Year: 1860




The letter contained sufficient money t.


pay my expenses to Cincinnati. Their


Lake met met me as he proposed. Judg


my horror, when recognized in him th'


would bo-lover and prosecutor of my child


hood. But there was no help for me-


He took me, not TO ST. Louis, but to al


-of-the-way settlement in Ohio, where


he kept a filthy grog-shop iu squallit


tenement. Here he announced 10 me, will


exultation, that himself and the defaullel


were one; that he had been longing 10 gel


me into his power, and now rejoiced in his


success. Chuckling over what he termed


the lackbrain confidence of my father, he


told me that after he left our house be cor


responded with my father under the name


of Lake, his real name, by which had


known him, was Prull. This was done be
said, that l m; ght not be annoyed by any


reminiscence of him. Now l must con
slider myself as his property, and might


take time to choose whether l would be-
come his wife, or submit 10 one alternative
"a fate worse than death.


Here the witness was interrupted by a
movement of intense indignation among
the audience. The Judge ordered silence,
and she proceeded:


81 shrieked in agony; moaned in des-
pair. sank upon the floor in utter help
lessness. This man cursed me in terms of
the foulest reproacb, ard dragged me by
the hair into an inner apartment, where l
tainted. When l recovered he was stand
ing over me. He told me if l expected
any mercy from him must do his bidding
In detection and terror, promised to do
whatever he required if he would only
spare my virtue. He made me swear nev-
er to reveal my sex to any one, and laying
down suit of boys clothes ordered me to
exchange my dress, and left the room. He
returned by the time the change was effect
ed, and, cutting short my curls, of which
my dear father was so proud, he made Inc
bartender in his shop. Day after day and
month after month l was compelled to
serve out liquor to the besotted wretches
who hung around the place, and listen TO
their foul mouthed conversation. bore
all with patience, and by my alacrity and
assumed cheerfulness so gained his conf
dence that he would leave me alone in the
store, sometimes for days together, and
nearly always in the evening. Ono day
some public gathering in neighboring
town drew all the men out of our neigh
borbood. Consequently we had no Gus
toners that day;a thing which had not
occurred before since l entered the shop.
He embraced the opportunity 10 propose
that | should become his wife. The very
thought filed me with horror; but past
experience had taught me cunning; so,
without manifesting my repugnance, con-
sented, and the day was fixed upon the
following week. That evening he left me
in the store as usual. l watched him till
he turned the corner of the street; then,
leaving the light burning that no suspicion
might be excited should any ono happen
to pass by, l slipped from the back door
and fled. 1 determined to escape TO the
next town, some five miles distant, and i'm
plore protection and concealment from
some of its best disposed inhabitants. l
had heard the road to s. described so
often that supposed l could not miss it;
but did, and was soon wandering in the
thick woods. l struggled through the
bushes and briars till became exhausted
then sank down, and prayed for death
as my only hope of escape. But l was
not permitted to escape. He hunted me
down with dogs, and dragged me back to
his miserable den.


Here the audience became wild with ex-
element Stentorian voices shouted:


"Drag him out Tar and feather him!
Choke bim!'


The witness continued:


"This affair made a great noise in the
village.


His cruelty to me had been remarked
before: now it was universally allowed that
must be taken from him, and his establish
nent broken up. Seeing matters at this
BASS, he sold his store and stock privately,
md taking me with him, fled in the night
o Lower Penthrake, where we have lived
or nearly year. He has divided his
ime between hunting, fishing, working at
i'd jobs, stealing and making me steal for
lim. God knows how much 1 have suf-
cred from this brutality. I am in con-
tant dread of his fulilmeut of his threat,
n case refused to marry him; but mer-
iful Providence has delayed it thus far.
IN the night of the burglary, when he
aw this Mr.. K. in front of the hut, he
judged by his dress and by watch he saw
lin take out, that there was fine chance
or plunder. He followed him at dis
ance, which he could easily do, as the
entlemen rode slowly, and saw where he
ook lodgings. He told me that the win
ow was too small for him TO enter with
ut noise, aud that I must go in, take the
7atch and what money could find and
ring them out to him. l begged him on
ny knees to spare me of this crime; but
e insisted, and swore horrible oath that
should take knife in my hand, and if l
,t the man awake be should cut my
hroat with it. 1 took the knife and went
D but / never would do that gentlemen.
)h! gentlemen" exclaimed the poor girl,
urstirg into an agony of tears, "believe
ne I never, never would have done i'll"


The opposing counsel submitted the
ase without argument. l arose for my
,st effort.


"May it please Court and gentlemen of
he Jury-you have heard the evidence, j