The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-04
THEIRIALFOR MURDER
BY Charles Dickens.

| AN~A ~ uiNftyo uutlCcu IL plbNaltHb WdEb VI
courage, oven among persons of superior
intelligence and culture, as to imparting
their own psychological experiences when
those have been of a strange sort. Almost
all men arc afraid that what they could re-
late IN such wise would find no parallel or
response in q listeners internal life, and might
be suspected or laughed at A truthful trav-
| eler, who should have seen some extraordi-
nary creature in tho likeness of sea serpent,
would have fear of mentioning it but
the same traveller, having had some singular
presentment, impulse, vagary of thought, Wis
| ion (so-caled), dream or other remarkable
mental impression, would hesitate consider
ably before he would own to it. To this reti-
oence attribute much Of the obscurity in
| which such subjects are involved We do not
habitualy communicate our experiences of
these subjective things rs we do our expert
euces of objective creation. Tho consequence
is, that the general stock of experience in this
regard appears exceptional, and really is so,
in respect Of being miserab1y imperfect.
In what / am going to relate, have no in
tention of setting up, opposing or supporting
| any theory whatever. I know the history of
| the bookseller of Berlin, 1 have studied the
case of the wife of late astronomer royal as
1 related by Sir David Brewster, and have fol-
! lowed the minutest details of much more re-
markable case of spectral Illusion occurring
/ within my private circle of friends. Itmay be
necessary to state MS to this last, that the suf-
foror Ia LADY, was in no degree, however dis
tant related to me- A mistaken assumption
on that head might suggest an explanation of
| part of my own case--but only a part-which
would be wholly without foundation, 1t can
not be referred to my inheritance of any de-
| voloped popularity, nor had ever bBfore'any
at all similar experience, nor have over had
any at all similar experiences since.
| IL does giouifv how or
| how few, certain murder was committed in
| England, which attracted great attention. We
hear more than enough of murderers as they
| rise in succession to their atrocious eminence,
end / would bury the memory of this particu-
lar brute, II | could, as his body was buried in
| Newgate jail / purposely abstain from
| giving any direct clue to the criminals indi.
| yiduality.
When the murder was first discovered, no
| suspicion fell-or ought rather 20 say, for
cannot be too precise In my facts, it was no
where publicly limited that any suspicious fell
ON the man WHO was afterwards brought to
trial. AS no reference was at that time made
to him in the newspapers, 1t Is obviously inn
possible that any description of him can at
that time hive been given IL Ito Newspapers.
1t il, essential that this fact be r6uemberod.
Unfolding at breakfast my morning paper,
containing Tho account Of that first discovery,
/ found to be deeply interesting and road IL
with close attention, ! read 1t twice, II not
! three times The discovery had been made IN
a bedroom, and when laid down the paper,
was aware of ash--rush-flow--I do not
know what to call it-no word / can find Is
satisfactorily deseriptiye-in which ] seemed
| to see that bedroom passing through my room,
like picture impossibly painted on a running
river. Though almost instantaneously in its
passing, it was perfectly clear that distinctly,
and with the sense OF relief, observed the alb
sence of the dead body from the bed.
1t was no romantic place that had this Gu
rous sensation, but in Chambers in Piceadilly,
very near TO the corner of 81. Janoss street.
1t was entirely new to me- / was in my easy
chair at the moment and the sensation was ae-
companied with peculiar shiver which start
| ed the chair from Its position. Gut it is to be
noted that the chair ran easily on castorsJ [
went to one Of the windows (there are two in
tho room, and the room is ON the second floor
to refresh my eyes with the moving objects
| down in Piccadilly. 1t was bright autumn
morning and the streets was sparkling and
! cheerful. The wind was high. Is /
| looked out, il brought down from tho
| park a quantity of fallen leaves, which
| a gust took, and whirled into spiral
pillar. AS the pillar fell and tho leaves dis
| pefaed / saw two men on tho opposite side of
| the way, going from west to east They were
one behind the other. The foremost man
| looked back over over his shoulder. Tho
second man followed him, at distance of
| some thirty PAGES, with his right hand menac-
| ingly raised. First, tho snguiafity and stea6i-
ness Of this threatening gesture in go public
thoroughfare attracted my attention; and next,
the more remarkable circumstance that mo-
| body needed it. Both men threaded their way
among the other passengers with snoothness
hardly consistent eyen with the action Of walk
| ing on pavement; and no single creature,
that could see, gave them place, touched
them, or looked after them. In pass
ing before my windows they both
stared up at me. / saw their two faces
very distinctly, and knew that could recog-
nize them anywhere. Not That / had con-
sciously noticed anything very remarkable in
\ either face, except that the faan who went
| Grcf bqd an, am 1Dryerip9
and that the face of the man who followed
him was Of the color Of impure wax
| am q bachelor, and my valet and bis wife
constitute my whole establishments NY Oecu-
patton Is IN a certain branch bank, and wish
that my duties as head Of department were
as light as they are popularity supposed 20 be.
They kept me in town that autumn when 1
stood IN need Of o change. / was not III, but
/ was not well. Ny reader IS to make the
most that can be reasonably made Of my feel
ing faded, having depressing sense upon me
Of a monOtOnous life, oud being "slightiy dys-
peptic." / am assured by renowned doctor
that my real state OF health az that time iusti-
fees no stronger description, and | quote his
own from his written answer to my request
for it,
AS the circumstances Of the murder, graap-
ally unragellng, took stronger possession II
the public mind. j kept them away from mine
by knowing as little about Hiem a. was pess-
bio in tho midst Of the universal excitement.
But knew that verdict Of wilful murder
had boon found against the suspected murder
or. and that he had been committed 70 New
gate for trial. / also knew that lis trial had
been postponed over one session Of the CEN
trail criminal court on the ground oi general
prejudice and want Of time for the preparation
ofthe defense. / may further have brown,
but / believe did not, when, or about when
the sessions 20 which his trial stood postponed
would come on.
My sitting room, bedroom and dressing room
are all on one floor. with the last there Is no
communication but through the bedroom
True, there Is a door la il, one communicating
with tho staircase but part OF the fitting Of
my bath has hcen-and had then been for
SOHO years fixed across Il. At tho same
period and as part Of the same arrangement,
the door had been nailed up and canyas5d
over
was standing IN my bedroom late one
night, giving some directions 10 my servant
before he 7geut 70 bed bly face was towards