Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-05

| The court was crowded almost to suffoca
| tion when William FELTON, was tried at the
following assizes for the murder of hi.
elder brother, Richard FELTON,. The cir
cumstances of the case were peculiar, anc
| in some respects mysterious, and aroused
great deal of interest and attention. The
well-known brutal and incorporate habits
of the murdered man, as contrasting with
the steady, studious, inofensive nature Of
those of the accused, gained the latter
| considerable amount of sympathy. II
was conjectured that the deed was
the result of sudden passion, prob.
| ably caused by some threatened
| or actual violence on the part OF
the deceased, and that most likely this vio.
lence had been shown toward his wife. In
deed, it was we'll known that the younger
man had often in former times protected the
woman Judith from his elder brothers. fury.
Ever since the murder, or manslaughter-
for the crime seemed much more likely to
be considered the latter than the former
Judith FELTON, had been in a strange state
Of mind, and although she was to be called as
principal witness against the accused (she
being the only person present at the time),
the medical men who had examined her
were more than doubtful as to her sanity.
The case for the prosecution was strong
against the prisoner, even before this woman
was examined, although all the witnesses
did their very best to show the very high
estimation in which he was held by those
who knew him Intimately.
He did not hook like criminal as he
stood there in the dock, with his slight form
and his pale, delicate face, from which his
eyes shone clear and star-like from their
hollow sockets. He seemed very anxious
and nervous, however, and kept glancing at
the door from which the witnesses issued.
At last the woman, Judith FELTON,, was
called, and walked to the witness box with
a steady step, though those near enough to
see her clearly noticed that there was a
strange, dazed look about her.
Before she was sworn she looked long and
earnestly at the prisoner, and he returned
the gaze. His face was calm and resolute
now, and had lost the nervous expression 1t
had hitherto worn. As he continued to
watch Judith's face, look of great sweet
ness and content crept over his own, and he
smiled to her. But the woman turned
away, shuddering from head and foot. The
oath was administered to her in due form,
and she was called upon to give her evil
dence. She hesitated q moment, and then
spoke out in a. clear, distinct voice: SIT is
very simple. He who stands yonder Is in
nocent am the guilty oneI did it! He
only drew the knife out of the woundP'
'Judith" cried the prisoner, in an agon-
lied tone, "don't, for PHYS sakei Hold
your tongue! It's not true, my Lord; she's
lost her wits, poor thing''
"Silence!'
"It is absolutely true" went on the wit
ness, with simple directness which carried
conviction. 81 had often thoughfof 1t, and
latterly began to dream of it, though did
not know until the moment came that I
should ever have the courage to carry it
out"
"Do you mean to tell us that you deliber-
questioned the Judge. The witness ap-
peared now to have little difficulty to keep
her attention fixed, and required to have the
question repeated.
'No; did not plan it. 1t took posses.
sion of me, and kept coming back and back,
though / struggled against the idea can
scarcely describe it-I feel so confused-but
wherever looked there seemed to be blood
in the sky, in the water, in the fire
everywherel'
The witness made this remarkable state.
ment in an even, monotonous, rather sleepy
way, but it sent thrill through the court,
all the same. Then, turning toward the
prisoner, she held out her arms with a
gesture of passionate entreaty.
Forgive me, Bill, dear Bill-forgive me
for ever allowing you to stand-where you
dol Twas coward; but still, I COLD not
let you die for memo, NO. I could rot bear
thatl I love you, Bill, love yo u better
than knew, DEAR
As she finished speaking her head dropped,
and she fell forward apparently u. swoon.
The accused gave one sharp, short cry of
horror, and then his face grew calm again.
''What has happened?" criee some per-
son near to him.
''she has taken poison" af irmed the
prisoner, quietly. .
This statement was indeed 70 ind to be
true. When the doctor, who vas called
upon, examined Judith he fount that the
action of her heart had ceased. She had
drunk the contents of the phial, which she
carried always about her person, little
while before entering the court. This ac-
counted for her strangely sleepy, unemo-
tional demeanor.
1t was tragic ending ofa tragic life; but
even Bill, with all the passion CT young
grief which overwhelmed him, could not
but feel that, as far as this world went, it
was the least terrible one which could have
happened.
And afterI All, who knows?
Lift not the painted veil which those who
live call life.
These poor human existences, apparently
so barren of either happiness or use; these
fatal marriages, where. the higher natures
are dragged down and degraded by the
lower ones; these tragedies of sorrow and
the sins which are born of despair-what do
they all mean? If we could find the true
answer to this question we should indeed be
as gods, knowing good and evil.-The Gen.
1enens Magazine
GOSsIP-Margaret II. weIch writes for