The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-04-16

skull into the brain. A stab in the
heart could not prove more Instantly
| fatal than the initial blow
That is your opinion p
Il will swear to IT,
/ The young man was satisfied and
the body, minus the head, was re-
turned to the grave
| If be will not sacrifice bis honor
to save his neck, | will not save it for
him, aud bis father need not know
.he truth
These words passed from John
Freneh's lips as be passed from the
house with the professor
From that day the young student
and his friends were not idle They
made many trips from the county,
and compared notes on their re-
turn.
The trial came at last and the sc-
cused plead not guilty. in frm
voice.
Ellen Milligen repeated her testi-
mony, so damaging to the defence,
and adhered to it through a rigorous
cross questioning to which she was
subjected She had heard the cries
after the blows she was positive of
this
The other evidence offered by the
State was merely circumsiaDtial
The defence introduced the professor,
who explained the nature of the
wounds, and swore that the first blow
had produced instant death. This
produced sensation in court. 1t
staggered Ellen MilIigen's testimony,
until that hour believed invulnera-
bic. The blows that now followed
from the defence were hard and tell
ing ones.
No abb was attempted. The &C.
cused had forbidden such q plan, on
the ground that il would reveal the
secret be was guarding so closely J;
bat the defence became aggressive.
IL proved that Hiram Milligeu, Ell
lens brother, was not where he said
be was on the night of the murder
As the young man was not under ar
rest, the court forbade lhe in
PRODUCTION of such testimony, when
John French then arose and ex-
claimed:
Il do not accuse him Of the murder
Of Zlmri Buskirk; my affidavit is in
the court room the sheriff holds 1t
ut his momeet Look at The man
Guilt is written on his face. He IL
trying TO leave the house. Catch
bim =
The confusion that now eusued
was intense. Ellen Milligen, with
loud shrek, fell forward on the floor
where she was permitted TO lie, for
all eyes were turned upon her
brother
Pistol in hnnd, the young man was
clearing paIh TO the door. No ore
dared to lay hands on bim, for be
threatened to shoot the fret one who
touched him, and thus be reached The
door leading 10 the street
On the threshold be paused sDd
faced the excited OCCUPANTS Of the
court room.
You viii never put me in Abner
Tenney's place 2 be cried If / did
kill Zimri Buskirk, you shall not prove
it and hang me =
THE next moment there was a loud
report, and human body, after sway
ing for an instant, fell heavily upon
the floor
Hiram Milligen had taken mis- own
life.
This tragic occurrence, as might be
supposed, put an end to Abnef Ten
ney's trial. 1t established his inno-
cence in the eyes Of all, and the
guilty was beyond punishment Of an
earthly tribunal
Upon her recovery, Ellen Milligen
0nfoided one of the darkest plots on
record. She confessed that her tes.
timony was but a tissue OF fslsehoods;
that she kuew that her brother had
killed the farmer for the purpose OF
getting bis money, and accused young
Tenney, in order to prevent him from
winning Eva Buskirk Ellen piqued
at Tenney's refusal to court her,
bad entered into the plot with q re-
vengeful spirit But the game had
failed
0f'course the minister's son was
released, and Ellen MiIligen left the
country between two days. She
died several years later in a den Of
infamy 10 the South.
Abner Tenney led Eva Buskirk to
the altar several months after mis- re-
lease, and became one the solid men
Of the South. | believe be is still I
living, but his father, the minister, !
is dead; and the secret which be /
guarded so zealously at one time is
no longer one.
1t was simply this I: Despite the /
holy influences under which he had /
been raised, he had departed from
the path OF recitude and become
gambler, along with John French /
and his companions. Ga the night
of the MURDER OF Mr.. Buskirk, the
quartette were 10 the midst of ca
rouse which the youth refused to
confess for the sake of bis father,
who never dreamed of his wild life.
But Join French had saved the
man whom he had led into vice. and
kept him from the gsllows Ten
ney's secret was told by him after
he bad made man Of himself; bat
it puzzles many people who know
it not this day.
"a