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4
up a large and comfortable room, for them, at her
own expense, and after she had worked all day to
arrange it, she and Alicia Brown came home in the
evening, with their faces glowing like they had seen
a vision of angels. I really think, sometimes, that
life does not interest Miss Harris at all, except
from an unselfish point of view.”
“Good,” said Dr. Redmond, as he lifted a glass
from among the surgical instruments on his table,
“a thousand toasts to her tribe. We certainly need
her kind in this tragical old world. I say. Miss
Mason,” and he smiled mischievously, as he went
on, “don’t you think a girl of that type would suit
a young doctor as a life partner?”
“Not one who belongs to the four hundred.”
Miss Mason explained sweetly, “like you. Dr. Red
mond. No, I did not tell the story with any
design on your peace of mind. We need the min-
A TERRIBLE CHA RGE
A Murderer’s Last Words Tie fore the Court.
“Prisoner at the bar, have you anything to say
why sentence of death shall not be passed upon
you ? ’ ’
A solemn hush fell over the crowded court room,
and every person waited in almost breathless expec
tation for an answer to the judge’s question.
Will the prisoner answer?
Is there nothing that will make him show some
sign of emotion?
Will he maintain the cold, indifferent attitude that
he has shown through the long trial, even to the
place of execution?
Such wfA-e the questions that passed through the
minds of those who had followed the case from day
to day.
The judge still waited in dignified silence.
Not a whisper was heard anywhere, and the sit
uation had become painfully oppressive, when the
prisoner was seen to move: his head was raised, his
hasids were clinched, and the blood had rushed into
his pale, careworn face.
His teeth were firmly set, and into his haggard
eyes came a flash of light.
Suddenly he arose to his feet, ami in a low, firm,
but distinct voice, said:
“I have! Your honor, you have asked me a
question, and I now ask as the last favor on earth
that you will not interrupt my answer till 1 am
through.
“I stand here before this bar. convicted of the
wilful murder of my wife. Truthful witnesses have
testified to the fact that I was a loafer, a drunkard,
and a wretch: that 1 returned from one of my pro
longed debauches and fired the fatal shot that killed
the wife 1 had sworn to love, cherish and protect.
While I have no remembrance of committing the
fearful, cowardly, and inhuman deed, 1 have no
right to complain or to condemn the verdict of the
twelve good men who have acted as jury in this
case, for their verdict is in accordance with the evi
dence.
“But, may it please the court, I wish to show that
I am not alone responsible for the murder of my
wife! ”
This startling statement created a tremendous sen
sation. The judge leaned over the deck: the law
yers wheeled around and faced the prisoner, the
jurors looked at each other in amazement, while the
spectators could hardly suppress their intense ex
citement. The prisoner paused a few seconds, and
then continued in the same firm, distinct voice:
“I repeat, your honor, that I am not the only one
guilty of the murder of my wife. The judge on this
bench, the jury in the box, the lawyers within this
bar, and most of the witnesses, including the pastor
of the old church, are also guilty before Almighty
God, and will have to appear with me before His
judgment throne, where we all shall be righteously
judged.
“If twenty men conspire together for the murder
of one person, the law power of this land will ar
rest the twenty, and each will be tried, convicted
The Golden Age for October 1, 1908.
istry and radiance of the Mission Girl for more than
you do and, Providence permitting, we’ll keep her.”
“If you can,” Dr. Redmond returned. “But you
haven’t told me yet.” he added, wilfully detain
ing her, “what the Padre thinks of your paragon?”
“Oh! Dr. Merrill?” she answered, pleased over
the fact that the young surgeon was betraying his
interest so plainly. “He was most tenderly com
passionate. as he always is. while she was under a
cloud. But now he just shakes back his lion-mane,
and says: •Wonderful! Wonderful! what a
change!’
“Hold on. Miss Mason.”
“Certainly, Dr. Redmond,” Miss Mason arched
her eyebrows.
“What was the reason the Padre never told me
of this? I feel aggrieved, for he usually does
and executed for a whole murder, and not for one
twentieth of the crime.
“I have been made a drunkard by law. If it had
not been for the legalized saloons of my town, I
never would have become a drunkard: my wife would
not have been murdered; I would not be here now.
ready to be hurled into eternity. Had it not been
for the human traps set out with the consent of the
government, I would have been a sober man. an in
dustrious workman, a tender father, and loving hus
band. But today my home is destroyed, my wife
murdered, my little children —God bless and care
for them—-cast out on the mercy of a cold and cruel
world, while I am to be murdered by the strong
arm of the state.
‘'God knows. I tried to reform, but as long as
the open saloon was in my pathway, my weak, dis
eased will-power was no match against the fearful,
consuming, agonizing appetite for liquor. At last
I sought the protection, care ami sympathy of the
church of Jesus Christ, but at the communion table
1 received from the hand of the pastor sitting there,
and who has testified against me in this case, the
cup that contained the same fiery alcoholic serpent
that is found in every barroom in the land. It
proved too much for my weak humanity, ami out of
that holy place I rushed to tin* last debauch that
ended with the murder of my wife.
