The Osceola times., 1884-10-11

rust Of twice as many years was upon II, for
on the day previous to the murder OF my son,
knowing that he would Use IL ON that fatal
morrow he brought it to me at my shop for a
little repair. The guard covering the trig-
gers was loose and in looking for screw |
could find nothing but brass one, and as il
fitted used il. II it is my sons gun it will
speak for itself"
Here the package was carefully undone,
scales Of iron and pieces Of wood falling
upon the table. 1t was held up before the
jury and the only bright thing visible after
so many years Of decay was the head Of the
little brass screw, a fearful accuser, a most
powerful witness. All eyes turned toward
the prisoners whose faces blanched as they
felt the cords of evidence tightening around
them, for hope died within them now that
the gun was proven to be that Of the mur-
dered boy.
THE DEFENSE.
The court selected the best of legal tai
ent for the defense, but the evidence was as
good as none. An attempt TO prove a good
moral character which was impossible and
an alabi that was fruitless, for one does not
well remember where he where he was at
certain time five years back unless 1t was
some extraordinary event that noted itself
deep in the memory. From this they were
precluded, and on the faces of the many
lOokers-on could be read their opinions
guilty
True there were no living witnesses to the
murder, no one In court who could swear
that they had seen the prisoners in the vicn-
ity of the murder on that day, and yet they
could not prove that they were not or even
where they were, and the only link in all the
chain OF evidence connecting them with the
crime was the finding of the long hidden
weapon near their premises and the unex-
there as told by Wade which was admitted
in evidence. All was circumstantial, and
yet the busy finger Of suspicion pointed so
strongly to those two who there in the box
looked the very picture Of despair with all
hope gone, that none seemed to doubt that
the law had at last those who had 80 long
been fugitives from justice.
The evidence was all given in. and the ar
guments upon both sides were concluded. The
Jury stood up, the roll was called, the judge
delivered his charge, copy OF the lndict-
ment was handed them and with slow meas
ured tread they retired to the jury room to
decide the fate of two lives.
There was great excitement, and specula-
ton was rife as 10 the result, but those who
were eager and anxious did not have to wait
long for the jury had hardly been gone
when the crowd made way for their return.
All In their places the foreman handed the
unknown document TO the Judge. All was
still as death when the judge, adjusting his
glasses and clearing his throat, read with
perceptible tremor of voice. 1--WE the Jury
lind Hanson Wade and Joel Williams guilty
of murder i'm the first degree"
The defense called for the polling Of the
Jury and each one after his name was called
ing 10 the Affirmative. The court adjourned
and the unfortunates were remanded to Jail
TO receive their sentence on the following
morning.
ROOM CROWDED.
Ten o'clock came and In the court house
at Urbana there was not standing room. In
the galleries large numbers of ladies had
congregated accompanied by gentlemen
friends. All was husned as the grave when
the great doors were thrown open and the
doomed men guarded by the sheriff and dep
uties walked in with heavy steps, and stood
before the Judge who calmly, said:
"You Hanson Wade ami Joel Williams
have been tried By jury OF your country
men and found guilty OF murder. Have you
should not be passed upon you?'
Eve have" they replied, land here pro-
test our innocence of the crime"
The judge then INDUCED In the customary
remarks before passing sentence eDjoining
upon them the certainty. of their fate and
advising them to be fully, prepared for the
awful hour, the sudden change. and closed
with the words that have fallen so heavily
on the ears Of many poor mortal:
"rhe sentence Of the law is that
you be taken to the county jail
from whence you came and there kept in
close confinement until the 22d Of June,
when you will be taken from thence to the
place of execution and there
Here the Judge was interrupted by a terri
Bile shout in the corridor and tall, slender,
emanciated man, as white as though Just
from the tomb tremblingly rushed through
the crowd and up to the prisoners crying
'HoLD!
These men must not die-I am witness in
this case and should have been here before"
He waited for a breath and resumed.
Twelve days ago i was In New Orleans,
where have been for five years living the
life of n craven, my nights filled with hOr-
rors, my days spent i'm torturing dread, ever
fitting me the scaffold, visions of innocent
persons, who died there calling on me to
yield up my secret. picked up paper, a
walf that had travelled many piles, and
froze as read .'The People Of Ohio against
Wade and Williams for the murder of Frank
KEELING"
THE MURDERER.
THE time had come-the moment had
looked for every day in five long years.
took the first boat and am here, thank God !!
in time. l am the man that Killed the bOui
lin the deafening shouts and screams that
and willingly yield myself up TO the law
that have escaped so long: but hear me:
Twenty years ago in the city of New
York, mine was happy home. When my
mother died she confided TO my care my on
ly sister, beautiful girl, so lovely, 50 win
ming. l loved her as seldom one loves his
own blood and the pathway of her life was
my daily care. | saw her bud and bios
som into womanhood and each day felt
more responsibility resting upon me- There
came time when had to leave her. Month
after month flew by until they had scored a
year. | heard from her often. At first her
letters were happy, full of joy and hope,
but they changed after time and strain
of sadness pervaded them all and l was
content to look upon them as the falling
leaves of perhaps the first dead love. Then
waited long, l heard nothing, | was
alarmed and hurried home only to find that
she had disappeared about two weeks be-
fore, leaving no trace. The veil was lifted
from my eyes and in my deep despair saw
two pictures; the dark river at midnight
the dead house i'm the morning. Almost
craZed went into the search for the one
had lost. l secured the city high and low,
far and near. | was on the trail q week
when one day l found my way into lying
in hospital and my search was ended Be
trayed by the man she had loved she had
died of broken heart in the room where
stood, leaving a mOtherless waif the result
of his perfidy, the evidence of her shame.
| never saw the child, for she was taken
away, but they called her Ednav'-
LETTER.
There was a shrill, piercing scream in the
gallery; some nervous female had given
away from excitement. I'm that room
where she died, found letter, the last
line she ever wrote. 1t disclosed the name
OF the man who had blasted her young life
and robbed me of the purest love | ever