Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-11-24
CHAPTER K.
VIRGINIA LEWIS TESTIFIES.


When Alice made the statement that
she had shot Mr.. Lewis, all present for
a moment sat dumb with amazement.
When they saw that she had tainted,
all were Immediately possessed by the
desire to minister to her wants, the re-
suit being, as is usual in such cases,
that the PROSTATE form of the young
woman was surrounded, and she was
deprived of all chance of fresh air. For
tunately DR.. Snow was present, and,
calling upon Lucas to assist him, TO-
gcther they bore her from the room,
permitting only couple of women to
follow them.
The squire, utterly confounded at the
unexpected turn Of events, scarcely
knew what to do next, and in order to
gain time declared recess Of ten min
utes. The jurymen started to leave their
seats, but the squire requested that
they would not do so and that they
would not converse about the case with
the other persons present. The crowd
fell to discussing the situation and
hum of voices filed the room. Mr..
Barnes and Mr. Upper arose and went
OH the stand with the squire.
"Well, gentlemen, said the squire,
'this is surprising affair. What shall
we do now?"
"Mr. Barnes" said the lawyer, "you
are more converSant with the case.
What is your opinion of Miss Marvel's
statement"
"Gentlemen, said ~. Barnes, sit
is evident that Miss M..rvel really be-
lieves that she killed Mr.. Lewis. It is
plain to my mind, however, that we
should be most careful i'll accepting such
a theory. In the first place would call
attention to the evidence offered by DR..
Snow. He tells US that he found two
wounds, one having passed through the
nightdress and the other not. This SIM
pie fact proves beyond doubt that the de-
ceased changed his clothing after re-
ceiving the first wound. Therefore it is
manifestly clear that the shot which
Miss Marvel admits she fred at him
could not have proved fatal, for if so
we would be obliged 70 believe that the
other wound was made by the bullet
from the pistol of Lucas in order to ac-
count for their being two wounds, but
these shots followed in such close sue
cession that there was not time for him
to have effected the change of clothing.
'There is, however, bare possibil-
ity that he had already received the first
wound and was in bed, when, attracted
by the dog, he arose and went to the
window. In that case he might have
been killed by the ball from Miss Mar
vel's weapon. Thus far, however, we
have no evidence that would substan-
tiate suspicion of this kind. Miss Car
penter and Mr.. Everly would have
heard the repo1 t if shot had been fired
earlier. Miss Carpenter heard shots at
8 o'clock, the time when Miss Marvel
discharged her weapon. There is, how.
ever, more convincing evidence which
/ can adduce to corroborate me in the
stand which l take. am in doubt
whether the wound which did not prove
fatal was made by Miss Marvel or not,
or whether by Lucas, either accidental
ly, as he claims to have fired, or with
design. But am positive that neither
of the shots fired at that hour was the
one which destroyed the life of the de-
ceased"
"a allude to the scrap of paper of
which you told me, do you not?" asked
MIR. Upper.
II do" replied Mr.. Barnes. "But
let me explain to the coroner, so that he
may be convinced of the necessity Of
continuing. l found upon the table in
the parlor sheet Of paper upon which
was written, If an dead i'll the morn
ing, my murderer :s'-the sentence be-
ing unfinished. This seems to prove