Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-04-05
CHAPTER XVII

On that Qdrk HlBHC vi U"6OuJ;
Dorothea Ingram strangled her babe ana
the minister's house was struck by lght-
ming. a man, unknown to any In the VII
lage. had arrived in Sagnauk. he
emerged from the woods just as the
thunderbolt fell and set the parsonage on
fire. and at the same time he saw, OF
imagined he saw, Hillary's cabin sur
rounded with rosy light in which dusky
demons danced.
Who this man was, or wheh4e he came,
no one knew, and during the hurry OF
the dav none thought to inquire. H4
himself did not court inquiry, but after
few questions disappeared without bear
ing the message with which he was
laden to the Squire. And in the excite
ment which followed Dorothea's arrest
no one missed him.
Dorothea had been led back to her
prison after the trial, and a night OF
suspense was to be passed before the de-
cision of the Judges would be given
They. with the Governor, retired from
the courtroom to a private once anu
were there consulting upon the verolcC.
"There is no doubt but that this woman
hath killed her child" said one OF the
Puritan Judges, "and the morning after
she was perfectly sane, as numerous VIII
nesses testified"
"But," interrupted one OF his col
leagues, "who - SAY when that IN
sanity ended?
"Did she not arr sane the evening
before?"
"Yes. "repied Ire Judge who had inter
nosed in Doro Jhea's behalf; "she was.
But this question of woman's sanity IS a
dificult one in her case, and do not
feol quite clear that we should adJudge
her guilty"
aThe Lord is merciful," here inter
posed the Governor, who before had Salo
nothing. "The Lord is merciful although
lust. and we should strive to initiate MN
in mercy as well as justice"
"But she bears the reputation OF a
witch, " urged the first Judge.
"Yea, she bears it. But what may
each of us not bear in Gods sight. But'
he continued, 81 am surprised to hear
such remark from you. Has she not
been cleared of that charger"
"Yea. but where there is so muc1
c.roke there must be fire"
"You, then, are not willing to judge
this poor woman by the evidence. You
are not worthy to occupy the position
Won hold. and | shall take steps to haVo
Won removed as soon as possible. Now, "
soid the Governor to the other Judges,
@we must consider this case among our
selves. for will not allow the gentleman
who has just spoken to join us. lie Is
preiudiced. Ehs woman was cleared OF
the first charge-of witchcrat e.=sind IN
the evidence it was shown tlS4aGhe had
undergone long years of persecution
enough to drive any one insane. But,
on the other hand, we have had contln-
nal evidence of the goodness OF her
heart. Could such woman as has been
picturaG to you to-day kill her own
babe? | say no. The only point which
is left for us to consider is whether she
was sane or not when she committed the
crime. for crime it was, however done
She was sane during the day previous,
and sane the next morning. Could she
have been crazy during the night? up
on this point the case rests. inns polnt'
he dded impressively-"could the
woman of so many virtues murder mel
child in cold blood? If the evidence o.
her goodness is to be believed, she coulC
not. If it is false, we may safely accuse
her of murder"
When the Governor ceased there wa:
silence for a moment, no one caring U
express an opinion hastily, ana whli'
they were hesitating an officer KNOCKED
at the door, and, being admitted, statet
that there was a special messenger IRON
the Crown who begged to e9 admitted
=, once.
The messenger from the King wa
seated with all courtesy, and after mll
tual salutations was invited to max
i l:nown his mission.
"To explain what my work in the new
world is, he began, "allOw me to give
YOU bit of history. Twenty-Five year
ago the only daughter of the Lord o
Clancy married a man far below her
and together they emigratcd to America
She was at once disowned by her family
I Recently the old Lord of CLANCY died
and his title and estate is left entail t
this daughter. The man she married
was not bad man, but one, if may say
it. little too rough in speech to suit lii
elders. His name was Hillary, and w
have traced him to Boston and then to ;
little settlement called Sagnauck fol
Iowa. my trail to that place and there
found Hillary dead, his wife, Lad
Clancy dead, and her daughter, Dorothe
Ingram, accused of the murder OF ht
| own babe. That woman am in scare
of is now in your Jail. l have in m
possession papers from the King d.
handing the speedy return Of S
, Glancy's heirs to England. Innocent
guilty, demand her in the Kings nam
Here are my papers"