Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1886-03-06


5 hand with gentleness, and in toDes
I Of exquisite kindness, he said:
madam, will yon take me fol
+ your counsell [ will do tho best
! can for you.'
! 'Yos, yes, yes,' exclaimed the
4 hap!ess mother. L will. You know
5ithat I would net kill my child, and
81 you Will save me. know you will
4 4 know said tlc stranger, that
.dyou arc not guilty. and turning to
4court he continued, siIay it please
1.-THE court, l will appear as counsel
FLOR this defenceless woman
y tWhat is your namea'
lei. Samuel
E Are you lawyer, Mr.. Samnel7'
H sYes, sir, Ihavc practiccd in my
Town State, Tennessee
sThe court, Mr.. Samuel, has no
IIcDjection. if the circuit attorney
will consent
IA nod of approval and the mat
ysslTzwas settled. BY permission of
tie court, the woodsmall and his
client we're permitted to hold con.
verse in u remote part OF the court
room, and when the lengthy con-
ference was closed, and tile parties
returned to the bar, the face of the
prisoner was radiantwith hope, and
the hunter wore a frown, por.
tentouS of wrath and determine
ton.
After the jury had been sworn
and the Indictment read, the first
witness introduced was John Dill
Ion, the husband. His testimony
was to the effect, that the prisoner,
who claimed to be his wife, was a
woman whom he had found on the
road, and who had followed him;
they had lived together, but she
was not his wife; that about two
months before, she had given birth
tosa child i'll his house, that the
child was healthy when born, but
had only lived five or six weeks;
that suspicious of foul play were
first aroused by seeing the woman
bend over the child frequently, and
asking herself why it was born,
why God did not take it and her
too-it would save them both a
hard life. On the day Of the baby's
death, he found her leaning over
its cradle, and again praying God
to take the darling, as she called
it. He went up to her and found
her on the point OF having ~ fit,
with her hand clasped tightly on
the chlld's throat. He told her tor
take her hand away or she would
kill the baby, but SHE did not an
swer, and he had pushed her away.
Before she recovered the child WAS
dead. The baby was evidently
cholled to death on purpose to get
rid of it.
Sach was the substance of the
mali's evidence, and he was hand
ed yer to tho hunter counsel for
You say YOUR no...o .o-v~---.---4
lon9'
Yes, SIR
Have you always borne that
nameP
Certainly, sir said the man a
little startled.
eOf what State and county are
you Il lative?'
Il was born in Hanover county,
Virginia.
DO you know gentleman i'll
that county named George Win
ston7'
sSir7' asked tho witness, trcmu
lousy.
The question was repeated.
Yes, sir, know Mr.. Winston
did YOU ever work for him?'
yes, SIR
$40 you recollect of his losing
several sheep, which were said to
he stolen?'
Il do remember that some of his
sheep were said to he stolen.'
was the theft laid to any manG
Il believe fellow named Jem I
Collins was charged with it,
WAS Collins tried for it2'
Il believe he was.'
WAS he convicted and sen
tenced?'
Yes, sir
What was the sentence2
Il believe he was sentenced TO
the penitentiary i'll Richmond for
two years.
sDid lie serve out the sentence?'
Il suppose he did, SIR
The witness was now laborlng
under intense excitement, and he
leaned OH the witness box for sup.
port. He trembled so that he
could scarcely stand.
sNow, Mr.. John Dillon continu-
cd the huntsrnan, rising to his full
height, and fixing his fierce glance
on the trembling witness, 4 will
ask you n simple question. Are
you not Jem Collins, the convicted
sheep slealer2'
Il Will not answer that question:
said the agitated man.
.Then l call upon the court to
compel you.' The circuit attorney
who might have objected, being
silent, the Judge said sternly;
answer the question, sir
Il am said the wretch, family.
sWell,' resumed the hunter, Mr..
Jem Collins, after leaving the Rich
mond penitentialy, where did you
go?'
.To Fredericksburg. Va