come out shall look for ou.
If you are in China, I'll go to China.
l will find YOU His voice sank to a
low tone of profanity, but with rev.
erence for his oath, he solemnly swore
that he would pay me for this.
Mario Cropt went his way, and
went mine. Some one told my wife
that the prisoner had csllad me to him
alter the trial, and that he had spoken
to me in very solemn and strange
manner, and she asked me what he had
said to me. Her question confused
me, and was not prepared with an
answer, and 1 told her that 1 could
hardly remember what he did say.
Thomas said she, 'you are afraid
to tell me-
And then she questioned until was
forced TO admit that Cropt had thI eat
ened me, and then told her the rest
of the story-how he had sought to
buy me over before the trial. And, to
close the seance. l laughed IS though
the whole thing were rich farce.
One evening, about two weeks after
the trial, my wife came in, quite fa-
tigued, having been absent all day.
Bertha, where haye you been ?
ITO the state prison. was her an
swer.
'The state prison!' L reiterated.
What have you been doing there?'
Looking at certain prisoner they
have there. she replied. One whom
l might wish to recognize should j
ever meet him outside those walls
You allude to Mario Cropt 2 1 said.
She nodded assent.
And then told her she was foolish,
aud begged her TO forget the man ell.
tire]y.
Thomas, said she, with degree OF
feeling that startled me, Il have seen
that man, and tell you we both have
to dread and fear him.
shall not forget him, though l will try
moi to worry myself as
have during the two weeks that have
passed since he was tried aud con-
dcmucd.
\ X X
The attractions of my New Hamp-
shire home were not strong enough to
hold me after had found an opening
in the West, where the promise of sue
cess was equal to Il bond issued by
good fortune. 1t was about two years
after the trial OF Mario Cropt that /
packed up my books and family treas
ures, and took up my march for new
and thriving town in Minnesota; and
within Il year after my settlement in
the new home L was richer by hun
dreds of dollars than l had ever been
before. In fact, l literally tumbled
into a nest of good luck.
Three years passed away, and, in
the midst of my comforts, a trouble
some thought of the castles oath came
once in a while to chill me; for the