The Delta independent., 1890-01-14

one of the numerous friends who had
formerly attended my dinner parties
and my wife's balls was present They
had abandoned me On masse, as it
mightperil, their own responsibility;
for it is an undoubted fact that no per-
sons are so severe in their remarks or
SO scrupulous in disowning the friend
ship of the unfortunate or criminal as
that class OF respectable rouges who,
living themselves in the secret practice
of every species Of villainy, are afraid
to give. the slightest excuse for calling
attention to themselves. Depend upon
it, no woman is so severe on the frail
as the faithless wife. She ia obliged
to follow Shakespeare's maxim,
affect a virtue, though she has it
not"
| The only man who remained true to
me was my lawyer. Mr.. Malcolm Camp
bell. He set to work manfully to de-
fend me. He said the press were
awfully down on me. Numerous biog.
raphies were published of me, which
brought to light events in my life nev-
er before known, either. to my parents.
myself, or any of my relatives. One
paper called attention to the signii-
cant fact that many murders had been
committed during the past twenty
years which have never been traced,
and that most probably my exterior
respectability and hypocritical piety
| had averted all sus picion from myself
and that no doubt many an innocent
man had been hanged for my crime.
At the trial my wife and daug hter
| deposed, as they were bound to do, to
| my unusual behavior on that emphatic
| evening.
My standing on the steps OF my door
before Irang the bell, was observed by
q villainous, prying old maid, who
came forward and deposed to facts in
addition which were pure inventions.
| My swallowing brandy ut dinner. as
admitted by my own family and do
mestics, was the occasion OF some
eloquent leaders in the papers. the
gist of which was that deserved hang
| ing even for that alone.
The prosecuting attorney called at
tention to my physiognomy, in which
he read more murders than a dozen
Newgate calendars, and concluded an
eloquent address by warning the court
that II was acquitted he felt sure that
some fine morning, like the Assyrians
OF old, all New York would awake and
find themselves to be dead men,
with their throats cut from ear to ear.
especially the judge and jury, who
would deserve their fate if they turn ed
such a notorious murderer loose to
prey upon the citizens Of New York.
Notwithstanding the eloqunce OF my
counsel. Mr.. Malcom Campbell, who
positively surpassed himself, and
knocked Demosthenes and Cicero into
the middle of next week, all seemed
dead against me.
The explanation l gave Of my un-
usual behavior was pronounced by all
as being too ridiculous to merit a mo-
menfs consideration.
The judge who presided, and who
had turned deaf ear to every meudi-
cant since he had been possessed OF n
cent to give away, said that he had
never given anything to a beggar in
his whole life, and that it had never
made him miserable.
Indeed" sarcastically added this
light OF Christian law, ait would have
made me more miserable II had ever
given penny away"
The whole audience roared with
laughter at the judges wit. although
it stamped him as being a heartless
brute
He summed up dead against me, and,
as had not taken the precaution of
buying up the jurors, was found guilty
OF willful murder and condemned to be
hanged!
The fatal day arrived. Hardly able
to walk, ! was carried to the scafYold.
The reporters crowded around me.
shaking hands with me as though they
were proud OF being introduced to a
gentleman who occupied such an envia-
BILE position. The rope was put around
my neck, the cap was drawn over my
face, heard a sharp click and felt the
rope tighten. was suddenly thrown
up into the air as flood Of fire rushed
from my brain and filed my eyes.
Convulsively threw up my arms.
heard a tremendous crash. as though
all creation was crockery, and had
suddenly been smashed. opened my
eyes, not upon another world as I had
expected, but to see that had knocked
over the table, broken into thousand
pieces my wife's best china tea-service
spoilt her new satin dress, scalded her
pet spaniel, which was bowling like a
Methodist ranter, and that all the but
tered toast was in my daughters laps,
who were all dressed to go TO the
opera
Since then my wife never lets me
snore In my easy-chair after dinner.
CONCERNING THE EARS.