Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-03-21
IL.-Continued.

II was, In truth, q scene TO touch the
hardest heart and awaken pity In breasts
long unused to Il. But little Ann soon re
covered her self-possession, and the old
look Of hope and confidence came back to
her eyes. She passed her hand lovingly
over Bnrt's curly hair, which clustered
around his sunken temples, and whisper
cd Z few words In his q !.
When the court convened on the fol-
lowing day the defense contented itself
mainly with showing that the outer door
of Carey's house was rarely or never
locked; that It would have been the east
eat thing in the world for the murderer
to slip into the room before daylight and
thus hide the blood-stained ring away
where it's discovery would most surely
turn the peoples thoughts away from the
real murderer. Burt Tyler's good charac-
ter, gentle disposition and w~ell-known de-
v0tiOn to friends were insisted upon as
showing the almost utter impossibility Of
his being the criminal who had perpetrat-
ed this awful deed. In particular the de-
Tense dwelt upon the heroic devotion
shown by Tyler in carrying the body of
his patron nearly thirty miles through
storm and darkness, rather than leave it
In the wilderness to be devoured by wild
animals, while he hasteLed to arouse the
country in hopes that his prompt action
might result in overtaking the criminal.
Although urged by his counsel and inn
plored by little Ann to testify in his own
behalf, Burt obstinately refused, saying:
They will not believe me. They are
bound to have 1t their own way"
At daybreak the court house bell sum-
mOned the villagers to hear the dread
Judgment which the law was about to
pass upon Burt Tyler, for rumor had al
ready spread abroad the news that the
jury had found him guilty. Contrary to
all expectations. and amid smothered ex-
CARNATIONS of admiration, the noble girl
uttered no cry of despair, no syllable of
woe, as the awful word equity" fell upon
the ears Of the assemblage. A faint smile
spread over her pale face, and, pressing
hand upon her heart, she laid the
other upon Burt's head, and fixed her eyes
upon his.
Poor little Ann! Poor little Ami" he
whispered 20 gently that only the few
standing or sitting in the immediate vi
cinity heard the words.
When the Judge called him by name
and asked him whether he had aught to
say why sentence of death should not be
passed upon him, Ann Carey, anticipating
= refusal IN Burt's part to utter a word
IN his own defense, sank upon her knees
by his bedside and murmured:
ssSpeak, Burt. Oh, speak, my beloved,
for little AIMS sake. At least tell them
of the ringi"
The wild and revengeful look faded
from Tyler's eyes, and a faint smile play
ed about his lips; then in measured tones,
deep but plainly audible to the farthest
end Of the room, he spoke as follows:
II have nothing to say, Judge. Nothing
that I can say will make you change your
minds. You have Fixed it UP to suit your
selves. It was q terrible crime, and /
suppose 1t will have a good effect If some
one. ID put to death for it. My wretched
life 10 nearly spent. You are welcome to
what ID left Of It; but I didn't kill Mr..
Norris, and he knew that / put the ring
ia little AIMS box before we went into
the woods.
Zone word more, my friends. Should
you change your minds after my poor
bones are laid to rest, remember that little
Ann will still be there. ! have no more
to say"