The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-04
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pure wax.
The figure, having becloned, drew back and
closed the door. With 10 longer pause than
was made by my crossing the bedroom. 1
opened the dressing-room door, and looked inc
! had lighted candle already in my hand. T
felt no inward expectation of seeing the figure
IN the dressing-room, and did not see 10
there.
Conscious that my servant stood amazed,
turned round to him and said Derrick, could
you believe that in my cool senses ] fancied &
saw a" AS 1 there laid my hand upon bis
breast, with sudden start he trembled vio-
lently, and said 30 Lord yes, sr a. dead
man beckoning!"
Now / do not believe that this John Derrick,
my trusty and attached servant for more than
twenty years, had any impression whatever Of
having seen any such figure, until l touched
MN. The change in him was SO startling,
when touched him, that fully believe lie
derived his impression in some occult nanner
from me ut that instant.
babe John Derrick bring some brandy, and
/ gave him dram and was glad to take one
myself Of what had preceded that nights
phenomenon told him not % single word.
Rejecting omit, was absolutely certain thav
had never seen that face BEFORE except on
the one occasion. in Piccadilly. Comparing its
expression when reckoning at the door with
its expression when it had stared up at me as
stood ut my window, L came to the con-
clusion that on the first occasion it had sought
to iasten itself upon my memory, and that on
Immediately remembered.
/ was not very comfortable that night,
though felt certainty, difficult to explain.
that the figure would not return. At daylight
fell into heavy sleep, from which l was
awakened by John Derrck's coming to my
bedside with paper i'll his hand.
This paper, it appeared, had been the sub
1ect of an alteration at the door between its
bearer and my servant. 1t was summons to
me to serve upon jury at the forthcoming
sessions of the central criminal court at the
Old Bailey. had never before been sumo
moned on such jury, as John Derrick we'll
knew. lie belieYed-I am not certain atfhis
hour whether with reason otherwise-that
that class Of Jurors were customnriy chosen
on q lower qualification than mine, and he
had at first refused to accept the summons.
The man who served it had taken the matter
very coolly. He had said that my attendance or
non-attendance was nothing to him; there the
summons was and should deal with it at my
own peril and not at his.
For a day or two was undecided whether
to respond to this call or take no notice OF 1t.
! WIS not conscious of tho slightest mysterious
bias, influence or attraction, one way or other.
OF that am as strictly sure as of every state
ment that make here Ultimately decided,
as break in the mouotomy of my life, that I
would 90.
The appointed morning was a raw morning
IN tho month of November. There was a dense
brown fog in PiccadlIly, and it became posi-
lively black and in the la degee oppressive
s
sagcs and staifcaSes Of the courthouse
1aringy lighted with gas, and tho
court itself similarly Illuminated. ! think
that, until was conducted by officers
into the old court and snw its crowded state, I
did not know that the murderer was to be tiled
that day. | think that, until / was so helped
into the old court with considerable difficulty,
did not know into which OF the two courts
sitting my summons would take me, But this
must not be received az positive assertion,
for am not completely satisfied in my mind
on either subject.
took my seat in the place appropriated to
jurors in waiting, and looked about the court
as well as / could through the cloud Of fog and
breath that was heavy in it. / noticed the
black vapor hanging like murlly curtain OUT
side Of the great windows, and / noticed the
sihed sound Of wheels on the straw or tan
that was Uttered in the street; Also
the hum Of the people gathered there.
which shrill whistle, or louder
song or hail than the rest, occasionally pierced.
Soon afterwards tho Judges, two in number, en-
tered, and took their seats. The buzz in the
court was awfully hushed. The direction was
given to put the murderer to the bar. He APP
peared there. And In that same instant rec
ognized in him tho first of the two men who
had gone down Pccadilly.
II my name had been called then, doubt IL
could have answered to it audibly. But 10
was called about sixth or eighth in tho panel,
and was by that time able TO say "Herel"
Now, observe. AS | stepped into the box, the
prtbOUbr, VINO tlhu UttD IDOklbS vi dlLeHblfGlyg
but with no sign Of concern, became violently
agitated, and beckoned to his attorney.
Tho prisoners wish to chal-
lenge me was so manifest that IL
occasioned pause, during which the attor-
ney with his hand upon the dock, whispered
with his client, and shook his head. after
wards had it from that gentleman that the
prisoners first aifrighted words To him weres
''At all hazards, challenge that MANI bus
that as he would give no reason for it, ana
admitted that he had not even known my
name until he heard it called and appeared,
it was not done.
Both on the ground already explained, thas
/ wish TO avoid reviying tho unwholsom9
memory of that murder, and also because
detailed account OF his long trial is BY no
means Indispensable TO my narrative, shall
conlue myself closely to such incidents in tho
ten days and nights during which we, tho
jury, wore kept together, as directly bear on
my own curious personal experience. 1t Is In
that and not in the murderer that seek to
interest my reader. 1T is to that, and not to
page Of the Newgate calendar, that beg at
teutiOn.
was chosen foreman Of the jury. On the
second morning Of the trial, after evidence bad
been taken for two hours Il heard tho church
clocks strike) happening 10 cast my eyes over
my brother iurymeu, / found an inexplcabl9
difficulty Ia counting them. / counted them
several times, yet always with the same diff
Guilty. In short, made them one too many
touched the brother-juryman whose place
! was DbAL mo- ana i WnlHtLAth ~ iilf3t NpisfV
me by counting u.s." He looked surprised by
the request, but turned his head and counted.
"Why," said he, suddenly, Eve are THRIFT
| but no, It's not possible. No, VIC arc twelve"
According 10 my counting that day, we were
always right in detail, but in the gross we were
always one too many. There was no appear
! ance-- mo iigure--t0 account Tor it.; but had
now an inward foroshadowing Of the figure
| that was surely coming.
The jury was housed at the London tayerp.
! We all slept 10 one large room on searaten
| beds, and We were constantly in the charge
| and under the eye Of the officer sworn 10 hold
us in sale-kcepDg. l 500 no reason for sup
| pressing the real name of that officer. lie was
| Intelligent, highly polite and obliging, and Il
| was glad 10 hear much respected in the city.
! He had an agreeable presence, good eyes, envi-
| able black whiskers and fine scnorous voice.
| His name was Mr.. Harker.
| when we turned into our twelve beds at
! night Mr.. Harker's bed was drawn across the
door. On tho night of the second day, not be-
! ing disposed 10 Ito down, and seeing Mr. Har.
! kor sitting on his bed, went and sat beside
! him, and offered him pinch Of snuff. As Mr..
| Harker'a band touched mine In taking II from
! tho box, peculiar SILVER crossed him, and he
! said, "who is ths2
! Following Mr. Hnrkor's eyes, and looking