The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-11-22
! FALSELY
I ACCUSED

y = Y.
|Ac.::-
George Parsons and were enemies
from the first. We did not affiliate as
boys in the village school, and as we
passed together into the higher grades
we became even less friendly. We did
not use our fists on each other, but
within each breast there still ranked
the remembrance of unsettled old
scores. Later on we bestowed our af-
fections upon the same lady. Laura
Marshall was not a coquette, but it
seemed to take her a long time to make
up her mind which one was to be the
happy man. When her choice was an
nounced. Parsons was furious, and we
had bitter words before witnesses.
One day our townspeople were star
tied by the announcement that Parsons
had disappeared. His business affairs
were prosperous. and everything was
In good order. He was reticent sort
Of fellow, but had he left Of his own
accord he would naturally have left
some word with his clerk or at his
boarding place, but none could be
found. As time passed the mysterious
disappearance became the one topic of
conversation in our village.
On the morning 1t became known
discharged our servant maid for a fire.
quent neglect Of duty. She was cha
grined at her dismissal and soon spread
stories that were founded partly on
facts. My wife had been seen In earnest
conversation with Parsons the previous
day. we had a little tiff at the teatable.
and / had not returned home that night
till quite late. 1t was plain te~be seen
that public opinion was forming against
me, as it became necessary that some
one must be suspected to give the gos-
siping tongues an occupation.
/ In less than a week some boys found
mans body in the river Just below
the village. 1t had apparently been in
| the water but a short time, but the face
had been eaten by eels or beaten out of
/ human shape. The skull had been
broken by a blow, and the medical ex-
aminer proved, to his own satisfaction
at least, that the man had been killed
before being thrown into the water. II
| seemed to require no effort to identify
| the remains as those of George Par.
| sons. and 1t was but natural that my
| arrest should follow.
was as willing as any one that my
trial should take place at once. con-
fident that my innocence would some
how he proved despite the circumstan
| tial evidence which was gathering
against me. Accordingly the case was
| entered at the term Of court then in
session. As recall the testimony dc
| not think a single witness. unless 1t be
our former servant. testified TO any
thing but the truth.
My wife had fallen i'll, but her testi
mony, even if 1t could have been ad
mitted. would have proved more against
than for me. 1t was easily determined
that Parsons and l were unfriendly
that we had quarreled. that l was jeal
Gus Of my wife for speaking to him ant
that 1t would be to my business advan
tage and domestic peace to have hin
out OF the way.
/ SOulu ulNC ViONSu pdSScS
the hours from till ii o'clock on the
night that Parsons disappeared in walk
ing upon a lonely road all the othel
testimony would have been worthless
but l did not remember meeting a sin
gle person abroad that night after
o'clock. When I returned home, tn,
| streets were deserted. l was haraSset
about business matters. vexed with m!
wife and suffered from headache. bu
when l explained this 1t was eviden
that my story was not credited.
Ny counsel was an old and triet
friend of my youth, but he did not pos
sess the ability to show the jury th
fiimsy character of the evidence Of tn
prosecution. 1t was against his advic
that the case had been put on trial s.
early, but so confident was | Of acquit
tai that l did not realize on what pre-
carious ground stood. | felt that il
some way my innocence would be prov
ed, although stood almost alone in M
! belief. The trial was brief one, an
the arguments of the lawyers wer
| soon finished. To these and the charg
, of the judge listened like one in
trance. The jury passed out. and
| few friends came to me with words Q
cheer and hope.
Hark! The jury is returning. Surel
they cannot have made up their mind
in SO short time to condemn a fello'
man to life Imprisonment. In respons
to request from the judge l stand u
D and face the jury. There is not
friendly ycountenance among the twelv,
Ii barely hear the ominous wor
GUILTY. which the foreman speak
: The shock is so unexpected that
scarcely realize the meaning Of th
l judges cruel words A. he pronounce