The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-01-04

Mrs. Fisher Mr.. Dawlish's velvet cap,
which he had found on a rock in the
Devils Bath" The lawyer and the po-
liceman had examined the cliff above this
dangerous place, and both swore to the
evidences Of a struggle-the ground being
much trampeled and spotted with blood,
beside revealing evident signs that n heavy
body had been pushed off the cliff. AS a
browning point for the prosecution, my
great oak staff was produced in court, and
IL bore unmistakable traces of blood.
After such evidence as this what could
be lone for me2 MY counsel made what
was called n most ingenious defense. The
alleged quarrels, he truly said, were moth
ing but dramatic dialogues between two
friends, one of whom was a play writer.
The changing of caps was a weak point,
and was received with n 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 a legal fiction.
The judge summed up and the jury re
tired, and ! passed half an hour of the
most awful suspense | have ever known or
imagined.
But the twelve good men and true filed
back into their box ut last; the usher of the
court called for order; the judge asked if
the jury had decided upon a verdict, and
received the foreman's answer in the af-
frmative. Then ensued a m%omentary pause
which seemed like eternity. 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 willful murderl"
] pulled myself together and looked
around. The judge was preparing to put
on the black cap. He asked if | had any
thing to say why sentence of death should
not be passed upon me, and with all the
strength and energy of despair ! pro-
claimed myself innocent of the dastardly
crime with which | was charged.
Then, with the cap of death upon his
head, the judge rose, but before a word
had passed his lips a loud cry rang through
the court, and a man sprang into the wit
ness box despite the efforts of the ushers.
Stop, my lordl stopl' shouted a hoarse
voice. IL am the murdered manl'
A mist rose before my eyes so that 1
could not see, but 1 had heard the voice,
and that was enough. Jacob Dawlish
was alive and had come to my rescued
Leu me hasten 10 the enu. Inc black cap
promptly disappeared, and in the midst of
much excitement Jacob Dawlish 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 aroused to find himself tide
bound. Climbing n little way up the cliff,
he had been in great peril, until a passing
Deal fishing BOAT had come to his assist
ance. 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 outward bound American
liner, and only the life of Jacob Dawlish
had been saved. Having no means of get
ting ashore or sending a message he had
taken a compulsory trip across the Allan
tic, 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 !
have written this story to show how an in
nocent man escaped capital punishment by
me skill ut l. t,,tO III ne + lag.