Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-04-08
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.
BRADFORD THE INSKEEpER.


BRADFORD THE INSKEEPER.
Jonathan Bradford kept an inn in Oxford.
shire, on the London road to Oxford. He bore
respectable character. Mr.. Hays, a gentle
man of fortune, being on his way to Oxford, on
a visit to relation, put up at Bradford's. He
there Joined company with two gentlemen, with
whom he sGpPed, audin conversation unguard.
.dly mentioned that he had then about him a
considerable sum OF money Undue time they
retired to their respective chambers; the gen
llemen to two-bedded room, leaving as is
customary with many, candle burning in the
chimney corner. Some. hours after they were
in bed, one Of the gentlemen being awake,
thought he heard deep groan in an adjoining
chamber; aud this being repeated, be softly
awoke his friend. They listened together, and
the groans increasing, as of one dying, and in
pain, they both instantly arose, and proceeded
silently to the door Of the next chamber, from
which the groans had seemed to come. The
door being ajar, they saw light in the room.
They entered, but it is impossible to paint their
CONSERVATION on perceiving person welterng
in his bed, and a man standing over him with
dark lantern in one hand and knife in the
other! The man seemed as much petri6ed as
themselves, but his terror carried with it all the
appearance of gnilt. The gentlemen soon dis
! covered that the murdered person was the
stranger with whsm they had that night sup.
| ped, aud that the man who was standing over
him was their host. They seized Bradford d..
recty, disarmed him of his knife, and charged
! him with being the murderer. He assumed by
this time the air of innocence, positively denied
the crime, and asserted that he came there with
the same humane intentions as themselves: for
that hearing noise, which was, succeeded by
groanng, he got out of bed, struck light, arm:
ed himself with q katie for his defence, and had
but that minute entered the room before them.
These assertions were of little avail; ). he was
kept In close custody till the morning, and then
taken before a,neighborng justice Of the peace.
Bradford still denied the murder, but with such
apparent intdications Of guilt, that the justice
hesitated not to mako use Of this extraordinary
expression on writing his mittimus, "Mr. Brad
ford, either you or myself Committed this muir
der" 49, 49, 'yEs7s
This remarkable affair became topic of con.
yersationto the whole country. Bradford was
condemned by the general voice, of every COM
pauy. . In the midst of all this predeterminaton
Cdliie Ou tc dSSlLeS d. OAlOIu. iltuio'u was
brought to trial: he plead not guilty. No.
thing could be stronger than the evidence of
the two gentlemen. They testified to finding
Mr.. Hayes murdered in his bed, Bradford at the
side of the body with light and knife, and
the hand which, held it bloody. They stated
that, on their entering the room, he betrayed
all the signs of aguilty man: and that, but a
few minutes preceding, they had heard the
groans of the deceased.
Bradfords defence on his trial was the same
as before; he had heard noise; he suspicion
ed some villainy was transacting; he struck
light, snatched up the knife, the only weapon
ut hand, to defend himself, and entered the room
oil the deceased. He averred that the terrors
he betrayed were merely the feelings natural to
innocence, as well as guilt, on behoding so hor'
rid a scene. The defence, however, could no!
but be considered as weak contrasted with tn,
several powerful circumstances against him.
Never was circumstantial evidence so strong,
as far us it went There was little need for
comment from the judge in summing up the evil
dence; no room appeared for extenuation; and
the prisoner was declared guilty by the jury
without their even leaving the box.
Bradford was executed shortly after, still de-
caring that he was not the murderer, nor prvy
to the murder, OF Mr.. Hayes; but died disbe-
lieved by all.
Yet were these assertions not untrue! The
murder was actually committed by the footmau
OF Mr.. Hays; and the assassin, immediately ly on
stabbing his master. .rifled his pockets of his
money, gold watch and snuif.box, and then es.
capped back to his own room. This could
scarcely have been efferted, as after-circum.
stances showed, more than two seconds before
Bradford's entering the unfortunate gentleman's
chamber The world owes this information to
remorse of conscience on the part Of the foot
man eighteen months after the execution of
Bradiord) when laid Oh the bed Of sckness.-
1t was d death-bed repentance, and by that
death the law lost its victim ..
1t we're to be wished that this account could
close here; but there is more to be told. Brad.
tord, though innocent of the murder, and not
privy 10 it. was nevertheless murderer in de.
siru. He had heard as well as the footman,
what Mr.. Hayes had declared at supper, as t,
he having III sum OF money about him; and he
went to the chamber OF thhe deceased with the
same dreadful intentions as the servant He
was struck with amusement on beholdlng him.
self anticipated in the crime. He could not
Dcl,ev. his senses; and in turning back the bed.
clothes to assure himself of the fact, he in his
agitation dropped hsknfe on the bleeding body
IL. h,,, dc Il al,