The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-01-16
A STRANGE CASE.
Why Wallace Harper Would Not
Prove His Innocence. .-.

to say why sentence should not be
passed upon you2"
A solemn hush porvaded the ourt-
room as the Judge addressed the young
man in the prisoners dock above.
Wallace Harper turned his gaze for
an instant toward me. had defended
she young prisoner 10 the best OF my
ability and the outcome was n yer dict
of guilty. From the outset expected
this. although in my utmost soul be
lieved the unfortunate man innocent
Circumstantial evidence. however, bad
cncompassed him round so completed y,
it was impossible to override it. ]
could give the prisoner no look of en-
enlargement merely looked dumb,
perhaps stolidly Indifferent, although /
was far from feeling so.
Wallace Harper rose slowly 10 his
feet. until bo lowered full six feet OF
noble stature, and gazed fxedly at tho
Judge His face was pale as death, and
when he opened his lips and spoke, the
words sounded hollow and unnatural
Your honor. what can say on an
occasion like this? I was foredoomed
from the start. Our family has always
been unfortunate Ny father was
killed In battle (Gettysburg.) and
poor mother ult4 OF a broken
Ny eldest brother fell in one OF the
battles in the West, the youngest died
of yellow fever at Memphis. some years
ago. and am the last of the race. /, il
seems, am doomed TO die on the gal
lows.'
He paused hero. hot flush shooting
into other pale check. Would he
break down and beg for mercy? 1t was
not in keeping with his cool courage
during tho trial could not help pity
ing him. and feeling that il would have
been much better had he rcfraiDed from
speaking at all. ] dared not look at
his facn for some moments. At length
he was speaking again. and ! ventured
once more TO look toward him. Tho
flush bad d disappeared, and the prison
er's face was pallid as before
81 know what the sentence must be.
your honor" continued he. with awful
calmness- II have only this to say:
am an innocent man. lay up nothing
against the members OF the jury. They
thought they wore performing duty:
but IL there is Il future life, in thai
future the truth will be with me, and
shall be vindicated."
He bowed his head and ceased TO
speak. His words had been impressive.
To me they were convincing / had
moved for new trial when the verdict
had heen rendered. on the previous day,
and now had no more to say.
Hanged by the neck until dead
Friday. November Q.
These were all the words thatreached
my ear. ] rose to leave the room. The
prisoner was led past. ] glanced into
his white face A look OF settled de-
spair rested on every lineament ]
bent forward and whispered word of
hope, mentioning the fact of my deter
mination to move all the powers for
new trial lie said othing, and soon
the courtroom was empty.
Its justice. 1t was an Infamous
murder"
] started at sound OF voices at my
elbow. Two gentlemen were discussing
the prisoner and his sentence.
paused to listen. -
81 knew Wallace Harper well. All
of his family have died violent deaths
He had a good show with Donald Dun
ham. He had been with the old gen.
tleman two years. ] think the trouble
was all on account of the girl. who they
say is quite sick because OF the death
of her father"
did the girl think any thing of the
clcrk?"
''Some say so. don't know. 1t seems
twas on her account that Harper put
poison in the old mans wine. II was a
foolish as we'll as a wicked crime"
walked on. The details OF the muir
der had been recited too many times TO
interest me now 1t had appeared on
the trial that Harper was in love with
his old employers only laughter. and
that Dunham bad quarreled with his
confidential clerk in consequence.
On the evening when he (Harper) was
TO depart Mr.. Dunham called HIM into
! the library and requested him to drink
social glass of wine with him. II
seem that Harper assented. An hour
later Donald Dunham was dead. He
had died in agony, and with his latest
breath accused mis- clerk OF having pois-
oned him The dregs of one of the
wine-cups were found to contain
arsenic, the other being harmless The
confidential clerk was at once arrested
and in one OF his pockets a package ot
| arsenic was found Such evidence was
overwhelming. Wallace Harper sent
for me, and i undertook his defense.
made as good n fight as possible under
| the circumstances
The ante-mortem testimony of Don
aid Durham. together with the fact tha
the two had quarreled, and the finding
of the poison in the pocket OF Harper
was evidence that could not overcome
i went from the courtroom to M
own pleasant home feeling weight OF
my mind that could not shake of.
few hours later a messenger came to M
from the prisoner, requesting an inter
view.
at once repaired to the Jail.
Wallace Harper greeted me with
pleasant smile. and held out his hand.
81 am satisfied that you did all that
human being could do. Mr.. Nelson, an
want TO thank you for it. and 10 tel