The Morning herald., 1878-07-06
nAiRRiED ArrRR THE vEsDIcT.

VI e. e@As --@ ,4aa a.4a.
In Antioch, on the Contra Costa shore Of
the broad Sam Joaquin, there has lived for
some years pasta somewhat singular old
man. Whiskey was his besetting sin. :,
One morning the old man was missed from
his customary sleeping place in room
back Of a drinking saloon. His watch
mans lamp was found, with the glass shat
tered, near by, blood spots and stains was
discovered on and about the wharf, and, as
pistol shots had been heard in the night, it
was strongly suspected that he had been
foully dealt with. Search was made in the
mud and shallow water about the wharf,
and the body Of the poor old man was
found-a ghastly hole. entirely through
his body and clothing made by pistol
ball = - .ny a
Suspicion rested on one Hank, who had
been, about the neighboring saloons the
night before, very drunk and fourishing
pistol, and who in one saloon had said, in
wild random sort of way, that he had shot
man who had tried to rob him, and had
seen him fall of the wharf, and if anybody
was missing, che had done it." Hank was
captain Of a large three-masted schooner,
that had been lying week or two in the
river, two miles below Antioch, to let the
fresh water kill the teredos in her bottom.
He had been in town several times, but was
not generally known. It happened that
Just as the dead body was fshed up, some
one discovered that the Captain had left
the wharf In his small boat, and was then
sailing away toward his vessel. A consta-
bic immediately chartered an italian fish
ing boat, and accompanied by two stout
fishermen, started in pursuit and captured
the fugitive.
Throughout the trial there sat by the side
of the prisoners lawyer and much of the
time toward the close, by the side of the
prisoner himself, pretty, elegantly
dressed, intelligent looking maiden. 1t
was given out and generally understood
that she was his fances. She seemed de-
voted to her lover, and exceedingly des-
pondent. She watched him constantly,
and paid the gclosast attention to all the
proceedings, anxiously scanning the faces
! Of the Jurors, and only on one or two occa-
sions, when something very diverting was
said, did her features light up with smile.
When the jury rendered the verdict of
'Not guilty." some of the spectators ex-
pected the young lady to manifest her
emotions by some marked demonstration,
but save the tightening of the grasp of her
small hand on the arm of Capt. Hank
and long drawn breath, there was moth
ing. ,'r
Then the lawyers, the clerk, and the
Court had whispered conversation; then
Hank was sworn by the clerk. He signed
his name to something, and then Mr. Mills
directed Hank and the young lady to stand
up facing the Judge, with hands joined
The bewildered jurors and other spectators
now began to understand the situation, and
Judge Dwinelle, in his most impressive
tones and manner, began to recite the
marriage service. Said he: JOACHIM, do
you take this woman to be your lawfully
welded wife ?" and Joachim said he did;
and the Judge said: "Mary, do you take
this man to be your lawfully welded hus-
band9" and Mary said yes, and then they
were solemnly pronounced husband and
wife. Contra Costa Gozette.