Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-10-09
THE JURYMAN S STORY.

W y 'i''N pSVi ott vi lO'fl inth.' A
hours, and stood eleven to one. TIE G.
was very plain one. at least we eie,
thought so. murder eff peculiar afro
~ had been committed. and though
eye witnessed the deed. circumstant
3. pointed t, the prisoners guilt with unis
ing certainty.
The rccusant juryman had stood ont fro
the first. lie acknowledged the cogeney
the proofs, confessed his inability to
o. cOncile the facts with the defendant j
o. noceiice, and yet on every vote went stea
0. lily for acquittal. lis conduct WAS i!ie
;. plicable. 1t could not result from lat
ne OF intelligence for. although he spoil
l. but little. his words We're well chosen. ar
evinced Il thorough understanding OF Il
case.
10 Tholieh still in the prime of manhoo,
. his locks We're jren.aturely white. and h
: face wore a singulaly sad and thought:
expression. lie might be one of tho:
who entertain scruples as to the right c
society TO intlict the death penalty. Bu
it WAS not that; he frankly admitted tina
brutal men, like the vicious brutes the
resemble. must be controlled through fcal
and that dread OF death. the supreme ter
ror, is i'll many cases the only adequate re
straint.
At the prospect # another night o
fruitless Imprisonment we began to grow
impatient, and eXpostulated warmly
against what seemed an unreasonable cap
tiousness; and some not overland remark:
were INDUCED in us to the improperly OF
tfitlng with an oath Ike that under which
we were acting.
"-And yet" the maA answered. as thu:;g!l
communing with himself rather than re=
peling the impu,ation. lit is conscience
that liin,lerS my concurrence in verdict
approved by MY judgment"
''li6w can that Beg auered several at
once.
"Consc;ence may not always dar: to fol
low Judgement
g,,ile.''
IL once Would hHte said the same.'
''And what has changed your opinion q
"EXpericncc
The speakers manner was vis.bly agi-
tatcd and we waited in silence the eXpla-
nation which be seemed ready to give
Mastering his emotion. as if in answer to
our look of inquiry. he continued:
Twenty years ago | WAS a young man
just beginning life. Few had brighter
prospects and tyone brighter hopes. An
dating from childhood. had
ripcned with its object. There had been
no verbal declaration and acceptance of
love-no formal pligii.iDe of troth: but
when took my departure TO see... Il home |
in the distant West. it was thing under T
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
Dy Nature, depends much on ones self.
As for me. lived Iss8re in the future than
II the presefit. and Hope was an ever
cheering companion. At length the time
anne for final payment ON the home which
had bought. It wouli hence-forward he
ny own ard in Il few more months. my {
:mple dwelling which had spared no
'ains to render inviting, woul, be graced
" its mistress. :
''At the land Office. which was some t
iXty miles off, met my old friend George {
-. lie, too, had come to seek lis for a
Inc in the West, and we were both de- |
GIFTED at the meeting. He brought with L
i'm. he said. a sum of money which he '
csired to invest in land, on which it was a
is purpose TO settle. IeXpressed Il strong II
ish to have him for neiglbor and gave b
i'm cordial invitation to accompany me "
eme. giving it as my belief that he could II
Owhere make a better selection than in
lat vicinity. He readily consented and le
e set out together. We had not ridden a
any miles when George Suddenly recol- "
cted commission he had undertaken ci
r friend, which would require his at d
ndapcs at public land sale on the fol- G
wing day. Exacting a promise that he a
ould not delay his visit longer than Was Il
'cessary, and having given minute direc- N
,ns as to the route, continued my way in
81 was about retiring to bed on my ar lie
Tal, when summons from without "
He'd me to the door. A stranger asked IN
elter for himself and his horse for the
yht. invited him in. Though straa- ju
I his face seemed not unfamiliar. He or
Is probably one of the men had seen at ca
2 land office, place at that time much
quented. Offering him Il seat. | went IA
t to see to his horse. The poor animal. co
well as could see by the dim starlight.
med to have been hardly used. Ills
nting sides bore witness of his merciless
ing. and tremulous shrinking at t c 80
yhtest touch betokened recent fright
re-entering the house. l found the -.
anger was not there. His absence ex- !;
ID no surprise lie would doubtless :. ~
IN return. 1t was little singular, how
II, that he should leave his watch lying ~ 81
the table. ="
AT the end Of halt an hour, any guest ..
returning, went again to the stable. ''
liking he might have found his way "
'her to give his attention to tile wants vi
lis horsc.-B Before going out. from mere u
.e of habit-for we were as yet unin- 'ess,
ed by either thieves or poicemcn-I 'h'
K the precaution of putting the stran- eo'
S watch irs drawer in wiiicl, | kept w
valuablcs. torind the horse as h; u 10
him, and gave him the food which he VII
j sufficiently cooled to be allowed TO 'i'''
but his master was nowhere to be seen. 20
approached tie house a crowd of men .ess
horseback dashed up. and was COM ~.
lded, in no gentle tones, to .stant'.' '"e
re4her moment was in the clutches ma
hose who. claimed me as their 'pris- ais'
rs We
was too nrseh stupeftel at first to ask 'he'
t it all meant. did soat last and the TOT
lanation came-it was terrible My :
I'd, with whom had so lately set csss con
company, had been murdered antf day
,ed near the sho. at which I, but Cha
e. knew we had separated. | was the fire
rclson known 10 bc With hilr, and tho