Year: 1860

JOIudu lueTc.


Bigler was cross questioned very severe
| ly, but his testimony was not to be aawed
He was very explicit in all his statements
and at the same time be professed to fee
a deep regret that he was called upon to
testify against man for whom he felt as
much respect as the prisoner.


At length young Adams arose to tell his
story. He spoke clearly, and with the tone
of man who tells the truth. He said
that about an hour after Hampton had left
his shop, on the evening in question, he
went to the sink to wash his hands, and
while there he trod on something that at.
tracted his attention. He picked it up,
and found it to be a pocket book, and OH
taking it to the light it proved to be Mr.
Hampton's. He remembered that after
Hampton had paid him for shoeing his
horse, be went to the sink after a drink Of
water, and then he must have dropped the
book The young blacksmith's first idea,
he said, was to keep the book until Hamp-
ton came back, but upon second thought
be resolved to saddle his horse and try to
overtake him, and restore the money. Ac-
cordingly he set of, and when he reached
the bluff his horse stopped and began to
rear and snort He discovered something
by the roadside, and upon dismountng and
going to it he found it to be the body of
Mr.. Hampton, still warm and bleeding
He first satisfied himself that he could do
nothing alone, and then he started back
towards NJ for assistance. When he
was overtaken by Jordan and Bigler the
idea of having Hampton's money with him
broke upon him with stunning force.


When the prisoner sat down there was
low murmur which told that his story was
believed. But the Judge shood his head +,
and the jury looked anxious The prison
oner's counsel did all he could to establish
his clients good character, aud also i'm
peach the character of Bigler, but he could
not refute the testimony that had been
given in.


When the judge came to charge the
jury, he spoke of the testimony against the
prisoner, and Of the corroberative circum-
stances. With regard to the prisoners
story, he said that it was very simple, and
sounded very much like truth, but he would
have the jury remember how easily such
stories could be made.


1t was long after dark when the jury re-
tired to make up their verdict. They were
gone half an hour and when they returned
the foreman showed by the very hue Of bis
conutenance that the verdict was fatal =
All saw it, and could hear the throbbing
of the hundred hearts that beat about me.


Gentlemen of the jury, have you made
a verdict"


1--WE have"


"Shall your foreman speak for your"


"Yesp


"Abel Adams, stand up and look the
foreman in the face. Now, sir, is Abel
Adams, the prisoner at the bar, guilty of
murder or not"


Hark the FIRST syllable Of the word
Guilty" is upon the foreman's lips, but he
speaks it not. Those who yet crowd about
the window shout with all their might, and
in moment more q man crowds his way
into the court room. He hurries up and
whispers to the Sheriff, and then he goes
to the bench and whispers to the Judge
Harry Bilger starts up and moves towards
the door, but in an instant the hand Of the
sheriff is upon him. All is excitement the
most intense. Directly the mass at the
door begins to give way, and four men are
seen bearing upon their shoulders q chair
"a large stuffed chair-and in that chair
sits Matthew Hampton-not dead but alive,
True, he is pale and ghastly, but his eyes
are open aud bis lips move. At length the
chair is set down before the bench, aud the
old physician of M asks permission to
speak AS soon as this fact becomes
known, all is quiet once more,


The physician says that neither of the
wounds which Mr.. Hampton had received
is mortal, though he at first thought they
were. The blow upon the head, and the
stab in the breast had combined to produce
state Of catalepsy which resembled death
so nearly that many an experienced person
might have been deceived When he gave
out that Mr.. Hampton was dead, be thought
that it was So But when be found that
Hampton was living, he kept the secret to
himself for fear that a certain man whose
presence was much needed, might be mis-
I sing