Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-07-21
NUMBER 20.

away from if-''rot upon this theory,
not upon these facts, do base the asser-
tion that the deceased had knife in his
hand when he made the ASSAULT speak
from knowledge Of men Ben Thomas
would never have stabbed an unarmed
man - The general looked around slow
" and searched the courthouse with his
eve, - if daring contradiction. why
do say this:" he continued, turning 10
the court. Because / know he is as
brave man as ever faced death; a faith
ful man, a powerful man and conscious
Of his power. Such men do not use weap-
ons upon unarmed assailants.
why do / say hc is brave? Every
man on this jury shouldered his mnsket
during the war Most Of yOu followed
the lamented Pickett Some perhaps
were ~ Gettysburg. Two or three
heads nodded assent. Il was there too. "
A murmur ~ applause ran round the
room-thc old mans war record was "A
household legend. IL is even said that
the court joined in. II and the only
brother God ever gave me- " The vet
erm bowed his head. His voice sank to
a whisper a part Of him is there yet"
his hand shook slightly as he moved
his cane farther on the desk and rested
upon the code-''a part Of him, but not
all. for, God II praised. We picked mp
whatever was left Of him and brought
it back TO Georgia
Il well remember that fight. The en-
envy stood brave and determined and
met our charges with a courage and grit
that could not b. shaken. Line after
line melted away during those days, and
at last came Pickett's charge. When
that magnificent command went IN, a
negro man. humble African, cap
tain's body servant, stood behind H.
shading his eyes with his hand, wait
ing. You know the result. Out Of that
vortex Of llamr and that storm Of lead
and iron handful drifted back. From
one to another this man Of black skin
ran, then earned and followed IN the
track of the charge On. on, he went,
under my very glass. for II was my mis-
fortune 10 stay behind; on through the
smoke aId flame, gone one moment and
in sight the next ON up to the flaming
cannon themselves. There he bent and
lifted form from the ground Togeth
or they fcll and rose, and this three
times. until meeting them half way
took the burden from the hero and my
self bore it on TO safety. That burden
was the sensclcSs form Of my brother
hero he turned and walked rapidly To
the prisoner. his hand lifted ON high,
his voice ringing like a cash
ed and bleeding and mangled, but alive,
thank God, And the man who bore him
ont, who came 10 me with him IN his
arms as Il mother would carry sick
child. himself shot with fragment Of
shell until his great heart was almost
dropping from his breast, that man, %
my friends. sits here under my hand.
See if / speak not the TRUTH
He tore open the prisoners shirt and
laid bare his breast, on which the silent
splendor of the afternoon sun streamed
IN like "a smile from heaven. \ great
ragged scam Isarkcd IL from left Ia right.
Look" he cried, and bless the sight,
for that scar was won by slave IN an
hour that tried The souls Of freemen and
put to It's high,,; test the best manhood
Of the south. No man who wins such
wounds can thrust a knife into an
unarmcd assailant | have come 20
miles in my old age and my sorTUw 10
say it, "
Ii may have been contrary 10 the eyi-
dcnce, but the jury, without leaving
their seats returned verdict Of not