The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-10-16


bad sworn point blank, as I knew thoy
would, word reached mo that there
was private detective IN the court
room who wanted Winter for q crime
committed 10 New York This was
help from an unexpected source, and
I soon had 1t before the jury that the
ugly scar on Winters cheek was made
by man defending his home against
burglars There was not a weak link
Ga the chain OF evidence that had been
coilod about him.
"On his behalf the testimony Of tho
weeping mother made a deep impress
sion. but Twas confident that the spell
sue bad put upon the twelve men sit
ting IN judgment would yield to the
cool deliberations Of the jury room.
After several unknown witnesses had
given testimony tending 10 show that
Winter had led a reputable life, the
man who had called upon me limpod
10 the stand, and must confess that
/ rejoiced at the anticipated confusion
Of the defense.
"But there was most unaeounta-
bic intervention. No sooner was the
oath administered to the witness than
voice from overhead solemnly warned
him TO remember that he had made
sacred promise before his Maker TO
tell nothing but the trnth. The pris-
ouer dropped heavily into his chair, the
iurymen went white as ghosts and the
Judge cast a troubled look about the
ceiling as If to detect the bold Offend
err Order ia the court was gruiiy
demanded and the case proceeded.
The frst material question asked was
as to the character Of the prisoner.
aud that same phantom voice, this
time from the rear of the Judge, called
the collapsed witness by name and said
in measured tones: Remember that
the pains and penalties of perjury are
not inflicted in this world alone, but
are imposed through all eternity
"The court whirled aud gasped with
a terror that his pride sought yainly
to conceal. An unknown dread wal
upon me and iurymen we're stricken
with fright. Hard-headed and prac-
teal old farmers as they were, the
superstition that had ain dormant
and dying through generations was
quickened into life. But it was the
witness who cringed and stared al
though in the presence of death. FL,
admitted a bitter enmity toward tn,
prisoner whose liberty he had meau
to swear away, though called in hi
behalf, and wound up by not only
swearing that Winter was a mode
young man, but that he was seen walk
+ ing with his mother by the witness OF
the night in question.
81 felt the ground slipping fror
under me, but the dramatic china
c was yet to come. From an open doc
I into one of the small adjacent room
: hurried an excited man with strikin
T features and blazing eyes, He rushe
L to the prisoner, embracing him as
} father might have done, and then de
> manded, rather than requested, thl
u his evidence might be taken. 1t WI
10 to the effect that he had been a capital
/ in the Mexican war, that Winter, the
u n mere boy, was drummer whom I'll
l. captain loved as father; that whe
+ be was shot from his horse in
y charge, the boy CALAMITY fought bac
~ the murderous Mexicans till strong,
o' assistance could come, and that the
III he had received the wound which lie
le such a ghastly scar. The impetuol
witness even got in statement til
ne there must be some vile conspira
~ against Winter and wanted to confro
a the private detective. But he HI
81 disappeared. The jury acquitted wit
'at ont retiring, and l thought their ve
ry dict a righteous one.
IaS zone evening some years lat,
ms when South on business, four
time heavy on my hands aud dropp,
M into a place of amusement. I was
no differently interested until that vo
nc OF the court room, which still haunt
10 nv memory, came from an mn