The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-11-06

| made Your decision?
''Sir, We find the prisoner guilty
Of this charge
Yes, there could be but one de-
cision in a case like this; the prisoner
stands condemned. Do you hear, you
heartless murderer Of the innocent? ?
You shall pay the full penalty for
your deed. You are condemned to
die! It is we'll that justice can end
a life like yours, and seal forever
from the eyes Of honorable men a
record Of dcbauc;.cry and sin IS
black as the eternity into which you
60! If You look for mercy here, re-
member. YOU look in vain. You are
drunkard, a reprobate, murder
er. For such there is no mercy. And
were it not that custom disapproves
You would swing from yonder scaf-
fold before sunset. As it is you shall
60 back to your cell, there to brood
over your horrid crime and await
your doom.
"May You speak before YOU 60?
Yes; for so the law allows. But do
not think that any word of yours
shall change our decision.
"Your Honor, since so the law al
lows, I will speak. No, I shall not
ask for mercy. I deserve no mercy.
You call me a drunkard, and so I am.
You call me a reprobate, and this
I do not deny. No one can know
better than myself what my past life
has been. No one can realize more
fully than I that my record is STAIN
cd with unforgiven sin, and that l
have no place on earth but drunk
ards grave-no place beyond but
drunkard's s hell. No one can feel
more deeply than the horror Of my
crime-my crime, did I say? No! In
the name Of God, judge, it is not my
crime! Killed my wife? No! 1t is a
lie! I did not kill my wife; drink
killed her! Do you hear me Judge?
Drink killed her-killed my wife,
killed Mary! O God, Thou knowest I
am not guilty Of this deed! l low
ed her better than my life. I was
unconscious when I struck the blow.
I did not kill her-DRINK killed
her Judge. you may call me a re-
probate and a drunkard, but a muir
derer [ am not.
"No, let me speak. I do not plead
for mercy. I have said I deserve no
mercy. But, listen! Hear my story.
T shall speak but this once. I would
have you and all these people know
that I was not always the wretch
that now stands before you. I was
not always drunkard and a vaga-
bond. I once had happy home-a
beautiful and luxuriant home. [ was
then as pure and good as any child;
and I had a mother, judge, mother
who loved me. Oh, how we'll I re-
member her! I seem to see her
sweet face now, as she used to take
me up close to Ter heart and kiss
away my tears of childish sorrow.
At night I would kneel by her side
and pray-I have almost forgotten
that prayer-and mother! O. God, I
broke Ter heart! And promised at
her death-bed I would meet her. 0
God, don't tell her! Don't let her
know! If I must die upon the scaf-
fold, in mercy shield Thou that scaf-
fold from her eyes!
"Why, what's the matter, judge?
You look so strange! No, I ask no
mercy-only I kept that promise,
judge, until I grew to manhood. Then
I went away to school. You are sur
prised? Why, judge, I graduated
with first honors Of my class. l
I was not always as you see me now.
"Then, one day, I met girl! She
was as beautiful as a spring flower,
and not less pure. I loved her and
Won her as my bride. Oh, how full
of sunshine was life, then! No home
was happier than ours; it was like
heaven, jaGgc-a bit Of heaven here
On earth; until, one day Yielded I"
temptation and took glass of wine.
But T didn't tell her. Mary didn't
know. I said. Il will never drink
again., and a month I kept my word.
But then the tempter again appear
ed; he called himself friend and I
drank again. I knew it was wrong,
but somehow the tempter's power
was stronger than my will. Again
and again I yielded to my destroyer.