Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-07
FL Aatho, of "RGyney-SIqds Atmdlgamotion," etc.

stolidity OF temperament which can
not be broken down.
As for the rest of the population
OF the new village, 1t, like the people
Of the old, man and boy, woman and
child. gave itself up without reserve
TO a discussion of the terrible
tragedy OF the previous evening. For
the news had spread like wildfre as
was inevitable in so small and
tightly packed place. and every
body had known II ere midnight.
And II naturally presented itself in
crude and primitive form.
Mr. Clinton, who got three years
penal servitude for forging his
uncle's name A while back, had
broken out OF prison, and come
home. and stabbed poor Sir Robert
TO the heart in his own study. and
II he had not been caught in the
very act-well, hands, had been laid
on him the very minute after it
was done, He was safely locked
up. and Sir Robert was dead and
eone-forever,
Long before breakfast time that
morning the newly built courthouse
at Mannersiey. in which, so far,
nothing more serious than few
charges Of drunkenness and poach-
ing had been heard, was besieged by
crowd of miners determined to
lear what went on when Clinton
vas brought up before the magis-
trates.
Some OF the men. knowing what
would happen, had crammed pack
ago Of food in their pockets and
stationed themselves at the door of
the public entrance before daylight.
mn thR1A Moses
whose stentorian voice could be
heard haranguing those about him
at intervals as the morning wore
away. The theme Of his discourse
was his profound and intense belief
in. Clinton's innocence; it's invari-
able conclusion a passionate desire
to get at the truth of a mystery
which Moses stigmatized in imprint
able language.
Tell ye Master Clinton's as in
nocent as any BARN l. one O. them
cottages" insisted Black Moses for
the hundredth time. holding forth
with undiminished ardor as the time
drew near for the sitting of the
court. He could no more do a foul
thing like that there nor our district
nurse. Wild and skittish he may ha'
teen as a lad. but there's a diff
ItItIlte ptlNtetl SoWlilE Nti " lIu
oats and doing murder! He never
did it,"
He might ha' done it in a
temper" said a voice. We're all
liable to that at times"
Il tell thee he never did It," vocif-
Grated Black Moses, land I'll feight
thee or any man l. MannersIa as said
he did. Wait till all this mystery's
over. and some on yerll see sum-
mat"
Within moment OF the doors
being opened the court was packed
to It's last corner. Outside hundreds
waited eagerly to hear what news
could be passed to them from the
favored ones within. And as that
news came, bit by bit. the friends of
the accused man-which means
practically the whole crowd-felt
their hearts become as lead and
their hopes sink lower and lower.
For the whole story, as it was
told to the countryside magistrates
who had FASTENED to fill the bench,
seemed so simple. so devoid of any
thing savorlng OF the mysterious
1t was just a plain straightforward
story. sordid, brutal. horrible-but,
above all. on the face of it, story
which seemed impossible of con-
tradiction.
To Sir Clinton Mannersley, sitting
closely guarded in the dock, the
whole thing seemed like a horrible
nightmare. Although he had never
closed his eyes since the event
which was still lowering in dreadful
scarlet black before them he was so
wide awake as TO believe himself in
a dream or trance or gone out of
his senses.
He stared his astonishment at
young Solicitor-with whom he had
had many Il lark in boyish days. re-
cent enough-who was glihly setting
forth the case against him. He
heard all Rowland Parke said as if
Rowland Parke was puppet gifted
with miraculous powers of speech.
And as your worships we'll
know" MIR. Parke was saying. 1T is
the usual practice in these cases
merely to give evidence of arrest,
and then to ask for an adjournment.
But in this case, as | shall hope to
show your worships, there are two
reasons why l should bring before
you the case in full-at any rate. as
ii presents itself now. The first is
that we have sufficient and most full
evidence to show why your worships
should. without further delay. COM
NIT the prisoner. who is now, by
what is alleged to be his own das-
tardly act. Sir Clinton Mannersley.
for trial; the second, that we believe
1t may allay a certain feeling of sus-
picion in this immediate district that
he is deeply wronged man.
Into that question I need not go
1T is a fact we'll known to all OF
us that there Is a distinct belief in
this village that he is such man.
and It will be we'll to show those
who hold It that he is not.
Now, briefly, your worships. the
facts are these: The prisoner near
ly three years ago was found guilty.
at Clothford Assizes. OF forgery. and