Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-12-29
A Remarkable Story.

on the London road to Oxford. He bore re-
spectacle character. Mr.. Hayes, gentleman
OF fortune, being on his was to Oxford on visit
to relation, put up at Bradford's. He there
joined company with two gentlemen, with whom
he supped, and in conversation unguardedly
mentioned that he bud about him considera.
bic sum of money. In due time they retired
to their respective chambers; the gentlemen to
two beded room leaving, as is customary with
many, candle burning in the chimney corner.
Some hours after they we're 10 bed, ono Of
the gentlemen being awake, thought he heard
deep groan in an adjoining chamber, and this
being repeated, he softly awoko his friend
They listened together, aud the groans increas-
ing as of one dying, and in pain, they both in
stantly arose and proceeded silently 10 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, bu! it is
impossible to paint their CONSERVATION on pre-
cevng person watering in blood on The bed,
and man standing over him with dark lam
tern in one hand, and a knife in the other The
man seemed as much petrifed as themselves,
but the terror carried with it all the appearance
of guilt.
The gentlemen soon discovered that the
murdered person was the stranger with whom
they had that night supped, and that the man was
their host. They seized Bradford directly, dis.
armed 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, hear
ing noise, which was succeeded by g,eaning,
he got out Of bed, struck ligal, armed himself
with knife for his defence, and but that min.
ute entered the room before them. These as.
sertions were of no avail; he vas kept in close
custody till morning, and then taken before
nei ighboring Justice OF the Peace. Bradford still
denied The murder, but with such indications OF
guilt, that the Justice hesta;ed not to make use
of this extraordinary expression on writing his
mitimus, 'Mr. Bradford, either you or myself
committed this murder
This remarkable affair became topic of con
versation to the whole country. Bradford was
condemned by the general voice Of every COM
pany. In the midst of all thi. predetermination
came the assize at Oxford Bradford was
brought to tri.l he pleaded not guilty. No.
thing could be stronger than the evidence of
the two gentlemen. They testified to the find
ing Mr. Hayes murdered in his bed, Bradford at
the side of tho body with a light and knife,
and that knife and the hand which held i, bloody.
They stated that on entering the room, he be-
traye ali the signs of guilty 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 suspected
that some villainly was transactng; he struck
light, snatched up knife, the only weapon at
hand, to defend himself, and entered the room
Of the deceased; he avered that the terrors he
betrayed we're merely the feelings natural to
| innocence, as well as gull. on beholding so hor-
rid scene. The defencr, however, could not
but be considered as weak, contrasted with the
several powerful circumstances against him.
Never was circumstanta evidence 80 strong so
far as it went. There was little need for COM
ment from the judge in summing up the evi
dence; no loom appeard for extenuation; and
the prisoner was declared guilty by the jury
without their even leaving the box.
Bradford was executed shortly after, still de-
clarcd that he was not the murderer nor privy
to the murder of Mr.. Hayes but he died dis
believed by all.
! Yet were these assertions not untrue. The
murder was actually committed by the foot.
man Of Mr.. Hayes, and the assassin Immediately
on stabbng his master, rifed his pockets OF his
money, gold watch and snuff box, and then es-
capped back to his ewn room. This could scarce
ly have been effected, as after circumstances
showed, more than two seconds before Brad
ford's entering the unfortunate gentleman's
chamber. The world owes this information to
remofse of conscience on the part of the footman
eighteen months after the execution Of Brad
, ford) when he lay on bed OF sickness It was
, a death bed repentance, and by that death the
law lost it's victim.
II was to he wished that this account might
close here but there is more to be told. Brad.
ford, though innocent of the murder, and no,
. even privy to it, was nevertheless murderer in
j design. He had heard as well as the fooman
what Mr.. Hayes declared at supper as having
sum Of money about him and he went to tho
t chamber Of the deceased with The same dreadful
Q intentions as the servant. he was struck with
: amazement on behodns himself anticipated il
IT the crime. He could not believe his senses enc
in turning back the bed clothes to assure himsel
Of the fact, he in bis agitation dropped bic knit
9 on the bleeding body, by which tmeans both hi
1t hands and the weapon became bloody. Thcs
Il circumstances Bradford ACKNOWLEDGED to the cler
1t gyman who attended him after sentence bu