The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-01-11
CIRCUMSTANTIaL EVIDENCE.

p
nature Of circumstantial evidence, atlur:'s
also, convincing proof of the in'li>pcn-
sable necessity OF procuring medical tes-
timony of the highest order in all criminal
cases relating to the injuries of the person.
The narrator, Mr.. Perfect, surgeon al
Hammersmlh, sent The statement to the
editor Of the Lancet (Mr. WaIker,) in Ja-
nuary last.
"It is now thirty years ago that, acci-
denlaily passing the Pack Horse, Turn.
hamgreen. my attention was attracted bv
a mob of persons of the i west order, as
sembled around the door of that inn, who
were very loud in their denuncalions a.
gainst some person who was suspected of
having murdered his brother; in corrobu-
ration of which, [ was t.Jd that his bones
were found near the premises where he
formerly resided, upon view Of which the
jury were then sitting, after an adjourn
ment from the day preceding. found
that two surgeons had been subpuenaed to
inspect the remains, and had no doubt
but that every information as to their cha
racter Lad been obtained; curiosity alone,
therefore, induced me to make way into
the room, where found that the coroner,
and | believe double jury, were sitting
for the second day. and were engaged in
an investigation which tended to show that
farmer and market gardner at Sutton
court farm, had, few years before, bro
ther living with hin who was engaged in
the farm, but whose conduct was disso-
Lutte and irregular to degree that often
provoked the anger Of The eldest brother,
and sometimes begat strife and violence
between them; that the temper of the elder
brother was as little under control as the
conduct Of the y"unger; and in fine, that
they had always lived very uncomfortably
together.
Zone winters night. when the ground
was covered with snow, the young brother
absc rnded from the house, by letting him
self dawn fl ON the chamber window; and
when he was missed the ensuing morning,
his footsteps were clearly traced in the
snow, to a considerable distance. nor were
there any other footsteps but his own.-
Time rassc;! Oh, and, after lapse If some
few years, no iidings were heard cf his
retreat, nor perhaps have here ever been
since. Some alterations in the grounds
surrounding the house having been under
taken by subsequent tenant. FOR the el-
der brother had left the farm,) skeleton
was duo up. and the circumstances appear
ed so conclusive thai one brother had mur-
dercd the other, that the popular clanor
was raised to the utmost, and jury en-
panneled to investigate the case.
"Alter listening altenlively to these de-
tails, vcniurcd t" request of the coroner
to be allowed to examine the bones, which
found were contained in hamper has-
kct at the further end of the room, and l
felt much fat;cred at his immediate COM
pliancc. for he desired the parish beadle,
who was in attendance, to place them up
on the table; and having myself disposed
them in their natural order, l found that
they represented rersun Of short stature,
and from the ohliterilinn Of the sutures Of
the skull, and the worn down state Of the
teeth, must have belonged to an aged per-
son. liul what was my surprise when
re-cunatructrI the bones "f The skeleton,
and found the lower ban es Of the trunk to
he those Of female! immediately com
muneatel the fact 10 the jury, and reques.
ted that the two medical men who had be-
fore given their opini lis might be sent
for, one of whom attended, and without
moments hesitation corroborated my re-
port.
~ need mol add that proceedings were
instantly at an eld, ami that an innocent
man received the amcnde honorable in the
shape of an opulngy, from all present, in
which the coroner heartily joined. 1t has
since been pr"ved, beyond all doubt, that
the spot where the bones were found was
formerly the site OF Il gravel pit, in which
hordes If gypsirs not only assembled, but
buried their dead, and per-
haps, mole skeletons are yet to be fo.;id in
t.a: vicinity"
At the distance Of thirty years, the mar
ratnr Of this occurrence may well look
upon it with pleasure, and congratulate
himself upon having been the happy liz
sIrunent, in the hands of Providence, of
rcscuing a worthy and innocent man from
the obIoquy and perhaps the fate ofa MUIR
derer.
Not so fortunate in its issue was the
casa whirh tue suhioiu In this and which