Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-07-18
A JURYMAN'S STORY.


was we're plain one. at least we clever
thought so. 4 murder OF peculiar atroc
ty had been committed: and though no eve
had witnessed the deed. circumstances
pointed to the prisoners guilt with un
failing certainty.
The reciisant juror had stood out fionl
the first. He acknowledged the cagency
of the proofs. confessed his inability to
reconcile the facts with the defendants in
nOcence. and yet on every vote he went
steadily for ;cquittal. His conduct was
incXplicahlo. 1t could not result from q
lack of intelligence; for. While he spoke
but little. his words were we'll chAsen. and
eyince,j i thorough understanding of the
case.
Though still in the prime OF manhood,
his locks were prematurely white, and his
face wore a singularly sad and thoughtful
expression He might be one of those
who entertain scripleS rs TO the right of
society to intlct the death penalty. But
no, il was n ,, that: for, in reply to such Il
Suggestion. he frankly admitted that brll-
tai men. like the viciol., orutos they fc-
semble. must be controlled through fear
and that dread of death. the supreme ter
ror. is in many cases the only adequate re-
SfAi2t.
At the prospect OF another night OF
frui.less imprisonment we began to grow
impatient. and eNpOstulated very warmly
against what seemed an unreasonable cap
nnI ny-ar-1in1 70
marks were indulged in as to the impro-
priety of tritliny with an oath like that
under which we were acting.
and yet" the man answered. as if he
was communinS witt, himself rather than
re|Giling the im,Nttation. lit is conscience
that hinders my concurrence in Il verdict
approved by my Judgment"
| "JIow can that bc:' queried several ut
once.
-@Canscicnce may not always dai" to fol-
/ low Judgment"
but here she can know no other
guide
! Il once would have said ,lie same"
lind what has changed your opinon =
! .'Expericnce :"
! Tie speakers manner was yisibly ag;-
taled. and we waited in silence thc explain
alton which lie seemed ready to give.
Mastering his emotion. rs if in answer to
our look of enquiry. lie continued:
twenty Years ago | WAS Il young man
juss beginning life. Few had brighter
prospects and none brighter hopes. An
auac!in!ant, dating from childhood. had
! ripened with its object. There had been
no verbal declaration and acceptance OF
love-no formal plighting of troth; b;it
when took my departure to seek home
in the distant West, it was thing under
stood that when had found it and put it
in order she was to share it. Life in the
forest, though solitary, is not necessarily
lonesome. The kind of society afforded
by Nature depends much on ones re'f. AS
the present, and Hope is an ever-cheerful
companion. At length the time came for
making the final payment on the home
wllic! 1 had bought. 1t would hencetor
ward he my own: and in a few months
more. my simple dwelling. which ] had
Sb-aCN NV pdubo ~ AVbNCt "ONio
be graced by its mistress.
..At the land Office, which was some SIX
ty miles of. met my old friend George
O.. lie. too, had come to seek his
fortune in the West, and we were both de-
lighted at the NEE ting. lie brought with
him, he said, a sum Of money which he de-
sired TO invest i'm land, on which it WAS his
purpose to settle. l expressed strong
wish TO have him for a neighbor, and gave
him cordial invitation to accompany me
home, giving it as my belief that lie could
nowhere make Il better selection than in
that vicinity. lie readily consented, and
we set out together. We had not ridden
many miles when George suddenly recol-
lected a commission he had undertaken for
a friend, which would require his attend
ance at a public land sale on the following
day. EXacting promise that he would
not delay his visit longer than necessary.
and having given minute directions as to
the route, continued my way homeward
while he turned back.
IL was about retiring TO bed on the night
OF my return when summons from with
out called me TO the door. A stranger
asked shelter for himself and for his horse
for the night. invited him in. Though
a stranger. his face seemed not unfamiliar.
He was probably one of the men had
seen at the land office. place at that time
much frequented. Offering him seat, l
went out to see to his horse. The poor
animal. as well as could see by the dim
starlight, seemed to have been hardly used.
His painting sides bore witness of merciless
riding, and Il tremulohs shrinking at the
slightest touch betokened recent fright.
On rc-entering the house, | found the
stranger was not there. His absence eX-
cited no surprise; he would doubtless soon
return. 1t was little singular that he
should have left his watch lying on the ta-
BILE.
AT the end of half an hour, my guest
not returning went again to the stable.
thinking he might have found his way
thithcr to give persona! attention to the
wants of his horse. Before going out,
from mere force of habit--for we were as
yet MANIFESTED by either thieves or police
men-I took the precaution of putting the
strangers watch IN a drawer in which
kept my valuables. l found the horse as
had LETT him, and gave him the food which
he was now sufficiently cooled TO be al
lowed to eat; but his master was nowhere
to be seen. As approached the house
crowd of men on horseback dashed up,
and was commanded in no gentle tones,
TO .stand!' In another moment | was in
the clutches of those who claimed me as
their prisoner
IL was too much stupefied at first to ask
what it all meant ! did so at last, and the
explanation came-ir was TERRIBLE NY