The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-02-05

introduced the professor, who explained
the nature of the wounds, ana swore tina,
the first blow hadproduced instant death.
lhls produced sensation in court; it
staggered Ellen Milliken' 3 testimony, un-
til that hour believed invdlnerable The
blows that now followed from the defence
We're hard and telling ones.
No abb was attempted. The accused
had forbidden such plan, on the ground
that it would reveal the secret which he
was guarding so closely; but the defence
became aggressive. It proved that Hiram
Mllliken, Ellen's brother, was not where
ne said ne was on the night Of the MUIR
DER. AS the young man was not under
arrest, the court forbade the introduction
Of such testimony, when John French
rose and exclaimed:
II do now accuse him of the murder Of
Zimri Buskirk! My affidavit is in the
courtroom; the sheriff holds it at this
moment. Look at the man! Guilt is
written on his face. He is trying TO leave
the house. Catch himl" "
The confusion that now ensued was in
tense. Ellen Millikep, with a loud
shrek, fell forward on the floor, where
she was permitted to lie, for all eyes were
turned upon her brother. ...*
Pistol in hand, the young man was
clearing path to the door. No one dared
to lay hands on him, for he threatened to
shoot the first one who touched him, and
thus he reached the door leading to the
street.
On the threshold he paused, and faced
the excited occupants of the court room.
"You will never put me in Abner Ten
ney's placed" he cried. "If I did kill
Zimri Buskirk, you shall not prove 1t
and hang me-"
The next moment there was loud re-
port, ana the human body, after swaying
for an instant, fell heavily on the floor.
Hiram Milliken had taken his own life :!
This tragic occurrence, as might be sup
posed, put an end to Abner Tenny's trial.
1t established his innocence in the eyes
of all, and the guilty was beyond the
punishment of an earthly tribunal.
Upon her recovery, Ellen Mi!liken un-
folded one OF the darkest plots on record.
She confessed that her testimony was but
a tissue of talsehoods; that she knew that
her brother had killed the famer for the
purpose of getting his money, and &C.
cused young Tenney, in order to prevent
him tlom winning Eva Buskirk. Ellen,
piqued at Tenney's refusal to court her,
had entered into the plot with revengetul
spirits But the game had failed.
OF course the minister's son was re-
leased, and Ellen Milliken left the coun-
try between two days. She died several
years later in den of infamy in the
South.
Abner Tenny led Eva Buskirk to the
alter several months after his release, and
became one Of the solid men of his State.
[ believe he is still living, but his father,
the minister, is dead; and the secret
which he guarded so zealously at one time
Is no longer one.
1t was simply this: Despite the holy
influences under which he had been
raised, he had departed from the paths of
rectitude, and became gambler, along
with John French and his companions.
On the night of the murder of Mr.. Bus
kirk, the quartette were in the midst of a
carouse which the youth refused to con-
TESS for the sake of his father, who never
dreamed of his wild lite.
John French had saved the young
man whom he had led into vice, and kept
him from the gallows. Tenney's secret
was told by him after he had made a
man of himself; but it puzzles many peo-
pie who know it not to this day.