Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-08-03

man of middle age, with long, rough
beard, and girl of perhaps sixteen
turned the corner of the street where
one part of the procession was to form.
'sThis is the street, Helena, my child, !"
the man said, and they stopped to in
quire for a house the number OF which
was written on o card the girl held in
her hand.
They carried large bundles in Their
arms, wrapped in cloth, and were evil
IDENTIFY strangers and not known to any
of their own countrymen crowding by
them. They were noticed by the
police as they passed on and entered
the dark doorway of No. 81, one OF
the tall tenements which frowned
down on the narrow way.
The afternoon wore on, and by five
o'clock the sidewalks were packed
with solid mass of people. A little
later even the roadway was filled, save
for q passage kept open for the pro-
ccssion BY six the strikers were as
sembling and ranging themselves in
order between the restless masses on
either side. To show their good faith
and peaceable intentions, OF as some
said, to cover their real designs, those
who were to go on before carried an
American flag. A few Of their num-
Der, who made up rude band, with
drum or two and some wheezy wind
instruments, gathered about the flag.
The police escort took its place.
There was strange feeling of ex-
citement aud expectancy in the poor
throng. Hunger revealed itself in
their faces; anger at real or fancied
wrong; dread of evils to come; hope,
too, that this gathering of awkward
and meanly clad men, as it marched
on, marched on, as if to final battle
with its evil fortunes, might some
how bring victory to their cause.
A woman in the crowd held up her
child to see its father standing in the
front rank, ard the child gave cry OF
delight. Then one of the musicians
sounded O hoarse signal, the men
Strengthened themselves in their
places, and silence fell on the. throng
in the darkening street.
All ut once some one was seen to
raise his hand and point upward. All
eyes followed its direction. Leaning
far out from high window they saw
girl waving q red flag, lighted up
by the rays OF the setting sun. An in
slant the silence lasted; then dull
roar like the sound of waves rose
from the crowd below.
Half dozen policemen made rush
for the doorway of No. 81 and passed
in. Other officers here and there
pounced suddenly on men and boys
and dragged them away. Others got
the procession under way and hurried
it on With all possible speed. The
people or the sidewalks were crowded
and pushed and driven along in the
same direction, and q few. moments
later new throng of people, who had
seen nothing of the incident, were
marnhing steadily through the street.
After all had passed, and the street
was quite deserted and darkness had
come on, the officers came quietly out
from the doorway of No. 81, bringing
with them the girl, Helena. For q mo-
ment their footsteps echoed in the 81
lent street rs she was led away. Then
they turned O corner and all was still.
Saturday and Sunday passed, and it
was Monday morning before there was
formal hearing for the prisoner in
court. It was Monday morning, too,
before her father, with few acquaint-
ances and no knowledge of the city,
found to defend her q lawyer who salts
fed him.
In the meantime the assistant dis
trict attorney in charge of the case was
so we'll satisfied with his evidence that
he did not talk with the prisoner, and
no one else was allowed to see her.
This did not prevent some of the
papers from giving long stories about
her. She had, so they said, made q
full confession, and had told how she
had been trained from infancy to hate
tyrants, and to believe that all Govern
ment was tyranny; and had been
brought to New York by the group OF
conspirators already there, to do this
very act and set the poor cloth-work-
ers on fire with spirit of revenge.
That morning. when she was brought
over to the court house, great crowd
had aguin collected to see this strange
creature, this human monster. Be-
tween rows of officers Oh either side to
guard her, she passed slowly from the
street into the court.
AS she moved on there was o cry of
surprise. Tall, straight, with erect
head and clear. honest eyes, she was
the last person to be suspected as q
vicious enemy of society. She passed
in and the doors were closed.
After some delay over other matters,
her case was called. The Judge spoke
with her through the court interpreter
to ask if she had counsel to represent
her. A lawyer sitting by her ad-
dressed the court.
"Your HONOR" he said, "I repre-
sent this prisoner. 1 learned the
facts only this morning and have not
had opportunity to speak with the
district attorney, but I think 1 can
satisfy him.
''I insist" said the prosecuting at
torney, "that this hearing proceed in
the regulnr way. We have conclusive
evidence that this prisoner has COM
mitted most heinous crime against So
ciety, and should be held for trial"
every well," said the prisoners
counsel. "We are ready. Proceed
with your evidence.
Very remarkable evidence it was
that was then heard. Breathlessly
those in attendance heard the officers
tell the story, to the point where,
rushing into The bare and dingy
room where the child was, they found
her frightened by the sight Of thou.