The Democratic advocate., 1896-03-21

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endeavored to destroy the character of Miss
Paris by slandering her to the other young
men of the town. His declarations were
soon made known to Miss Paris, and she
sent him a note asking that he call to see
her. He came promptly, and she saw him
on the front porch, and after accusing him
of telling the lies about her, she plunged
penknife into his bosom and he died at
her feet. Miss Paris did not show any
emotion when she saw Johnston breathe
his last. She expressed no regret for her
hasty and fatal act. She was committed
to jail without bail, and was sent to Hen
dersonyille for safe keeping to prevent her
rescue by Ralph Redmond and his friends
At the next term of the Superior Court,
with Judge Boykin presiding, Miss Paris
was indicted for murder. She was repre-
sented by the best lawyers who attended
that court, and by their advice she pleaded
guilty of murder in the second degree and
was sentenced to the penitentiary for fif-
teen years The acceptance of this plea
was an act of mercy on the part of the
prosecuting attorney, because the State
would have proved premeditation and
preparation to commit murder, and if she
had gone to trial she would have been con
yicted Of murder in the first degree and
the pardon of the Governor could only
have saved her from death BY the hang
man.
TRANSFORMED IN HER CONVICT GARB.
She was brought to the penitentiary
near this city, and there confined. With
short hair and coarse, striped clothes, as
she assisted in washing, mending, and max
ing garments for the other convicts, she
presented quite a different appearance to
what she did as the belle of Tryon City.
She was exceedingly cheerful and said she
did not regret what she had done; that hel
reputation as virtuous and honest woman
was more to her than life and that under
the same circumstances she would take the
life of any man who attempted, by SANDER,
to destroy her good name and reputation
and make her an outcast in society.
In the meantime Redmond was hiding
in the craggy cliffs of old Tryon, and his
relatives and friends brought him the news
of the murder of Johnston and of the pun
ishment of his sweetheart. Had she been
confined in the jail of Polk county, Red
mond and 100 of his friends might have
destroyed the jailhouse from "turret tc
foundation stone in their efforts to have
liberated Miss Lou.
As soon as Miss Lou was removed tt
the prison near this city, Redmond left the
mountains and came to Raleigh, where he
had never been before, and therefore was
entirely unknown. He found work here,
and through friend his sweetheart was
informed of his presence in Raleigh; and
through the assistance of this friend he
had personal interview with Miss Lou
without the prison authorities knowing
that he was moonshiner, fugitive from
Justice, and lover of the belle of Tryon
City.
The press of the State at the time Of
the homicide gave the simple facts of the
SANDER and the killing of Johnston and the
illiteracy of Miss Paris. After she was
brought to the penitentiary the King S
Daughters of this city, under the lead Of
Miss F. Hayes, took great interest in the
fair female convict. They visited her in
prison and did all they could to alleviate
her condition as prisoner.
SURRENDERED TO THE KING DAUGHTERS
Being young and unsophisticated, with
out education and training, and appearing
to have the making in her of good and
true woman, and desiring to remove heI
from the walks of life to which she had
been accustomed, and to surround her
hereafter with new environments, the
Kings Daughters set to work to procure
a conditional pardon for Miss Paris.
They readily induced Miss Lou to sign an
agreement that she would voluntarily sur
render herself as soon as released to the
King Daughters, and go with Mrs. Hayes
to the House of the Good Shepherd, in
Maryland, and there remain until she had
been thoroughly reformed and trained SC
that she could go out into the world and
make an honest living. She was pardoned
on this condition on the Sth day of De-
eember, 1894, and was carried immedi-
ately to the House of the Good Shepherd,
where she has been ever since.
Time has added to the charms and
graces of Miss Lou She is now well
developed woman. Her education has
been much advanced and she has seen
some little of the world She has accepted
her detention in the House of the Good
Shepherd in good faith and in some re-
spect as penance for the life she took.
She looks forward to the time when, by
the consent of the Governor of this State,
she can once more breathe the air of free
dom and become the wife of the man
whose affection for her has increased as her
perils and trials and punishment came
thick and fast Her cropped hair and
striped clothes only made him love her the
more because in his heart he had already
enthroned her his for better or for worse
until death separates them.
And what about Redmond His friends
succeeded in having the indictments against
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