The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-09-09

favor, leaving me all the money he had
previously intended for the foundation
of Dramatic society.
On the day after the lawyer had ar
rived at Highcliffe a fisherman had
brought to Mrs. Fisher, Mr.. Dawlish's
velvet cap which he had found on a rock
in the Devils Bath" The lawyer and
the policeman had examined the cliff
above this dangerous place, and both
swore to the evidences of a struggle
the ground being much trampled and
spotted with blood, besides revealing ev-
ident signs that heavy body had been
pushed off the cliff. AS a browning
point for the prosecution, my great oak
staff was produced in court. and it bore
unmistakable traces of blood.
After such evidence as this, what
could be done for mep My counsel made
what was called a most ingenious de-
fence. The alleged quarrels, he truly
said, were nothing but dramatic dia-
logue between two friends, one of whom
was play-writer. The changing of caps
was weak point, and was received with
knowing smile from the counsel for
the prosecution; the specimen hunting at
the Devils Bath" had little effect upon
the court; and the wounded dog who
supplied the blood for this tragic story
was apparently received as legal tic-
ton.
The judge summed up and the Jury
retired; and passed half an hour of the
most awful suspense l have ever known
or imagined.
But the IL men good and true filed
back into their box at last; the usher of
the court called for order; the Judge
asked if the jury had decided on a YER
dict, and received the foreman's answer
in the affirmative. Then ensued a mo-
mentary pause which seemed like eterni-
ty. My ears rang so loudly that could
not hear the judges voice when he
spoke again; but at last, clear and cold,
the words fell upon my brain,-"Guilty
of wilful murderl"
Ipulled myself together, and looked
around. The judge was preparing to
put on the black cap. He asked me if 1
had anything to say why sentence of
death should not be passed upon me,
and with all the strength and energy of
despair, l proclaimed myself innocent
of the dastardly crime with which | was
charged.
Then, with the cap of death on his
head, the judge rose; but before word
had passed his lips, a loud cry rang
through the court, and a man sprang in
to The witneSs-box despite the efforts of
the ushers.
stop, my lord! stopr' shouted a
hoarse voice. Il am the murdered
mani"
A mist rose before my eyes so that /
could not see, but had heard the voice,
and that was enough. Jacob Dawlish
was alive, and had come to my rescue!
Let me hasten to the end. The black
cap promptly disappeared, and in the
midst of much excitement Jacob Daw-
lish told his story.
On the day of his disappearance he
had been so absorbed in his reading that
he had forgotten all about the time, and
had only been araused to find himself
tide-bound. Climbing little way up
the cliff, he had been in great peril, until
passing Deal fishing boat had come to
his assistance. The men would not wait
to put him ashore, but took him out to
sea with them. Then the storm had
come on, and in the darkness the little
smack had been run down by an out
ward bound American liner, and only
the life of Jacob Dawlish had been
saved. Having no means of getting
ashore or sending message, he had
taken a compulsory trip across the At.
lantic, and had fastened back by the
next boat, to find that he was not only
supposed to be dead, as he had expected,
but that his only friend was being tried
for his murder.
of course l was instantly released, and
l have written this story to show how an
innocent man escaped capital punish
ment by the skin of his teeth Guerly
Md1dzine.