Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-03-26
CHAPTER XXI.

CHAPTER XXI
And how did Eudora pass the few
anxious days of Imprisonment pre-
ceding Der trial?
Oh, heaven, how much the human
heart may bear. and yet live On! Who
can compute the amount of sorrow,
humiliation and terror that formed the
great weight OF anguish that pressed
her young heart almost TO death:
Deep, poignant grief for the loss Of
her nearest and dearest kindred: burn
Ing shame al the infamous charge I'M
der which she suffered. and shudder-
ing horrors at the awful doom that
darkly lowered over her.
Elmer Of these passionate emotions
sinrly was enough 10 have crushed
her heart or craZed her brain. All of
them at once she was fated to endure.
often, as with closed eyes and labor
inc lungs she lay upon the narrow bed
OF her prison cell. she thought that her
fainting heart must stop. and her gasp
Ing breath cease forever. Often she
hoped that they might. And thus. in
deed, her light OF life might have been
smothered beneath it's weight Of an
guish, but for the tender care of those
few devoted friends who cherished
the dying flame.
Malcolm Montrose. Counsellor Fen
ton, Mr.. Anderson and Mrs. Barton.
all endeavored in every possible way
to comfort, cheer. sustain and strength
en- Budora.
She was seldom left alone for half
an hour during the day.
The devoted love Of her betrothed
gave her consolation: the confident
manner Of her advocate inspired her
mitch hCw-Is sIn ynrY..v, .sa-.laLs..ll
the governor fllcd her with gratitude.
and the constant attention Of her
wardresS left her little time for brood
ing melancholy.
And thus passed the days that
brought the fatal Monday for the
opening Of the a~ssizes.
That Monday on which those assizes
were held VIII long be remembered in
Abbeytowl.
The most intense interest was felt
by people in all ranks of society. in all
parts OF the country. in the approach.
Ing trial of q young. beautiful and
hiGb-borm girl. for the a%trocious crime
OF poisoning.
All persons who could possibly leave
their homes came TO Abbeytown to
abide during the holding of the as
sizes, for the purpose of being present
at the trial.
As early as the Saturday previous.
the hotels. lodging houses and ever
private dwellings began 10 fiji with an
embarrassing crowd of visitors.
0n Sunday the town was quite full.
On Monday, though the multitude con
tinued 10 pour in. not one ~di5engaged
OF bed was TO be procured for
love or money within it's boundaries.
lrgje the Young law clerk that had
conn ~ from London in attendance
upon Mr. Fenton. declared that Abbey
town, during these assizes. looked like
EPSON in the race week.
LORD Chief Baron Elverton was on
the circuit that year.
About nine o'clock in the morning.
the hour OF the judges arrival having
been duly notified by telegraph. the
high sheriff, with his constabuiary
staff, proceeded 70 the railway station
10 meet and escort their lordships to
tho town.
They drove from the station to the
Lcaton Arms. where the best suites of
apartments had been pre-engaged for
their accommodation. and where a pub
liz breakfast awaited them.
AT about twelve at noon the whole
party went in procession TO the court
house, and opened the commission.
The whole OF that afternoon was oc-
curieb with the preliminary business
OF the session.
The second day was employed in
trying those COMMON rural cases of
ponchlnG, riot. and petty larceny that
took precedence upon the docket of the
enc great trial. These were all dis
posed Of before the adjournment of the
court On Tuesday evening.
And thus on "Wednesday morning II
was confidently expected that. as soon
ss the court should meet. the case of
the Grown VS.. Eudora Leatoa."
charged with poisoning. would be
called.
The same lawyers clerk. whose tai
&pts 10y rather in drawing compare
sons than briefs. declared that il the
Town ~ the opening OF the as lies re-
setnbIed EPSON in the race W. k, ii
now bore a striking Likeness 20 that
famous little village or the Derhy-day.
Abfeytown WAS iddeel full to re-
rletior. Every house. every street.
every thoroughf4fe was crowded 10
sufocaiion. Every avenue approach
ing the courthouse was blocked un
by carriages, horses, AMI f~oot-passcn-
gers.
Every person seemed TO have come
with the wild idea OF being able to
catch q glimpse Of the notorious pris-
c as she was conveyed from the
Naol 10 the courthouse. or even with
the mae hope OF getting a scat in III
halls Of justice 10 witness the trial.
or course most were disappointed; for
the narrow courtroom could not CON-
sortsbly accommodate much more than
one hundred souls. or. compactly
crowded. more than two hundred;
tbonrh upon this particular occasion
nearly three hundred persons ,Eere
said 70 have been squeezed Between
Shs forr walls. The aristocracy, gen