Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-10-26
The Power Of Conscience.

a man was recently tried at
Plattsburg, in this State, on the
charge Of murder in the first de-
gree. The jury, after being out
about twohours, returned, and re-
qucsted Judge Landon to explain
to them the difference between
murder in the first and second de-
grecs. The Judge was about to
give the explanation, when the pri-
soner arose and said:
s'Your honor and gentlemen of
the jury, this was not II murder in
the second degree. 1t was de-
liberate and promeditatod murder.
I know that [ have done wrong,
that [ ought to confess the truth,
and that l ought to be hanged"
Here the prisoners counsel tried
in vain to silence him. "No,"
continued King, "I have done
wrong. 1t is my duty to confess
it, and [ cannot help doing so; /
cannot keep still. | plead guilty
to murder in the first degree. It
was fifteen minutes from the time
/ struck the first blow with the
axe until I struck him tho second
time, and all this time I kept
thinking l will finish this man. If
this is not prelneditatcd murder
what is it? | have already killed
two men. What is my life to me?
The life Of either Of those two men
whom I have killed is worth a
dozen of mine."
The judge, after this statement
by the prisoner, told jury that
there was no necessity for any OK
planation Of tho law on the sub
jcct of murder. The jury retired
again, and in few moments re-
turned with a verdict Of guilty Of
murder in the first degree. The
judge then asked the prisoner
whether he had anything to say
why sentence of death should not
be pronounced upon him, who
promptly replied:
''Nothing, sir. Tho sentence is
a just one. l ought to be hanged"
The judge then sentenced him to
be hung on the 4th Of next No
vember.
1t is seldom that such a scene
is presented in the history oil
courts. Usually criminals, when
arraigncd for their offenses, seek
in every possible way to escape
punishment, especially if the pen
atty be death. Here, however, is
a man said to be remarkably intel
ligcnt, who confesscs his crime in
open court and makes no attempt
at a defense. Indeed, he reasons
with the court and jury to show
that his killing is murder in the
first degree. He says tho sentence
is just and that he ought to be
hung. A sense of duty compcIs
him to make the confession and Il
sense Of i'll desert points him to
the doom Which he has justly in
Cured.
The case, supposing the man to
be sane and the facts to be as
suited, is terrible illustration Of
the power Of conscience when, in
the fnIlness of its strength, it
writes its own verdict upon the
chambers ola guilty spirit. Those
who sncer and laugh at conscience
have Il very inadequate idea of the
giant that sleeps in their bosom.
Conscience, aroused and wrathful
by reason Of conscious guilt, is
mans sevcrest tormentor. 1t can
make a hell anywhere, whether in
this world or the next. One can
have no bcttcr friend than peace
full conscience, and no foe moro
terrible than a condemning con-
science. The pangs Of a guilty
conscience would OF themselves
be quito sufficient to explain tho
horrors of that divine curse which
awaits the unforgiven in the life to
oome.-N. Y. Independent.
Bishop Simpson, in an address
at the laying of the corner stone
of a now church the other day,