There was little
more: the prisoner had been asked if he could say anything to clear
himself, and properly cautioned not to say anything to incriminate
himself. The poor old man's person was described, and his evident
emotion. "The prisoner was observed to clutch at the rail before him to
steady himself, and his colour changed so much at this part of the
evidence that one of the turnkeys offered him a glass of water, which he
declined. He is a man of a strongly-built frame, and with rather a
morose and sullen cast of countenance."
"My poor, poor Dixon!" said Ellinor, laying down the paper for an
instant, and she was near crying, only she had resolved to shed no tears
till she had finished all, and could judge of the chances. There were
but a few lines more: "At one time the prisoner seemed to be desirous of
alleging something in his defence, but he changed his mind, if such had
been the case, and in reply to Mr. Gordon (the magistrate) he only said,
'You've made a pretty strong case out again me, gentlemen, and it seems
for to satisfy you; so I think I'll not disturb your minds by saying
anything more.' Accordingly, Dixon now stands committed for trial for
murder at the next Hellingford Assizes, which commence on March the
seventh, before Baron Rushton and Mr. Justice Corbet."
"Mr. Justice Corbet!" The words ran through Ellinor as though she had
been stabbed with a knife, and by an irrepressible movement she stood up
rigid.
Pages:
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229