The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-10-21

Muller attenhvely. '1t may be that
this murder has struck him IN terrible
and unexpected manner. We have ex-
amples Of such cases among the witness
ses of narrowing scenes"
"That is well enough for witnesses,
but do you think the same effect can be
produced on an assassin once his crime
is accomplishments
THAT, do not know"
"But will the law admit this weak
circumstance. We can judge of it very
soon. You must know that mental de-
rangement and dumbness are two great
ways of indicating eulprits. I have
seen criminals pretend insanity tor en-
tire months IN such manner as to van
quish science and physicians, and to
avoid thus the capital punishment that
they merited.''
~ cannot, however, believe it a
crime, y responded the surgeon.
"In waiting the trial, the law which /
represent, and which ought to protect
society, arrests and imprisons Jean Null
Ter, accused until further proof OF the
crime of homicide, intentional and per.
haps premediated, on the person of his
master, Samuel Staufer, merchant and
broker"
The domestic suffered himself to be
led without manifesting the least emo
ton. The police surrounded him to
protect him from the insults Of the
mob.
The cuckoo to which the unfortunate
man was hung, was carried to the prison
and disappeared behind the heavy wood
en- door and massive bolts of thejail.
On the day after they buried Samuel
Staufer, his goods were sold at auction,
fox he left no will or heirs. But they
could not find purchaser for the house,
which was closed and passed Immediate
ly for sinister and dangerous dwelling.
It was strictly avoided when night fell,
and often the grocer Bloch, who dwelt
Opposite, would SILVER with agony be-
tween his sheets, believing he heard
sounds behind the blinds of the late Sam
uel Staufer.
Two months sped away-two long
| months, during which life had retaken
| its habitual couIse-tWo months in which
| thousand INCIDENTS of the act had ac-
cumulated slowly on the terrible event
! which took place on the night Of the
storm. The little house at last found q
purchaser, when they had almost de.
SPARED of ever finding one. 1t was an
old Jew, peddler, who announced his
intention of taking the business of Sam
uel Stauffer. But he had not open &c
shop yet.
The little town of H-was IN q per
feet flutter of excitement. The people
crowded and pressed around the court
house. Jean Muller was to be tried, ano
the curiosity which had been increasing
day by day had now reached its culmin-
atng point.
Jean had not yet spoken. His lawye
himself had not been able to draw hun
from his obstinate dumbness, whlcl
seemed almost supernatural. What coul<
he hope forg The law, face to face will
the horror of the crime, would be p1tiles
toward such stubborness, at least unles
the insanity Of the unfortunate MAJ
could be proved, and it was this cours
which had been adopted by his lawyer
who not only saw no other way to say
| him, but he had come to believe it him
self. ~
i The trial began the Judges and jury
men took their places. Hanging on tn
wall was the fatal cuckoo. It had be
come an instrument of death-a certail
proof of the crime. There it was, 81
; lent, sinister witness, marking the hou
of three. This clock was little large
than they usually made, which explain
how it could support the weight of
man. A sort Of niche in the wood
!: work hld the bird, who sung the houl
from sight. The public could not lool
at it without fear. Every one felt tn
influence OF the mystery, and all though
that the trial would not throw muc
: light on the subject, unless the accuse
) could be made to speak.
The prisoner was ordered to appea
! The crowd swayed like field of whea
{ in the wind. All heads were turned tc
ward the same place-the little door b
Q which Jean Muller entered. Ever
1 sound ceased and silence like deaf
weighed on this multitude SO restless
SO tumu,tuous but an instant before.
2 Muller advanced between two guard
E tall, thin and fair, with gentle look b
eyes troubled and his head lowered. q
: walked without knowing what he iii,
Not sound escaped his lips; his move
: ments were those of an idiot; his glant
was fixed on the ground.
u The witnesses gave their testimony
: all tended toward crime. He was alo1
in the house with his master; he was hi
den when they made the discovery;
e had neither confessed nor denied tt
i murder. One question alone RENAME
to decide his tate. Had he committe
v the murder in cold blood or in a fit of i
: sanity? sL~
e Jean Muller had not raised his eye
n He seemed neither to hear nor unde