Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-10-03
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
; The Eleventh
) Juryman
He Was Obstinate, but Had
Reasons For His Obstinscy.
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and though no eye had witnessed the
deed circumstances pointed TO the prison
er's guilt with unfailing certainty.
The recusant juror had stood out from
the first. He acknowledged the Cogency
Of the proofs, confessed his inability TO
reconcile the facts with the defendants
innocence and yet on every vote went
steadily for acquittal. His conduct was
inexplcable. 1t could not result from
lack of intelligence, for, while he spoke
but little, his words were well chosen and
eyinced a thorough understanding of the
case.
Though still In the prime Of manhood
his locks were prematurely white, ana
his face wore n singularly sad and
thoughtful expression. He might be one
Of those who entertained scruples as to
the right Of society TO inhict the death
penalty. But no, it was not that, for In
reply to such a suggestion he frankly
admitted that brutal men, like the vicious
brutes they resemble. must be controlled
through fear, and that dread Of death, the
supreme terror, is in many cases the only
adequate restraint.
a the prospect Of another night OF
fruitless Imprisonment we began to grow
impatient and expostulated warmly
against what seemed an unreasonable
captiousness, and some not overland re-
marks were INDUCED in as to the impro-
priety OF trifing with an oath like that
under which we were acting.
"And yet" the man answered, as
though communing with himself rather
than repelinG the imputation, "it is con.
science that binders my concurrence in
~, t,,ln
"How can that be?" queried several at
once.
Conscience may not always dare to
follow judgment"
But here she can know no other
guide"
II once would have said the same"
"And what changed your opinion"
The speakers manner was visibly agi-
tated, and we awaited in silence the ex-
planation which he seemed ready to give.
Mastering his emotion, as il in answer
| to our looks of inquiry, he continued
Twenty years ago l was young man
Just beginning life Few had brighter
prospects and none brighter hopes. An
| attachment dating from childhood had
| ripened with its object. There had been
| no verbal declaration and acceptance Of
| love, no formal plighting of troth, but
when took my departure to seek a home
| in the distant west 1t was a thing under
| stood that when / had found il and put
| il in order she was TO share II. Life In
| the forest, though solitary, is not neces-
sarily lonesome The kind Of society af-
| forded by nature depends much on one
| self As for me, lived more in the fu-
| ture than in the present, and hope Is an
| oyercheerful companion. At length the
| time came for making the final payment
on the home which / had bought. 1t
| would henceforth be my own, and in q
few more months my simple dwelling
| which | had spared no pains to render in
viting, would be graccd by its mistress.
| "At the land office, which was some 80
miles of, l met my old friend, George
| G. He, too, had come to seek his for
tune in the west, and we were both de
ngntcd with Ine meeting. re naa
brought with him, he said, a sum OF
money which he desired to invest in land,
on which ii was his purpose to settle.
expressed a strong wish to have him for
n neighbor, and gave him cordial in
vitation TO accompany me home, giving
il as my belief that he could nowhere
make better selection than in that vicn-
ity. He readily consented, and we set
| out together. We had not ridden many
miles when George suddenly recollected
a commission he had undertaken for n
friend which would require his attend.
ance at a public sale on the following
day. Exacting a promise that he would
and having given minute directions as to
the route, ] continued my way AOmeward,
while he turned back.
| 81 was about retiring to bed on the
night of my return when a summons from
without called me to the door. A stranger
asked for shelter for himself and horse
for the night. | invited him in. Though
a stranger, his face seemed not unfamil-
lar He was probably one Of the men
had seen at the land Office, a place at
that time much frequented. Offering him
a seat, | went to see to his horse. The
poor animal, as well as | could see by the
starlight, seemed to have been hardly
used His painting sides bore witness OF
merciless riding, and a tremendous
shrinking at the slightest touch betokened
recent fright On re-entering the house
| found the stranger was not there. His
absence excited no surprise; he would
doubtless soon return. 1t was little sin
gular, however, that he should have left
his watch lying on the table.
"At the end of half an hour, my guest
not returning, | went again TO the stable
thinking he might have found his way
thither TO give personal attention to the
wants OF his horse. Before going out
from mere force OF habit-for we were as
yet uninfested by either thieves or police.
men-I took the precaution OF putting thG
strangers watch in a drawer in which
| koH
horse as had left him. and gave him the
food which he was now sufficiently cool
ed to be allowed to eat but his master
was nowhere 10 be seen. AS l approach
ed the house a crowd Of men on horse.
back dashed up, and | was commanded
in no gentle tones to stand" In another
moment l was in the clutches OF those
who claimed me as their prisoner
II was too much stupefied at hrst to
ask what it all meant. ] did so at last
and the explanation came 1t was terri
BILE! My friend, with whom l had so
lately set out in company, had been found
murdered and robbed near the spot at
which !, but | alone, knew we had sepa-
rated. / was the last person known to
be with him, and | was now arrested on
suspicion Of his murder. A search Of the
premises was Immediately instituted.
The watch was found in the drawer IN
which | had placed it and was identified
as the property Of the murdered man.
His horse, too, was found In my stable,
for the animal / had just put there was
none other recognized him myself
when I saw him in the light. What
said / know not My confusion was
taken as additional evidence. And when
Rt length l did command language TO give
an ineligible statement 1t was received
with sneers and incredulity.
The mob spirit is inherent In mau-at
least in crowds OF men. 1t may not al
ways manifest itself in physical violence.
1t sometimes contents itself with lynch
ing a character. But whatever It's form,
it is always relentless, pitiless, cruel.
'As the proofs of my guilt one after
another came to light low mutterings
gradually grew into a clamor for venge-
! anCe, and but for the irmness OF one
man, the officer who had me In charge,
l would doubtless have paid tho penalty