American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-10-29
pRESUMPTIVE EVIDENCE.

A gentleman travelling in England several years
ago, was stopped on the highway and robbed Of
twenty guneas. The highwayman presented a
pistol 10 his throat, and to save himself from des
iruction, he yielded the contents OF his purse. On
his arrival at the next inn, where he 10 reposy
for the night, he communicated the circumstances
of the robbery, and added that he had no doubt he
should be able 10 detect the bier, as every one
the twenty guineas was marked in particula'
nlsnner.-The landlord hearing something OF this
declaration, went 10 the gentleman when he haa
retired 10 hi, room. and told him he believed he
had discovered the robber.
He stated that he had servant in his employ, OF
whom he was suspicious, as he was frequently out
at night about the time the gentleman was robbed
had always plenty OF money, and that very night
gave the landlord guinea marked 10 the manner
The gentleman described adding that as the ser.
Want had retired to bed drunk, he had no doubt il
they went to his room, they would find the remain
der 1f the booty in his pocket. The gentleman
accompanied his rusty host to the room of the SER
vant and there, in his pocket, they found nineteen
OF the marked guineas. which the gentleman had
lost. The man wa, taken before magistrate the
next morning he was committed for trial the n x.
asszts he in vain protested his innocence be was
tried he was convicted and he was hanged !; ar
yet, he was innocent. The fact was, the landlord
was the highwayman. He was in the habit of rob
bling persons four or five miles from his own house;
and then by taking short cut, he arrived {, home
before they reached his house. On the occasIo
in question, he had parted with one of the stolen
guineas before the gentleman arrived & afterwards
hearing the manner in which they were marked,
he knew that when publication OF he robbery took
place the guineas he parted with, would be trace ed to
him, and TO avoid detectIon he resorted to the
diabollcal expedent of placing the guinea in the
pocket of his servant. Thus in case where there
appeared 10 be no doubt the party executed was
actually innocent Another case, very similar, had
occurred not long since. A pedlar was travelling
near the coast in England. when arr wing late at a
publick house, he asked for lodging but from the
house being crowded. he obliged to ohtrude into
the bed of another person.-The next morning, the
pedlar gone considerable quantity of blood
was on the floor, and the knife of the party with
whom the pedar had slept was found clotte in
blood. hat party was taken before magistrate
| he declared his innocence, but in vain /; he was
committed on q charge of murder he had the good
fortune, however, TO escape from gaol, and come tc
this country, where one OF the first persons he met
was the very pedlar, whom he was accused of muir
dering. He asked the pedlar to explain how SC
4 nv sterious transaction had occurred; and the
pedIar told him that The day previous TO his going
to the public house, he had been bled. During the
night, the baudage on his arm gave him considera
Bile pain and he askt d his companion for his knife
to cut it, He cut IT az cording;Y. but the wounc
Immediately began to bleed ; and for the purpose
of stopping it, he went down to the shore with at
intention of bathing He had not been here many
minutes before he seized by press gang, vino
took him on board man o. war. "From that ship
I ran away "said the pedar Il entered the Ameri
can service and here am now at your service