Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1922-02-02
FAMOUS TRIALS
TRIAL OF JAMES BAxwELL.

oHe I'll u1c lH6SI FefhaHhdBt6 gases
in which man came near to losing his
life through eiEeHmsta Htiai evidence
has its locale at Gibraltar, the English
stronghold on the coast of Spaia at the
entrance of the Mediterranean. Early in
his married life James Baxwell, who had
been born in London, moved to Glib
raltar and occupied a dwelling near the
base of Mt. st. Michael, which is re-
| nowned for its caves and crystalizations.
He was respectable merchant and car
| ried on a successful trade in all articles
of British manufacture introduced into
| Spain.
Baxwell had anassed quite a fortune
and his name was well known in all the
| principal houses of exchange in Europe.
| He had daughter who was remarkably
| beautiful at the age of II and at the
period when the father was tried for
| her murder Her name was Elezia, and
while she had many admirers she paid
| no attention to their chances until she
| accidentally beheld a young stranger one
| day at mass who interested her. The
young man whose name was William
| I<att, ere long found the opportunity of
being introduced to her and nntual
ayowals Of love followed at no great
distance of time.
Assured of the affections of Elezia.
the you+g stranger in the s2ring of
1871 presented himself to Mr., Baxwell
| and said to him. II am William Katt.
like yourself an Englishman. 1 of
| respectable family and character. young
and wealthy. Give me your daughter
we love one another
Never" said James Baxweli. "Yeu
belong to the dominant religion of Eng
land by which nay fathers suffered so
much md so long. You are a Lutheran
and my daughter is a Catholic. Such q
union could not be happy; nor will I
ever give my consent to it,
The daughter informed Of this decla-
ration threw herself at the feet Of her
father and endeavored to move him
from his purpose. but he remained OBJ
stinate, and a violent scene took place.
The blood of the fiery South coursed in
5 the daughters veins and she declared
} that she would marry the object of her
choice despite parental opposition. James
t Baxwell, on the other nd, declared
| that he would sooner kill her with his
o own hands than see her carry such a
= resolution into effect
Two DAYS after this scene an alarming
! noise was heard by the neighbors to is,
e sue from a. cave Immediately adjoiR-
e ing the merchants house The noise
: consisted eff first loud cries, which grad
a ually became tainted and at length died
= | altogether away A solution of the mys
terry was net long in sugsestiHn itself
: Elezta had disappeared from her father!
g house. The parent was Intercepted re
n sEoecting his daughter. and all he weult
: say was that she was gone, but whittier
q he knew not
This explanation was not satisfacter.
and the whisper went abroad that h
had assassinated his daughter to pre-
vent her marriage with William Kat
'e and in spite of his prominence In tn
ar community he was arrested: The dwell
s. ing of the merchant was examined an
| then the cave. In the latter place, use1
Ia lifting some loose stones, was found
"a portion of Elezia's dress saFiHkled a
=, over with Blood. They also discevere
y a small quantity of hair, which was rec
egnized as that Of the daughter.
The father prpfesses his innecenee, bu
II. the preef seemed strong against HIN
% and he was regularly brought to tf4a
es The result was his eenvetien fer tn
murder of his daughter and his cor
dsmnation to death. During the trial til
oil courtroom was crowded an the tim
- owing to the good standing of the fatf
er in the community. Among other wit
@S nesses was William Kat who gave test
mony to the effect that the father ha
threatened his daughter with death rati
on er than that she should marry him.
lie On the day set fer the execution Ba1
wv well reiterated his Innocence, and
was being led to the scaffold he behe,
Katt and exclaimed to him: "My frien
in one minute I shall he IN eternit
Zee Give me your hand I pardon you fire
Die ly flor the injury your evidence has dor
le- to me-" Katt BECAME nale as death. an
as the hood was being drawn over IL
head of the supposed murderer he uttert
. a loud cry: ut is I who am guilty
II alone ~
'ut The hang of the exeeutioned Va
20 stayed and the young man avowed tn
he had carried off Elezia, with her ca
sent, to be his wife and that she W;
,ar now residing net far away IN eonoes
~, ment. He had cut off a portion of h
= hair while she slept, crotted it with bio
WIS and sprinkled In the same way pa
of Elezia's dress and had placed the
articles In the cave out Of reven
IN against the merchant
IF AS soon as Katt had sqoken out d
-. cisively. the exeeutioned turned to Jam
'4e Baxwel to take from him the insign
ga of death. The merchant, almost uno
served, had sunkdewn into a sitting pc
ture. The black bonnet was drawn fro
sed off his eyes and head. It was found tn
It he was a corpse. William Kat was Il
,ob prisoned an was later severely punish
for the decention. while the unhap
daughter retired to a convent for !
ply Immediately on learning all that h
passed.