Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-15

which Macleod declared exactly reSem-
bed those impressed on his memory.
Here was an important fact to begin with
the property of the murdered man
found In the immediate proximity to
Cameron's house. Next day another
link was obtained A week or two pre-
vious to his apprehension, Cameron
walked, one rainy morning, to the other
side of the island, got wet, and at coun-
try Inn obtained from the landiady a palr
OF stockings, leaving his own behind to
be dried. These were now produced, and,
after some hesitation, a cotter's wife de-
clared that, from popularity in the
work, she could depose that they were OF
her own making, and added that the day
before his disappearance the peddler had
bought two pairs from her for his own
use. That now produced was one OF
them; the other was discovered in Cam
eron's house. A variety Of similar cir
cumstances gradually came out; and,
after considerable delay occasioned by
the difficulty Of the case, Cameron was
brought to trial.
The trial took place at Inverness. 1t
lasted from ten clock on the first morn
ing of the assize TIL the same hour next
day-twenty-fOur consecutive hours,
during which time judge, jury, and spec
tators sat uninterruptedly. The prime
interest to the superstitious Highlander
lay in the mysterious fact of the vision,
and the seer was an object OF interest
when he appeared in the witness box.
He suffered severe cross examination
from the prisoners counsel, "ithout the
substantial value of his evidence
beng Affected No one who heard
his examination could doubt that
he was stating what was actua-
ally true; no one could believe (and tits,
of course, was the object of the examina-
tion) that he himself was the criminal,
or in any way implicated. 1t was pro-
tracted and difficult case OF circumstan-
tial evidence. The candles (gas was not
used in those days. which had lighted
them in their vigil through the long au-
tumn night were extinguished. and the
sun was high n heaven when the jury re-
turned to the court, finding the prisoner
guilty as libelled. The verdict had been
recorded, and the sentence of death pro-
nounced, when Cameron, who had pre-
served throughout the trial the most pro-
found cOmposure, rose, and with the ut
most solennity and calmness called God
to witness that he was murdered man.
The sheritf-to whose eXertiOns the
success Of the prosecution was mainly to
be attributed-was making his way to
his hotel through the excited crowd,
when message came to him from Cam
eron requesting to see HIM. When he
reached the cell. Cameron, who still mani.
tested the same complete composure, at
once SAID, 81 am now going TO tell you
what l have never breathe0 to mortal
man; the verdict WAS quite right did
the deed" He then made full and de-
tailed confesson, relating the whole story
with perfect trankness--a demeanor he
preserved till his execution. The murder,
he said, was committed on the night of
the Assynt Wedding. He had seen Mac
Donald leave; had followed him unob-
served; had made up to him, and walked
along with him to the tarn; then, with u
heavy hammer which he was carving
home, lie had struck him several blows
from behind, and, after ritling the corpse,
had thrown it into the water. For some
weeks it had renamed at the bottom
at least, he could see notblng Of it, and
he had gone once or twice every week to
look for it. The evidence OF Mcleod
surprised and startled him. The prop
erty had been hidden the same night
a dark, wet, misty night-immediatelv
on his return home; and it was
impossible, SO he thought, that
Mcleod, with whom he was merely ac-
qualnted, could have come by his infor-
nation by any natural way. The fact is
curious, and may furnish a problem for
those who are curious in psychological
mysteries. The murder had, of course,
been the main topic of interest on the
island for many weeks-it had no doubt
become strongly impressed on Mcleod s
Imagination; some slight link of fact, a
word or gesture, probably existed, and
out OF these inchOate materials the story
might gradually shape itself into form
not unlike the actual, because natural
and logical arrangement of the whole
facts known or surmlsed at the time.
And, going on with the story to its close,
the dream would accompany the murder
er after the commission of the crime, de-
pict his horror and contrition, his frantic
desire to put away from him every evil
dence of the accused deed which Law
heavy on his soul. The place where he
concealed the property was ont that he
would naturally select-out Of his own
house, indeed, but not so far from it but
that the articles might easily be recover
ed after the first dread had been subdued.
People who have dlsenchanted the IN
seen, and who consider 4 mans muscle
the best part of him, will probably ex-
PLAIN the mystery in some such way.
''The light of common day has become
too strong for the supernatural.
Poets Letters.
One of the well-marked points about
letter-writing is that it is rarely those
who aretheir best in society who are aluo
the best letter-writers. We could name