Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-09-09

Indeed L do"
To my surprise she burst into tears.
She grew calmer after time, and !
J questioned her about the events of that
fatal night. She adhered to her writ
ten statement in every particular.
told her about Mr.. Vaughan's visit.
''Do you think" / asked, that he
knows of anything important?"
81 shouldn't think so,f she returned:
''you know he did not come to our
house that evening. Besides, he is my
enemy"
L gathered from her that he had at an
early period of their acquaintance ia
vored her with his insolent admiration
and that she had repulsed him-since
which time she believed he had taken
pleasure in encouraging the quarrels
between her husband and herself.
The trial began. The court was
crowded. My client WAS dressed very
simply in black. Her face was pale
but composed. 1t is quite unnecessary
for me to describe the trial. Unless
something unforeseen turned up in our
favor, knew it would go against us.
The prospect of seeing young and
| good-lOoking woman condemned to be
hanged proves as attractive TO our hu-
man race as bull fight does TO Span
lard. 1t is curious how merciful we
are to the brute creation, yet how mer-
ciless We are to our own speciesl As I
looked round on the well dressed men
and woman. felt ashamed of nay coun.
trymen.
There were few witnesses, and these
were principally servants of the house.
Each of them. with the best desire in
the world to shield their mistress, simp-
| " ruined her. 1t was so palpable that
| they were unwilling witnesses, that
there synpathies were with the prisoner
that the damning evidence they were
obliged to give told all the more stEsng
| ly against her.
The last witness was Vaughan. 1t
was with painful interest waited for
his evidence. He might have preferred
to give his important information at
| the trial-have perhaps thought it would
then be received with more credence
l still clung to a hope that he had not
lied TO me that ne could save my client,
and that he would do so now.
As he came forward he turned and
looked stead Iy at Marian. Her eyes
rested for a moment on his face, then
she lowered them with an unmistakable
| expression of dislike and contempt. He
| frowned.
! Then his examination began.
/ He gave corroborative evidence of
the matrimonial relations between El-
| hot and his wife. He knew nothing he
said. about their last quarrel. He had
seen neither Elliot nor his wife on the
day of the murder.
At my request Wilkins cross examIn-
ed him.
do u remember calling to see Mr..
Smith at his ofIiceP"
Certainly"
"You called twice?"
s'I did"
son both occasions you declared your
conviction that the accused was mno-
cent?"
"Yes."
ibid you say you could prove her i'll
nocence?"
"Oh, dear, mol L never made any
such statement.
"What, then, did you sayp"
81 cannot remember distinctly; but
did probably express hope that her In
nOcence would be proved"
''Do you mean to assert you never
declared you could prove her inno-
cence?'
Most assuredlyl Agitat ed as might
have been Sy this painful event, could
never have made such an unwarrantable
statement"
int ont
with Mr.. Smith to meet him at six
O'Clock on the evening of the twentieth
and bring proof of the innocence of
! the accuSed?"
Certainly not"
''Of this, | could bave sworn was
deliberate falsehOod | knew not what
to think. Was it possible that could
have mistaken the mans meaning, at
tached undue Importance 10 his words
and twisted them into a significance
never intended by him? 1 could not
have done so. The man had lied from
first TO last Ny one hope, the strength
of which had not known TIL then,
fell to the ground. He was the last
witness.
The speech for the defence was a
Ncll CldDOIdlC OuC. w Nht
effect of eloquence against evidence,
and tried in vain. The judge summed
up as fairly as could be expected; and
then the jury retired. 1t was nearly
two hours before they returned. WHAT
an awful silence there was In that dense
crowdl
'Guilty or not guilty.
''Guilty''-with recommendation
to mercy.
i looked at my client. Would she
faint or scream? No; she was perfect
ly still. Did she understand the ver-
dict?
have heard the last sentence of
the law pronounced several times, and
never without shudder. This time,
strong man as am, / did not become
senseless. But, though to outward ap-
pearances may have remained unmov
ed, to certain extent, l know | must
have lost consciousness Everything
became as mist before my eyes, and
I have no recollections of What hap
pened during the next few minutes. At
last l foud myself outside the court il
the open air.
But my hope, slight as it was, was
doomed to disappointment. The Home
Secretary refused to entertain the ap-
peal for mercy. He saw no reason. he
said, why the law should not take its
course. When read this decision,
am not ashamed to own, l sat down
and cried like child.
In four more days the execution was
to take place.
did not hear the office door open,
but suddenly became conscious that
was not alone. l looked up, and saw
Mr.. Vaughan standing before ME. OF
all men living l think most abhorred |
him. At that moment the sight OF him
nearly maddened me.
''How dare you come here?" l said.
Il know how you have prosecuted a
miserable woman, and feel as though !
your presence polluted my room. Go;
and never let me see you agnin!'
Ipointed to the door; but he did not !
move.
81 have come to save that woman"
he said.
'.You fooled me with some such |
story once before" returned; ''you
cannot do 50 again."
81 never fooled you," he replied qui