Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1839-12-30
MISCELLAN ECU S.
ClRCuMsTANTiAL EVIDENCE.

The subloned narrative, Willie il strikingly eX-
hihits the ullihle and uncertain nature OF c,rcuni-
stanlia evidence, affords also "A convincing proof
of the Indispensable necessity oEprocnrg med
ica testimony OF the highest order III all crnnnl
cases relating 20 injuries Of HE person The mar
rntor MIR Perfect, surgeon at Hamnersihith,
sent The statement to the editor OF the Lancet
(Alr Wakiey) in January of the present year
at is now Thirty years ago that. accidentally
passing the Pack Horse, Thurbllnnl green, my at
tention was attracted hy mob OF persons OF the
low, ST order, assen bled Found the door of ihai
inn, who were very loud in their execratlolis
against some person who was suspected OF having
murdered his brother; IN confederation of which
WINS told that his homes found uear the
premises where he formerly resided, upon view
Of which jury WAS then sitting, after an adjourn
ment from the day preceding. found that two
surgeons had been subpPnRd TO inspect the
mains, and had no doubt but thar every inlor-
nmtion as to their character had been oba ned ;
curiosity alore, therefore, induced me TO make
way into The room, where found that the coro-
ner, aud believe Il double Jur,, were sitting for
the second day, and were engaged in an invesii
gatiOn which tended 10 show TINT fnrmer and
rarset gardner at Sulioncourt farm had, few
years before. a brother living with him who was
engaged in the farm, but whose conduct was dis.
solu!e and irregular to degree that often pro-
voked the anger of his elder brother, and some
times began strife aud violence between them;
that The temper of the elder brother was as little
under control as the conduct Ut the younger und
in fine, that they lived very uncomfortably 10.
geIer.
"Ope winters night, when the ground was COW
erred with snow, the younger brother. absconded
from the house. (Ior they both lived logether) by
letting himself down from his chamber window !;
and when he WIS missed the ensuing morning,
his footsteps were clearly traced in the snow to u
. observation-disclosures nor were there any other
footsteps tian his own. Time passed or and,
aitef lapse Of some lew years. no tidngs were
heard of his reireY, nor perhaps have there ever
been since. some> alterations in the grounds sur
rounding the house having been undertake en- by a
subsequent tenant, (for The elder brother had then
leh The iarm) II skeleton was dug up, and the cir
. cumstance appeared so conclusive that one broth
er had murdered l,e oher that The popular clam.
or was raised to NE il'hos', and a jury empanell
ed to investigate the case.
safer listening atlentively 10 these details
ventured TO request o the Coroner 10 he above,
TO examine The homes, which ! found were con
tanned IN grliamper basket at the further end o
the room, aud felt mich faItered by his imme
date compliance, for he desired the parish bea,ie
who was in attendance, To place them upon tn
table: and having myself disposed them in thei
natural order, found that they rep escnled per
son of short stniure, and, from the oberaon @
the sihures Of the skull, aud the worn-down stat
of the teeth, must have belonged to an aged Ver
son. But what " as my surprise, when recon
strlcted the bones OF the skeleton, and found IN
lower. homes of'the trunk To he those of n female
j Immediately Communicated the fact to The jury
and requested that three medical men. wine ha
before given their opinions, might he sent for, on
of whom attended, and without "A moments hest
tation cOrroborated my report.
III need not add that the proceedings were in
stantly at an end, an innocent man received Il,
amende honorable, in the shape of AN apolog,
from all present, in which The coroner heariil
joined. Ii has SINCE been proved, beyond Il
doubt, that The spot where the bones were ioun,
was formerly the site II q large gravel pit,
which hordes of gipsies not only assembled, III
occasionally bured their dead, and perhaps, mo
skeletons are yet TO he found IN that vicinity.
AT the distance of thirty years, the narrator
his occurrence may well look back upon II Wi
pleasure, and congratulate himself upon his Iu
Ing been "lhe happy glstrument. in tho hands
Providence, of rescuing WORTHY and innoce
men from The obloqny and perhaps the fate Of
murderer
MOI so fortunate in its Issue was the case viii,
we subjOin 10 this and which occurred in En-
land previously 10 the reign 'f Charles III. ri
narrative is given in Que of the early volumes
the Gentleman Magazine.
~ gentleman died possessed Of very consi
eral'e fortune, which he left 10 his only child
daughter, appointing his brother TO he the on
guardian, and executor Of his will. The YOU
lady WIS then nbon eighteen; and il she In
pened 10 die unmarried, pr IL married, wtho
children, her fortune was left TO her guardian al
10 his heirs As The interest of the uncle was M
incompatible with the life of the niece heyeI
other relations limited that il would not be pr
per Tor them to'liys together. Whether iii