Saint Mary's beacon., 1897-10-14
<sDAY. OCTOBER IA, 1897.

kHEfE - D8lE- X[AE 10 SuHN
some Of the mifaf IA caused
Lsnching i osez sounent.
want that murdex ie bv th.
slow merciless A. the Law.
Even the wo< NJ Grove
shuddered - tla5 6eas word,
and realized ~ fhl E3 Ii Bow
ems face. almosI 13iau ii III
rage, that his th Iii rere h .,
made their own - bost limo
cent. The man n zcpat threu
it over into Che iai hontinf
10 the sheriff. II, OLE
maa you: I ! Il.
And so il came about, just al
Bowen knew it would, that all the
money and influence of the Prior
family could not help the murder.
er, and he was sentenced to be
hanged on Sept. %, at 6 a. m. And
thus public opinion was satisfied.
But the moment the sentence was
announced and the fate of the
young man settled curious change
began to be noticed in public opin.
ion. Ii seemed sto have veered
round. There was much sympathy
for the family, of course. Then
there came to be much sympathy
for the criminal himself. People
quoted the phrase about the worst
use a man can be put to. Ladies
sent flowers to the condemned man q
cell. After all. hanging him, poor
fellow, would not bring Miss john
son back to life. However, few
spoke of Miss Johnson she was
forgotten by all but one man, who
ground his teeth when he realized
the instability of public opinion.
Petitions were gotten up, headed
by the local clergy. Woman beg
ged for signatures and got them.
Every man and woman signed them
all except one. and even he was
urged to sign by fearful lady who
asked him to remember that ven.
geance was the Lords.
'Bnt. the Lord has his instru.
ments,' said Bowen grimly, .and
swear to YOU, madam, that If You
succeed in getting that murderer
reprieved will be the instrumen,
of the Lords vengeance
oh, don't say that pleaded the
lady. Your signature would have
such an effect. You were noble
once and saved him from lynchiug,
De noble again and save him from
the gallows.
i shall certainly not sign. 1t is,
IL you will pardon me, an insult to
ask me. Ii you reprieve him you
will make murderer of me, for
will kill him when he comes out, il
it is 20 years from now. You talk
of lynching. 1t Is such work as
You are doing that makes lynchine
possible. The people seem all with
you now, more shame to them. zSut
the next murder that is committed
will be followed by lynching just
because you are successful today.
The lady left Bowen with sigh
depressed because of the. depravity
of human nature, as indeed she had
every right to be.
People claimed, apparently will
justice, that surely Imprisonment
for life was a sufficient punishment
for a young man, but every one
knew in his own heart that th,
communication was only the begin
ming of the fight, and that futnr,
governor would have sufficient pres
sure brought to bear upon him tc
let the young man 60.
Up TO the Goth OF September th,
governor made no sign. Wher
Bowen went to his duties on th,
night of the 10th, he met the sher
iff.
Has any reprieve arrived yet :
asked Bowen. The sheriff shooi
his head sadly. He had never We
hanged man and did not wish Il
begin.
No. said the sheriff, 'and from
what | heard this afternoon non
is likely to arrive. The governo
has made up his mind at last tha
the Law mnst take its course
Pm glad of that said Bowen
We'll, I'm not.
After Q o'clock messages almos
ceased coming in, and Bowen 50
reading the evening paper. Sud
denly there came q call for the oil
fee, aud the operator answered