Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-01-19
NUMBER 3.


word he had spoken was gospel truth.
No sane man could dispute my limo.
cence, hut / presently found that the
public looked at me askance. have
been told that there Is always 0 bit OF
feeling against the man who proves that
be had nothing to do with the crime for
which he was arrested, particularly IL
it is heinous one and the public has
made up its mind that he is guilty.
They somehow can't quite forgive him
fo. disappointing them. In my case the
chief of police even had the impotence
to say to me-:
"Well, my mar, ii seems that some
how you have slipped the halter of
your neck, bat let me warn you that
shall have an eye upon your future
movements. ] presume you will leave
town very soop?''
Il shall leave when get ready to-"
was my blunt and perhaps impudent
reply.
"No talking back, sir! have the
power TO warn suspicious characters to
leave town and to lock them up if they
hesitate TO go.
"Well. sir. go ahead on any course
that suits You. know how greatly you
are disappointed, but il is all owing tc
your lack Of sense in handling the case
at the start"
He fumed and clustered; but, having
burned his fingers once, he did not pro-
ceed to extreme measures. Some ono
spread the report that had been twice
arrested in Liverpool, and / had Q
pretty clear idea as TO where the gossip
starfsd from. Lord Dudley, as soon as
sending for the police, had offered re-
ward Of f1 900 for the arrest and con-
yiction of the murderer. Ihad certainly
been the means Of his arrest. and be-
tween Mary Williams and myself the
prosecutor had all the evidence neces-
sary 10 convict. After / had been dis
charged from custody his lordship sent
for me. He received me very kindly,
expressed his qualification that / had
come ont Of the case with flying colors
ward / refused TO accept penny OF 1t,
to his great astonishment, but later on
] could not well refuse the gold watch.
telescope, chronometer and other gifts
be sent me by his chief steward, together
with his best wishes for my future well
fare.
As Ben Johnson was held TO the
assizes, the girl and must be detained
as witnesses so the chief Of police could
not have driven me away If he had set
about il. We had 10 give bonds, and it
was Lord Dudley himself who furnished
them. 1t so happened, however, that
the term was close at hand, and the
case would be disposed of by the time
the Hindu had been overhauled. This
would let me out Of bad scrape, but
nevertheless Captain Clark felt 1t his
duty to growl at me:
Now, Ralph, you see the conse-
quences Of sailor man idling about on
land, and hope it will be u warning TO
you for the rest OF your life. +"
But one must see his old mother
now and them" ! protested
AYE, il she be- living within stones
throw Of the sea, but otherwise she
must not expect it. The land, Ralph,
was created for corn and tees and
hedges and villains, and no true sailor
who fears God and wants TO live an
honest life has any business outside Of
a seaport. / hope shall get no wicked
ness through this trip up here, but
feel shaky. wouldn't have had 1t hap
pen for El0 note. "
On his trial in the higher court Ben
Johnson was impudent and defiant and
perfectly reckless as to consequences.
He threatened my life in open court,
and he made determined effort to as
sault his old sweetheart with his fists.
Had he been different man, the jury
would have dealt more leniently with
him, no doubt. There were those who
said that he would only have been pun.
ished for attempted robbery. As 1t was,
he made everybody around him realize
that he was "A desperate and reyepgeful
man who ought to be put away for life,
and that was his sentence-transporta-
tion to the penal colony in Australia for
the term Of his natural life.
You'll never get me half way
therel' he shouted when the judge pro-
nounced sentence. II warn you, judge,
jury, lawyers witnesses and all, that
for every week l m prisoner I'll have
lifer
They had given him the full extent
and could do no more, and everybody
felt relieved when il was known that
he was handcuffed and shackled and
chained to the wall Of his cell.
Lord Dudley sister had come TO pre-
side ut the castle, and both were per-
fectly willing to have Mary Williams
take her old place. The girl would not
90 back, however. With all the gossip
Of the country roundabout, aud with the
columns of stuff printed in the newspa-
pers, she felt disgraced for life and was
anxious TO get out Of the country. Her
parents felt the same way, and one day
her father came ,Hwn 10 Uncle John
Hamp,on's inn to make some inquiries
of me regarding Australia. had made
three voyages 10 that country and re-
turn and had picked up smart bit OF
information. When had told him all
/ could, he said:
"Mother and me might stay on and
live it down, but Mary would grieve
herself to death. She was proved as in
nocent as babe. but she knows she'll
b. pointed out for years to come, and
that certain people will always be fling
ing out, and so we'll pull up stakes and
60"
When Lord Dudley heard of this re-
solve. he called upon Farmer Williams
and paid him q fair price for his land
and stock, and it's my belief that he
also paid the passage Of the three out to
Australia besides. They had only de-
cided ON going when returned to Liv-
erpool and thclght had seen the last
of them, though the thought upset me
more than dared admit to myself. To
be honest with you, had fallen in love
with Mary Williams. Perhaps the thing
would have come about just the same
had met her at church or ON the high
way, but maybe the circumstance Of our
being arrested and tried together and
of our interests and dangers being the
same pushed matters along at q faster
pace. Be that as it may, realized that
/ loved her. She was under cloud,
You see, and one couldn' reasonably ex.
pect her to permit Of any advancea Her
love for Ben johnson had turned to