The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-07-11

probable that tile accused, II guilty,
would have uttered cry TO rouse the
whole household. and 80 bring il o
seize her red-handed? Or, havi.s
escaped by Ina RS breadth. have boldly
returned TWO DAYS later 10 the very scene
had attracted public attention?
THAT flight, the most damning proof
of all against her, WAS simply the effect
OF panic-tlle unreaSOning. headlOng
panic, that will impel even strong
man TO run away from Tie sight of
shocking deed-a panic from which,
once recovered. she male her way back
to the very spot that she would have
summed, like the plague, had she been
guilty woman! 'l"
III say that she did not commit the
murder; that the whole tenor of her life
and character-merciful and humane
forbids the thought; but that her policy
throughout has been TO shield the real
murderer, one who is even here present
"a man who, in moment Of mad jeal-
ousy against his friend, slew the woman
he loved, and then strove To cast the
guilt on the woman who loved him. 1
say. gentlemen Of the jury, that I de-
mand the acquittai of This woman, on
the ground that the charge AGAINST her
is not proved: and In her place, and in
the interests OF justice, TO place ut the
bar the real murderer. who hid q mo-
tive for the Grim. that the prisoner had
not" ...o4t M .F
(The Judge frowned; the jury, unused
to romnpce readiug, u;gped; the oppos-
ing counsel SIN led, ihrVu h the court
rustic. rs OF a usht wind among aU-
tumn leaves, I'LL, and none looked at
the prisoner, who was struggling for
breath, and gazing at her advocate as if
she could have slain him, but at Mr..
Eyre, who was calm with the strength
in which there is no effort, the wild in
sinnation seeming to recOil on the
speaker, like a wave dashed backward
from granite cliff. The next moment
Hester's champion had regained his
courage, and pressed onward before
there was time to receive the reprimand
he expected.) o..t.
cit had been said that there was a
motive for the crime, and this motive
bad been declared to be jealousy; and
this was true enough. The murder had
been committed through that ignoble
passion, but not by the prisoner.
1T would be necessary to remind the
jury of those facts that had long been
public talk-the ruptured engagement
Of the deceased lady with Lord Lovel,
her intimacy with him on his return,
her well-known elOpement with him
from the White House, and Mr.. Eyre's
pursuit of the runaway couple, over
taking them before they had gone any
further than Lowell. He had, ut the
time, affected to treat the matter ~ a
joke, and had bid Lord Lowell to his
house as usual; but it was observed by
many that great change was percep-
tible in him from that time, and he
even neglected those magisterial duties
that he had formerly fulfilled so ably,
to all appearance disliking to meet his
equals. Mr.. Eyre was very proud
man-one who made laws, was not
governed by them-and it was only
natural to suppose that, as time went
on. and he found his young wife less
and less a companion to him, he should
become jealous of the brilliant young
man who, in looks. age, and spirits, was
so much more fitting mate for her
than himself.
ION the night of the murder, it was
clear that he had left the two together,
then placed himself where he could be
most unfortunate mischance, it occur
red that they were conversing in way
that to the gardener sounded like
'courting,' and to him may have had
more sinister significance, as he reseat-
ed himself at his table, his head resting
on his outStretched arms in the attitude
in which Lord Lowell had seen him
when he looked through the window.
ut was to be conjectured that. stung
to jealous madness-a second OthellO
in his jealousy, as she Desdemona in
her innocence. some one had ascen-
ded to Mrs. Eyre's apartment, and
struck at her the blow that was her
death.
at would be found entirely consis-
tent with the prisoners former conduct
that, while accidentally present at the
deed-nay, while she even struggled to
avert it-she should be bent on hiding
the fact from every living soul, and
escape hurriedly before there could be
chance of her being called upop to re-
late what she had seen. The shrek
that escaped her, had been at the hor-
rible sensation she experienced on feel
ing the pressure Of some person at the
foot Of the, ladder; and if she had fought
wildly, it had not been for fear on her
own account, but on that of another
person. The evidence of the man Dig
ges as to the precise moment in which
he heard the scream, was confused, and
not to be trusted; his rotations in the
that he was not able to swear if the cry
preceded, or followed, his grip on the
ladder.
"And now to examine the evidence
that had been offered of her wish to
steal the child of the deceased; could
more improbable time possiblyhave been
selected than that Of nigh upon midnight;
and in what way could the mother, re-
tired to rest in the opposite ying, have
hindered that plan, or interfered with
it? She had unrestricted access to him,
could have carried him away at any
hour of the day she willed; and it was
inconceivable that she should have
chosen this hour of the night to drag
from his warm bed, the little lad that
she so passionately loved.
"There are motives OF jealousy which
instigate men and women to the COM
mission of murder, of hatred and re-
venge of avarice and plumber, that may
spur them to deeds of wickedness; but,
as to the prisoner, what motive Of
hatred had she to Mrs. Eyre? BY her
successful rivals death she gained
nothing-the ashes upon stone-cold
hearth were not colder than the heart
Of the man who had made her his toy,
and crushed her under foot. The child's
lOve waa alreadv hara md ehOuId aha