•‘For one year our town was without a saloon.
For one year 1 was a sober man. For one year my
wife ami children were supremely happy, and our
little home a perfect paradise.
“I was one of those who signed remonstrances
against re-opening the saloons in our town. The
names of one-half of this jury can be found today
on the petition certifying to the good moral char
acter ( !) of the rumsellers, and falsely saying that
the sale of liquor was •necessary’ in one town. The
prosecuting attorney on this case was the one that
so eloquently pleaded with this court for the li
censes. and the judge who sits on this bench, ami
who asked me if I had anything to say before sen
tence of death was passed on me. granted the li
censes.
The impassioned words of the prisoner fell like
coals of fire upon the hearts of those present, and
many of the spectators and some of the lawyers
were moved to tears. The judge made >a motion as
if to stop any further speech on the part of the
prisoner, when the speaker hastily said:
“No, no! your honor, do not close my lips; I am
nearly through, and they are the last words I shall
utter on earth.
“I began my downward career at a saloon bar —
legalized and protected by the voters of this com
monwealth, which has received annually a part of
the blood-money from the poor, deluded victims.
Alter the state had made me a drunkard and a mur
derer, 1 rm taken before another bar —the bar of
justice ( ?) —by the same power of law that legalized
the first bar, and now the law-power will conduct mo
to the place of execution and hasten my soul into
consult me, when a case is both intricate and in
teresting.”
“Ask him,” Miss Mason crossed her hands
demurely against the front of the sweep of her
long apron. “Perhaps, Miss Harris belongs* to your
exclusive world, and he did not want to beflrafy her.
How should I know? Au revoir. ’’
Reece Redmond threw out his hand with a sffdden
gesture, as Miss Mason disappeared; ami, for ;»
moment the familiar, sunlit office was blurred with)
swaying shadows.
“Idiot,” he murmured, “that was but a randomi
shot. All the same I’ll motor down to the Padre’s;
tonight, and smoke a cigar with him. I need the*
balm of his influence, for I have been feeling like
a regular wooden Indian with the signs all on . .
since the A'iolin Lady went away.”
(To be Continued.)
eternity. I shall appear before another bar- —the
Judgment Bar of God —and there you. who have
legalized the traffic, will have to appear with me.
Think you that the Great Judge will hold me —the
poor. weak, helpless victim of your traffic —alone re
sponsible for the murder of my wife? Nay, I, in my
drunken, frenzied, irresponsible condition, have
murdered one, but you have deliberately and wilfully
murdered your thousands, and the murder-mills are
in full operation today with your consent.
“All of you know in your hearts that these’
words of mine are not the ravings of an unsound
mind, but God Almighty's truth. The liquor of
this nation is responsible for nearly all the mur
ders, bloodshed. riots, poverty, misery, wretchedness
and woe. It breaks up thousands of happy homes,
every year: semis the husband ami father to prison
or to the gallows, and drives countless mothers ami'
little children into the world to suffer and die. It
furnishes nearly all the criminal business of this and
every other court, and blasts every community it
touches.
“This infernal traffic is legal zed and protected by
the Republican and Democratic parties, which you
sustain with your ballots. And yet some of you have
the audacity to say that you are in favor of prohi
biting the traffic, while your votes go into the bal
lot box with those of the iiimsellers and the worst
elements of the land in favor of continuing the busi
ness! Every year you are given the opportunity of
voting a protest against this soul-and-body destroy
ing business and wash your hands of all responsibil
ity for the fearful results of the traffic; but instead
you inform the government by your Democratic or
Republican ballot that you are perfectly satisfied
with the present condition of things, and that they
shall continue.
“Aon legalized the saloons that made me a drunk
ard and a murderer, and you are guilty with me
before God and man for the murder of my wife.
“A our honor, lam done. I am now ready to re
ceive my sentence and be led forth to the place
of execution and murdered according to the laws
of this state. Aon will close by asking the Lord to
have mercy on my soul. I will close by solemnly
asking God to open your blind eyes to the truth, to
your own individual responsibility, so that you will
cease to give your support to this hell-born traffic.”
—Selected.
H
To the Violet.
fiy E. C. "Bacon.
0 beauteous blueness of thy bloom.
0 royal purple of thy dye.
O rareness of thy sweet perfume.
0 sweet enchantment to the eye!
Dear A r iolet, I call thee mine!
Thou art the flower of my heart!
O nestle there, and let thy sweets
Be of my life a living part!
In spirit deeds. and sweets of thought
shat shed on others fragrance rare.
In acts abloom with Christ’s own love
That wills with others life to share.
