The sea coast echo., 1896-04-18

/, | MS BOl trimmed glasses una knocked
bis gael severely on the desk Tor order
Bring in The prisoner, :dr. Sheriff,
raid the judge.
Trembling and utterly hopeless, The
colonel staggered in the crowded court
room. An ashy pallor was on his face
and he fastened his eyes fxedly upor
the floor.
In lear voice the indictment found
hy the grand jury was read, and then
The trial began. The first witness was
the coroner, who held an inquest over
the remains of the MAJOR. He stated
that tho. verdict was that deceased had
come t. his death on account Of gun
shot wound, and that the jury believed
the guh was fired by Col Eugene J.
| Nashburn.
The 'unty physician swore that the
wound was just above the heart, and
that death must have been instan-
tGneous. When asked by counsel for
the defense just what must have been
| the distance from which the shot was
fred, the physician stated that the ma
| turc of the wound was such as to cause
him to believe that it must have been
several Ieet--probably so.
| The old coachman OF the major was
next sworn and put upon the stand.
| Before the court, in trembling voice,
the negro told how he had found his
master sitting In his chair stone dead.
lie said he was rubbing down the horses
in the barn, and found one of them had
sore place on his left hind leg. lie
thought something should be done for
the horse, and went into 'he library TO
consult with his master. When he en-
tered the door, Maj. McLain was sitting
in the chair in which he was accus-
toned to take his morning nap. The
darky called him, but received no an
swer. lie called repeatedly, ard then
went close up to the major With q
scream he fled from the room, for he
saw his eyes were CLASSY and set far
back into his head. He gave the alarm,
but was too superstitious to again enter
the room, believing it to he bad luck.
The cook, an old negress apparently
so years old, was the next witneYs. She
said she heard old Uncle Tom cry mur.
der, and rushed out of her house on the
rear of the lot to see what was the mat
ter. The details of the finding as told
by the coachman were corroborated by
the negress.
Mr.. Suttles was asked to take the
stand.
In brief, he stated that he was pass
Ing the home of Maj. McLain when he
heard loud voices talking in very cx.
cited and boisterous manner. lie
stopped and listened and recognized
the voice of Col. Mashburn.
Are you positive It was the voice of
Col. Mashburn" asked the couGsel for
the defense.
Il would know that voice anywhere
| were to hear it. | swear positively
that it was Col. Mashburn and Major
McLoin whom l heard quarreliny in the
room"
What time was that?"
1T was half-past nine O'clock" re-
piled the witness.
Here the state rested it's case, md the
defense announced that 10 testimony
would be introduced, and that Col.
Mashburn would make n statement.
when argument would be waived and
the Judge would be asked to charge
the jury.
AS Col. Mashburn mounted the stand
all eyes were turned upon him.
The Judge raped for order and tho
tailiff motioned for silence.
81 stand before you to day perfectly
innocent of the crime with which | nm
charged, said Col. Mashburn, in voice
trembling with emotion. "I am as in
nocent as newborn babe or the purcst
angel in Heaven. I spent two hours
with Maj. McLain, during which time
we qunrreled over the land lot line,
several blows were exchanged md I
left the house at quarter to 70 o'clock
ana strolled about the fields. AT about
- o'clock heard the report of gun.
and believe the report heard was the
discharge of the gun that killed him.
! know my case is desperate. Circum.
S'ahtlal evidence has already convicted
me, and have given up all hope. am
prepared for anything that may come"
us that all you have to say? asked
Judge Lewis.
THAT is all"
The jury was out just i've minutes
Tnd TetLrned with a verdict of guilty.
"A dcathlike stiffness pervtded the
audience. The spectators craned their
necks TO hear the sentence of death.
The solemn words fell from the lips
CT the Judge, and with downcast head
end trembling form the doomed man
receivel the sen ,"nce that meant 10
him more than tongue can tell or words
express.
The execution was to be private, and
the time Tor the eNpiation OF the crime
was set for June ), just 80 days from
the date of trial.
More like shadow than a man Col.
MashbuIn was led from the courtroom
and carried TO the murderer cell of the
Jail. Us he leaned heavily upon the
AZ m of The sheriff the sympathy of the
entire crowd was with him. Though
'he evidence against him was too strong
Ia admit OF doubt, there was n great
many who wished he had been ac-
Quilted. His very look appealed to
them, and many eyes were wet with
tears OF sympathy and genuine sorrow.
Late in the afternoon of June 4
stranger called at the Jail and asked to
he allowed to see Col. Mashburn. He
was refused admittance, as the colonel
told the iailcr to let no one in to see
lin. The stranger was persistent. and
said that his mission vas one of great
to the colonel
The turnkey closely inspected the
gt ruuupr liz, Nuoc firnp.a -, ,