Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-03-31
TIE JURYMAN'S STORY.


TIE JURYMAN'S STORY.
We had been out Of court twcnty.four
hour. aud stood eleven 10 one Tho ctsc
was plain-at least, we eleven thought 70,
A murder Of peculiar nifocity had been
committed. aud though no eye had wit
messed the Iced circumstance. pointed to
the prisoners guilt with unfailing Ger
tainiy.
The rccusant Juror had stood out from
the frst. lis acknowledged the cogcncy
Of the proofs, confessed his inability 10
reconcile the fncts with tho defendants
Innocence, and yet on every vote went
steadily for acqnittal. III. conduct was
incxpllcable. Il could not result from q
lack Of intelligence for. while he spoke but
little. bis words woc we'll chosen and
cylneed n thorough understanding Of the
ease.
Though still iu the prime Of manhood
his locks were prcmnturcly white, aud his
fscr wore a singularly sad and thoughtful
expression. lie might be one Of those who
entertained scrnpics as TO the right of 10
cicty to innlct the death penalty. Int no.
Il wns not that; for. In reply 10 such n sug.
men, like the vicious brutcs they resemble,
must b. controlled through fear. and that
trrad Of death. the supreme terror. l. la
many cAses the only adequate restraint.
At the prospect 81 another night OF fruit
ic.s imprisonment We began to grow I'm.
patient, aud expostulnicd warmly against
what seemed an unreasonable captious.
ness, and some not over kind remarks
were lndnlgcd In ~ 10 the Improperly OF
triing with an oath like that under which
we were acting.
And yet." the inan answered. ~ though
committing with himself rather than ~
polling the imputaiion. "lt Is conscience
that binders my concurrence In verdict
approved by my judgment"
slow can that bei' qucrlcd several at
once.
conscience may not always dare to fol.
low Judgment"
'But here shc can know no other guide"
~ once would have aaid the same"
"And what changed your oplnonf"
Experience.
The speakers manner was ylslbly AL.
tatcd, and we waited In silrneo the ex-
PLANTATION which he seemed ready TO give.
Mastering his emotion, ~ II In answer TO
our looks u Inquiry. he continuedi
Twenty Year. hgo was young man
tist beginning life. Few had brighter pros.
poets and none brighter hopes. An attach.
mcnt. dating from childhood Ind ripencd
with H. object. There had been no verbal
declaration and acceptance OF lovc--no for.
NAL pllghting of troth. but when took
my departure 10 seek home In the distant
west IL was thing understood that when
had found II and put IL IN order she WIS
70 share u. Life Ia the forest. though soil.
tAry. il not necessarily Lonesome. The Kind
OF society afforded by unturudepends much
on ones self. A. for me. lived moro In
the future than Ia the present, and hope l.
an over cheerful companion. At length
the tlmo came for making the lnal pay.
mcnt on the home which had bought. IL
would henceforih he my own; and In fpw
more months my simple dwelling which
had spared no pains 10 render inviting,
would be graccd by It's mistress.
AT the land office, which was some sixty
miles OF, met my old friend, George
c.. lie, too, had come 10 seek his fort.
unc In the west, aud we were both delighted
with the meeting. He had brought with
him, he said, a sum Of money which he lie.
sired 10 Invest In land, on which Il was His
purpose 10 settle. l expressed strong
wiah TO have him for q nelghbor, and gave
him a cordial invitation 10 accompany me
home, giving.it ns my belief that be- could
nowhere make better selection than In
that vicinity. He readily consented, and
we set out together. We had not ridden
many miles when George suddenly rccol.
leeted a commission he had undertaken Tor
n friend, which would require his attend.
anee at a public land sails on the following
day, Exacting u promise that he would
not delay hi, visit longer than necessary,
and having given minute directions ~ 20
the route, continued my way homeward,
while he turned back,
81 WAS about retiring 20 bed on the night
OF my return when a summons from with.
out called me to the door. A stranger
asked shelter for himself aud his horse for
tho night ! invited him In. Though
stranger. his face seemed not unfamiliar.
lie wns probably ong Of the men had seen
at the land Office, a place at that time mach
frequenicd. Offering him seat, went
TO see 70 bis horse The poor animal, a,
well rs could see by the starlight, SEEMED
TO have been hardly used. His painting
sides bore witness II morciless riding, and
n tremendous shrinking At the slightest
touch hetokcned recent fright. on ~ on.
N'ilhR Aht huuhf lounu the stranger WIS
not there His absence excited no surprise;
be would doubtless soon return. II was a
little singular, however, that he should
have left his watch lying on the table.
AT the end Of half an hour, iny guest
not returning, went again To the stable,
thinking he might hsyo found his way
'hilher TO give personal attention TO she
wants OF his horse Before going out, from
mere force Of habit-f0r we were as yet I'M
Infested by either thieves or poliocincn--l
took the precaution Of putting the stran.
gers watch In drawer In which Kent
my own yaluahles found the horse AZ 1
bud LETT him, and gave him the food which
he was now sufficiently cooled to be allowed
To eat; but his master was nowhere 10 be-
seen. As approached the house a crowd
OF men GU horseback dashed up. and was
commanded, in no gentle tones, TO ',tandp
~ another moment was Ia the clutche.
oner' f''"
y WA too much Supplied at flrst 10 ask
what u all meant / did 80 al last. nnl
Tue explanation came-lt waa terriblel