Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-12-30
soon found that her new lord was an inotfens;xs

s"oh tVuhu tnat ner new lord was an inOfensiye q,
harmless maniac '
" When Mr.. Smith returned. the new comer
met him at the gate, invited him in and wei.
coined him to the house; asked him if be would
nave hls horses put up, and stay all night, and
nnaily seemed to come to the conclusion that
| ne nad right to stay, from the fact that he
was some one that had been attending TO his
analrs during his long absence from home
| Tor such the deranged man considered it, q. g..
AND In this position the new conner not only
installed himself, but continued for seven long
years valuable laborer asking as his only
recompense his food and clothes, privilege of
calling every thing his, although willing to
allow the real owner to-transaet all the bust
| ness and handle all the money The only name
| no was known by was Richard and he utterly
| refused to give any clue TO who or what he WAS
or where he came from, and he soon ceased to
| be wonder. 1t whs remarked that he had
scar OF n severe cut on his head, and whenever
! any ahusions were made to it. he showed some
excitement and sometimes anger Otherwise,
! he was docIle and cOntented and quiet never
desiring to go anywhere off the farm This
evening, during the reading Of the murder trial
| OF the Bownes, he had shown more interest
| than ever observed before upon any subject
| nncunncctcd with his every-dav oceupatfon
and this being observed by Mrs Smith. led to
! frequent consultation and queries eoupled with
attempts to elicit something from Richard that
Wonld connect him with that affair, but all
| without success .'." .-a''t ''E. 70
! 1t was about this time thai VIM. NJ. Prioe
became In some way cognizant of the eircum-
stauees connected with this singular individual
| and having also read the account of the trial
and conviction of the men, as he thought upon
insufficient evidence, he made a journey on
| purpose to see the man Richard and elicit, if
| possible, something from him Undoubtedl il
| was through the influence Of Mr. Price that
Mr. Smith took the course that he did for the
! more be thought upon the strange disappear
ance OF Colyin In Vermont and the sudden ap-
| pearance Of this man in New Jersey and his
mysterious conduct since, and coupled that
| with the scar upon his head, he determined to
act. perhaps TO save the life Of an innocent
man; at all events, to satisfy himself that he
had not been ally neglige mt in permitting
man TO be executed whom he could save But
how was he to carry his plan into execution,
This was without letting another party into the
secret, 80 as TO bring ridicule on him if he were
mistaken in his supposition, to take Richard to
Manchester, and see if any one there, particu-
| larly his wife, would recognise him after seven
years absence, changed as be undoubtedly was
| in his appearance -! .,'"' Z = .-i't.'
Our philanthrOpist was convinced from oil
| that he could get out Of Richard that it would
not do to make any direct propositions to him
upon the subject, but the more he thought upon
/ the matter the more determined was he to act
! and there was no time to lose, as only three
I weeks now remained TO the condemned man.
We forget what stratagem was used to inducs
the deranged man 10 make an unwonted Jour
ney; though we are impressed with the opinion
| 1t was to purchase an addition to his farm,
| which he had long desired, that he consented to
make journey by mail stsge--there were no
railroads forty years ago-traveliDg day and
night into some unknown region, without ex-
citing suspicion that their ultimate deter
mInation was plan concerning which he never
| would hold any conversation.
| In the mean time, the discussion of the limo
| cence or guilt Of the man about TO be hung had
| broken out afresh, as he had recanted his con-
fession, and insisted that it had been obtained
| by false pretenees, and that he was innocent
Besides, he had had dream, three times re-
Peated, that COlvin was alive, and would make
his appearance, though, as he said, "not until
| after he was hung. +" .l..
During this state of things there was crowd
| at the public house in Manchester, discussing
| this topic, one evening when the stage from
the south drove up. Among the crowd which
| always gathers around the door when the stage
| arrives at village inn was a man who had
| rather firmly maintained that Bovine was gull
| ty until the dream came out; but being a be-
liever in dreams, !" his faith was staggered, and
| he said he didn't know about it, Ehe stage
| driver refined up at the door, and the tin Ian
| tern of the hOstlcr opened the blaze Of a tallow
| candle full in the faces of the passengers as
they alighted. Mr. Smith alighted without
| exciting any remark. Not so his companion
| r.
| there was the spot where his suspicious were to
be proved true and his hopes to save the life of
! an Innocent man grstifed, or forever crushed.
lie sid TO Richard as be got out, s'come let us
hurry and get supper before the stage starts
! As Richard got out the light fell full in his
face, binding his vision, but enabling the
| crowd 10 see him to advantage. He was
startled at a sudden vociferation of the indi-
| vidual who had been trou bled about the dream.
| who exclaimed, 80 help me God, but there
| is Richard CoIyin:" Twenty other men
| we're present to conirm the assertion, and in
] the next minute the whole town might have
been there to add confirmation, for shout
| after shout psaled out upon the night air
COlvin has come w The doomed man in the
| cell listened 10 u wild cOmmotiOn in the world
Outside-the world that he expected so soon
| to look upon for the last time-the bells were
| riBsing-shOuts grew louder and approached
| the prison-and now the brass field piece gives
| Its notes TO the general din He listens. What
| can 1t mean The crowd are coming The
cannon is at the door There is an alteration
| with the jailor The crowd demand the instant
release of the prisoner. The jaiIor objects
| g. Certain forms are to be gone through with
toOpen the door now would not be legal. !" % No
matter = the crowd replies, 'for form. Stand
aside, or we will apply the match and blow the
| door open, for CORN haS come Hurrah
And the door was opened, and the doomed
man walked out that night-the night that
| ColTin came-restOred to life. freedom and his
wife and children; awondrous happy man, but
not moro SO than the one who had taken such
pains to bring the most tangible proof posi-
| be that the prisoner was not q murderer.
! ColTin was universally recognized by all who
hsd known him, but obstinately refus sed to re-
| cOgnize any one, not even his wife and chill
| dren, and insisted upon going home," aq he
| termed Mr.. Smiths house, where he had spent
| so many years. In this he was gratified as
soon as the necessary proof of his identity
could bs taken, so as TO liberate the other
brother ....E..-. '-@
There is a lesson that may be proftably re-
me nbered in both the Colvin and Sage cases,
and that is not to rely too strongly upon the
identity OF human remains. and be careful Of
circumstantiai evidence, and not convict a
| fellow man of great crime by the verdict of