The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-01-25
MY EXECUTION.


meet my payments, when was solicited
for charity by. a respectfully dressed
woman, who stated that she had arrived
from Cork few days ago, her husband
having sent the money to pay her pas
sage to New York. Upon her arrival
she found that he had been killed by a
drunken rowdy, and as she was penni-
less she asked me for a trihe to get a
nights lodging.
Having been imposed upon the pre-
vious day by tale Of the same kind, l
passed on without needing her piteous
appeal.
had walked but few, PAGES when q
feeling Of regret came over me for my
harshness, and / turned round to relieve
her distress, but she had gone. i stood
musing, undetermined what to do.
felt had acted with inhumanity; but ii
was SO unlike my usual conduct that
consoled myself with the reflection that
/ always had been the friend of the out
east, and that very likely the woman
was not in actual want-this the re-
spectability Of her attire, led me to
adopt as fact, and, resolving to Danish
the transaction from my mind, l walked
homeward.
When / reached the corner Of Wall
street a man, apparently the worse for
liquor, asked me for charity, and with
an eagerness which evidently astonished
| him gave him some money.
This somewhat eased my mind, al
though l felt that had relieved the
wrong object. As passed st. Pauls
church saw by the clock that it only
wanted a few minutes Of my dinner
hour, and was always so punctual that
knew even few minutes delay would
cause the greatest anxiety to my wife
and daughters, whose affection for me
was the great comfort of my life.
Resolving to crush the haunting feel
ing, hailed an omnibus and jumped in;
but a new torture now seized me; the
noise Of its wheels seemed to echo the
woman's appeal for charity so visibly
that I involuntarily looked out of the
window to see that she was not running
at its side reciting her tale Of sorrow and
destitution.
Getting out at the corner Of Washing.
ton street, walked hastily to my house
and paused an instant on the steps, hall
resolved to go on wild goose chase in
search Of the mendicant. Finally pulled
the bell. When the door opened, instead
Of following my usual custom of enter.
Ing the parlor to greet my wife ano
daughters, walked straight up to my
dressing room, where sat for some time
in gloomy abstraction. then, bathing my
head with cold water, mechanically
changed my dress and again seated my
self in the deepest detection.
was aroused by my wife, who, sur
prised by my unusual conduct, askeC
tenderly If did not feel well.
eyes," replied, "but very tired. ThC
weather tries me. But, however, let u
to dinner"
My daughters and q niece who was OIL
visit came round me and playful.
scolded me for being so naughty. A
last / sat down to the table, but could no
eat mouthful. After several attempt
to eat l requested my butler to bring mi
the brandy decanter, which surprise,
: them all, as / was a strict temperanc
man, and merely kept wine and liquor
for such Of my guests as did not shar
my scruples.
V When the brandy was brought I file
agoblet nearly full of the "iquid damna
tion,'' as I had recently called it in
speech / had made at q temperanc
meeting, and drank it off at a singl
draught. This somewhat relieved m
and enabled me to swallow few moutl
fuls of dinner.
My spirits somewhat returned, and W
all adjourned'to the drawing room. Tn
arrival of some visitors to my wife an
daughters afforded me an opportunity {
leaving the room unobserved. put o
, my hat, resolving to call upon frien
I who lived in the next street.
Not finding him at horne, I strolled oI
. The evening was fine, and before l wa
aware of the distance had walked
found myself near the North river. A
l tracted by a crowd which had gathere
round the end Of one Of the piers, weI
towards it, and was told by policema
,e that poor woman had just been take
out of the water.
/ pressed forward, and exclaime
II aloud, on the impulse Of the momen
!, when I gazed upon the lifeless form
ts "Great heavenI the very woman trea
ed so brutally not an hour ago"
n The words were scarcely out Of my Iii
'e when a strong hand grasped my collai
3 1t was the policeman who had ju
VI spoken TO me.
"Oh, the murders out thepI" he erie,
"You know something Of this matter
is A cry was Immediately raised that
had confessed myself the murderer; ar
as there was a severe bruise on the po'
woman's head, doubtless occasioned
Al her striking against the pier, it was e.
IL, aggeratedsinto fractured skull.
ia AL was now clear to the excited mo
el / had frst killed my victim with bio
}, on the head, and then, to conceal n
% crime, had thrown her into the river.
Il vain did / protest my innocence; thu
paid no more attention to me than HI
!, to the poor woman herself. So strol
~ was the popular feeling that the poll
had considerable difficulty in saving n
BY from being lynched on the spot.
ch Let nue. pass over the details Of Il
q coroneTs inquest, which brought In
verdict Of willful murder. viii Sc
, nothing about the agony of my first i
d tarview with my family. The horror
es my situation was increased by the ey
dent doubt my wife had of the truth
- my explanation as tony strange condu
>, on the night Of the supposed murde
bis She did not say so in words, but her ma
nd per showed that she had great misgivine
OK The day Of trial came at last Oil d
anguish Of standing in full court, accus,
of 90 revolving a crimel Not one Of q
We numerous friends who had formerly q
nd tended my dinner parties, and my wifi,
balls, was present. They had abandon
me en- masse, as 1t might peril their ov
ue, respectabilitY, forsit is an undoubted 70
III that no persons are so severe In their !
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