Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1896-10-01

O"oS "a isoL - SAhi4S AHu Auahty
had sworn point blank, !. as I knew they
.would. word reached .efpe that there
was private detective in the court
room who wanted Winter for crime
committed in New York. This. was
help from an unexpected source, and'
L soon had'it before the inry that the
ugly scar on Winters cheek was made
by man defending his home against
burglars There was not weak Ink
in the CHAIN OF evidence that had been
coiled about him..
Z :"Qn his behalf Abe testimony of the
weeping'mo.in sAsde deep impress
sion, ba: Twas coar lent that he1spell
she had 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 to show that
Winter had led n reputable life, the
man who had called upon me limped
to the stand, and l must confess that
rejoiced at the anticipated confusion
Of the defense.
but there was most unacounta
BILE Intervention. No sooner was the
oath administered to the witness than
avoice from overhead solemnly warned
him to remember that he had made
sacred promise before his Maker to
tell nothing but the trnth. The pris-
oner dropped heavily iuto his chair, the
jurymen went white as ghosts and the
Judge cast troubled look about the
| ceiling as if to detect the bold offend
er. Order in the court was gruffly
! demanded and the case proceeded.
The first material question asked was
as to the character Of the prisoner,
and 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
'Ihe court whirled and gasped with
terror that his pride sought vainly
| to conceal. An unknown dread Wes
upon me and jurymen were stricken
with fright Hard headed nnd prac-
teal old farmers as they were, the
and dying through generations was
| guickened into life. But it was the
/ though IN the presence Of death. He
| admitted n bitter enmity toward the
to swear away, though called in his
behalf, and wound up by not only
young man, but that he was seen walk
ing with his mother by the witness on
the night in question.
81 felt the ground slipping from
under me, but the dramatic climax
was yet To come. From an open door
into one Of the small adjacent rooms
hurried an excited mar wlth striking
features and blazing eyes. H. rushed
to the prisoner, embracing him as
father might nave done, and then de-
manded, rather than requested, tha
MS evidence might be taken. II wa.
to the effect tnut he had been a captain
in the Mexican war, that Winter, thcl
q mere boy, was drummer whom til,
captain loved as n father; that wher
he was shot from his horse in
charge. the boy gallantly fought bact
the murIerouS Mexican, till stronce
assistance could come, anl that ther
lie ilad received the wound which ie:
such Shustly scar. The impetuou
witness even got III statement tha
9 there must be some vile conspirac
, against Winter and wanted to confron
. the private detective. But he ha
disappeared. The jury acquitted with
out retiring, and thought their vel
dict n righteous one g.
5 ''One evening some years later
> when Sonth on business, l fouu,
time heavy on my hands aud droppe
! into a place oi amusement. / was ii