It began by announcing the
arrest of the Rev. Thurston Willcoxen upon the charge of murder, and
then went back to the beginning and related the whole story, from the
first disappearance of Marian Mayfield to the late discoveries that had
led to the apprehension of the supposed murderer, with many additions
and improvements gathered in the rolling of the ball of falsehood. Among
the rest, that the body of the unhappy young lady had been washed ashore
several miles below the scene of her dreadful fate, and had been
charitably interred by some poor fisherman. The article concluded by
describing the calm demeanor of the accused and the contemptuous manner
in which he treated a charge so grave, scorning even to deny it.
"Oh, I do not wonder at the horror and consternation this matter has
caused. When the deed was attempted, more than the intended death wound
didn't overcome me! And nothing, nothing in the universe but the
evidence of my own senses could have convinced me of his purposed guilt!
And still I cannot realize it! He must have been insane! But he treats
the discovery of his intended and supposed crime with scorn and
contempt! Alas! alas! is this the end of years of suffering and
probation? Is this the fruit of that long remorse, from which I had
hoped so much for his redemption--a remorse without repentance, and
barren of reformation! Yet I must save him.
Pages:
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387