The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-23
true husband, if hA same for her.

the second husband, was found lying
dead on his own doorstep with bullet
through his brain. Two days later Her
mann was lodged in the county Jail on
charge of willful murder.
The morning following the arrest the
prisoner was taken before the local JUS
tlce for examination. A crowd of rough,
bearded frontiersmen thronged the little
room where the proceedings were held.
Justice was usually swift and stern in
that district; in serious crimes Judge
Lynch reigned supreme. In this case,
so far as the spectators knew, the pris-
oner had been arrested on mere sus-
picion as being stranger If evidence
turned up to prove him guilty there was
no Jail strong enough to hold him from
the vengeance of the people, nor any
legal power sufficient to stay the execu-
tion of his death warrant or punish those
who carried it out.
The first witness was Mrs. Chapman,
fair, childish-looking little woman,
whose woe-begone face and widows
weed sent a murmur of sympathy through
the spectators. She testified that the
previous Sunday evening she had paid
visit to a neighbor. Had been gone
about an hour, and on coming home
found her husband lying dead on the
doorstep. Her husband did not carry
pistol, there had never been a pistol in
the house to her knowledge. She be-
heved her husband had no reason to
commit suicide; was certain he would
not do such thing. He had sold cattle
a few days before, and had the money
| in his pocketbooh that day-$120 in
| currency. He had small gold watch
in his vest pocket, with a black silk
ribbon and charm attached. The
watch was hers-a present from her
mother several years ago. Both money
and watch had disappeared She did
not miss them until the day after, owing
to the excitement. She presumed rob-
berry had been the motive for the crime
she knew of no other.
''Do you know the prisoner2" asked
the Judge.
EYES," she faltered.
| "Do you know his business in coming
here2"
No reply. The question was repeated.
| "Oh! judge" she burst out, with a
torrent of sobs, che is my husband, my
true husband! But he didn't do it!
Oh, Judge! God knows he is innocent!"
| A buzz of excitement spread through
the room.
''siiencer' said the Judge, rapping his
desk sharply.
Then it was found the witness had
tainted in her chair. Presently she re-
covered, and eventually the story of her
| first marriage and the recent discovery of
herself by the prisoner was wrung from
her. Only once the prisoner spoke.
| ''Tell the whole truth, Amelia, and
| fear nothing" he said.
| She said the prisoner had been to her
house the day of the murder. Her hus-
band-the deceased-was off on the
farm at the time. She had decided to
| break the news to him that night and go
off with her first husband-the accused
the next day, and would have done so
but for what had occurred.
Medical evidence was given to prove
that the deceased had not committed
suicide.
| Then the policeman was called. He
| testified to the steps taken to discover
| the murderer. He discovered the fact of
the prisoners visit to Chapman's house,
and on this ground had made the arrest.
The prisoner had freely told the story of
his marriage, and that his business here
was to get his wife who was living with
Chapman. The only money the prisoner
had on his person when arrested was
about $25 in greenbacks and silver and
$40 in gold certificates. He had neither
pistol nor watch.
Then the prisoner was asked to testify
In simple, homely language he told of
his search for his wife, his visit to the
village after receiving her letter, his
meeting with her-not knowing or car
ing whether her second husband was at
the house or away and of receiving her
promise to meet him at the railway sta
tion and depart with him next day. At
the hour the murder was committed he
was alone in his bedroom, trying to pass
away the time with pipe. He asserted
he never saw Chapman in his life, and
had no desire to do him harm nor any
| enmity whatever against him. He simply
| wanted his wife. He would have been
willing to tell the story to Chapman, but
his wife preferred to tell it herself, and
he was satisfied.
| The landlord of the hotel where Her.
mann had stopped said he did not know
| whether the prisoner was in his room at
| the hour of the murder. He paid little
| attention to his guests except about meal
| hours. He remembered sending up some
beer, but did not know what hour it was
at the time.
Here the case rested.
Sume of the men in the crowd dropped
out, with a hard look in their faces. It
was evident Hermann's doom was sealed.
| He was certain of a few hours respite,
but once the sun went down those men
would surely gather around the prison.
the doors be burst open, and within few
minutes the victims body would dangle
from the limb of tree, while his soul
winged its fight to the great judge OF
all. It had occurred SO often before that
every one knew what the departure of
the ssvigilantes" meant for the prisoner.
Probably the latter guessed it himself,
but if so his looks did not betray the
fact. He was apparently cool and self
possessed-certainly neither dazed nor
frightened.
He was led back to the prison while
the Judge went through the form of pre-
pairing an indictment. No one knew
better than the judge himself that this
was but farce.
The sun was beginning to sink below
the Western prairies when man rushed
into the judges residence in a state OF
wild excitement. It was the constable
who had arrested Hermann.
..For heavens sake, judge" he ex-
claimed, .'come with me to the prison
That man is innocent! The real mur-