Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-07-17
Married After the yeraief.

In Antioch on the Contra Contra
shore OF the broad San Joaquin, there
has lived for some years past a some
what singular ED man, Geo. Mitchell.
Whiskey was his besetting SIN. On the
morning Of the 25th Of January last old
George was missed from his customary
sleeping place in a room back of Dahn-
ken's drinking saloon. His watchman's
lamp was found, with the glass shat
tered, near by, blood spots and stains
were 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 shall
low water about the wharf, and the
body ofpoor old George was found-a
ghastly hole entirely through his body
and clothing made by pistol ball.
Suspicion rested on one J. f. W.
Hank, who had been about neighbor-
ing saloons the night before, very drunk
aud heurishing pistol, and who in one
saloon had said, in a Wild random sort
ola 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, she had dene IT, Hank was
Captain of large thfee-masted schoon-
er, the a. p. Jordan, that had been
lying a week or two in the river, two
miles below Antioch, to let the fresh
water kill the teredos in her bottom.-
lie had been in town several times, but
was not generally known. 1t happened
that just as the dead body was fshed
up. some one discovered that Capt.
Hank had left the wharf IN his small
boat, and was then sailing away toward
his vessel. Constable Pitts Immediately
chartered ar Italian fishing boat, and,
and accompanied by two stout fisher
man, 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, II pretty,
elegantly dressed, intelligent looking
maiden, Mary Augusta Raymond. 1t
was given out and generally understood
that she was his fancee. She seemed
devoted to her lover, and exceedingly
despendent. She watched him constantly;
and paid the closest attention to all the
proceedings, anxiously scanning the
faces of the jurors, and only on one or
two occasions, when something very d.
verting was said, did her features light
up with smilo. When the jury rem
dercd the verdict Of "Not guilty" some
of the spectators expected the young
lady to manifest her emotions by some
marked demonstration, but save the
tightening Of the arm of Capt. Hank and
a long drawn breath, there was nothing.
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 Miss Ray
mond to stand up facing the Judge, with
hands joined. The bewldered jurors
and other spectators now began TO IN
derstand the situation, and Judge
Dwindle, in his most impressive tones
and manner, began to reclte the mar
riage service. Said he: JOACHIM, do
you take this woman to be your law.
fully welded wife ?" and Joachim said
he did; and the judge said: MARY, do
you take this man to be your lawfully
welded husband ?" and Mary said yes
and then they were solomnly pro-
neunced husband and wife