Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-06-01
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The Rohher,s 6srnve.


In the year of 1919, there was in the neigh.
borhood of Montgomery, in North Wales nm
ancient manor house, called Oakfed, which
IKE many of those old structures, losing its
original Importance from the increased size and
convenience of modern buildings, had been
converted INTO a farm house The late oceu-
pant, one James Morris, had tecn an indolent
ana somewhat diSsipated man; the farm CD
seqnently fell into neglect and became unrfon,
table, and he died in debt leaving his we ana
an only daughter in possession OF pc place.
shortly after his death, the widow took INTO
her employment a young man fom Stailoru-
shire, OF the name of John NPwton, the hero
OF this little story, who had been strongly rec,
commended to her by Der brother: ana well
and faithfully did he discharge his duties as
baliff, fully justifying the praise ana recon-
mendatiOn she received with him. lie was an
utter stranger i'll that part OF the country,
seemed studiously to shun all acquaintance
with his neighbors, and to devote himself ex.
clusively to the interests Of his employer He
never left home but TO visit the ncighboring
fairs and markets, and to attend the parish
church where his presence was regular and
S1s conduct devout. In short, though highly
-Ncnmspect in his behavior on all occasions
he was melancholy, reserved man and even
the clergyman of the parish, to whom he was
always most respectful in his demeanor entire
ly failed in his endeavors to cultivate an ac.
quaintance with him. The farm, under his
management, had improved, and become
profitable and the circumstances of Mrs.
Morris were, by his assiduity and skill, both
prosperous and furnishing. In this manner
more than two years had passed, and the wild
ow began to regard him more as friend and
benetactOr than servant; and was not sorry
to observe her daughters growing affection for
him, which appeared to be reciprocated. One
evening in November, 1921, being detained
longer by business at Welshpool, Newton set
out about six O'Clock TO walk home to Oak
field. 1t was an exceedingly dark night and he
never reached home again. The family be-
came very anxious, and upon inquiring early
the next morning at Welshpool, they ascer
tanned that he had been brought back to that
town, not long after his departure from it, by
two men, named Parker and Pearce, who
charged him with highway robbery, accompa-
MED by violence, an offence then punishable
with death. AT the trial at the next assizes
he was pronounced guilty, on the testimony of
two persons, which was clear positive, and
consistent throughout, was sentenced to be
hanged, and left for execution. lie employed
no counsel, and called no witness in his de
fence; but upon being asked by the judge in
the usual form, III he had any thing to say
why the sentence of death should not be passed
ing extraordinary speech
Only Lord, it is evident all | could say in
opposition to such testimony would be vain
and hopeless. The witnesses are men of re.
spectability, and their evidence has appeared
PLAIN and conclusive, and my most solemn
pr0testations OF innocence could avail me moth
ing. | have called no witnesses to character,
and upon such evidence the jury could pro.
nounce no other verdict. l blame them not.
From my soul, TOO, | forgive those men, upon
whose false testimony | have been convicted.
But, my Lord, protest most solemnly before
this court before your lordship, and above all,
before that God in whose presence | must
shortly appear, | am entirely gutless of the
crime for which | am going to suffer- / have
produced no one to speak in my behalf Two
years have scarcely passed since | came into
this country an utter stranger. l have made
no acquaintance here, beyond the household
in which have been employed, and where |
have endeaYored to discharge my duties faith
fully, honestly and we'll Although dare not
hope and do not wish that my life should be
spared, yet it is my devout and earnest desire
that the stain OF this crime may not rest upon
my name. l devoutly hope that my good
mistress and her kind and excellent daughter
may yet be convinced that they have not
nourished and beiriended highway robber.
l have, therefore, in humble devotion offered
aprayer to heaven and | believe it has been
heard and accepted. | venture to assert that
If | am innocent OF the crime for which | sut-
fer, the grass, for one generation at least, will
not cover my grave. My Lord, l await your
sentence without murmur, without a sorrow,
and devoutedly pray that all who hear NE
now may repent of their sins and meet me
again in Heaven"
The unfortunate man was condemned and
tod md hI,ri aI in,
churchyard. Thirty years had passed away
when | saw it, and the grass had not then COW
cred his grave. 1t is situated in remote cor.
ner of the clurchyard, far removed from all
other graves. 1t is not a raised mound OF
earth, but it is even with the surrounding
ground, which is tor some distance especially
luXuriant, the herbage being rich and abund-
ant. Numerous attempts have, from time to
time, been made by some persons who are still
alive, and others who have passed away, to
bring grass upon that bare spot Fresh soil
has been frequently spread upon it, and seeds
OF various kinds have been sOwn, but not a
blade had there ever been known to spring
from them, and the soil soon becamea smooth
cold, and stubborn clay. With respect to the
unhappy witnesses it appears that Parker's
ancestors had since owned Oaktied, and that
he had hoped, by getting rid of Newton, to
remove the main obstacle there was to his
re-possessing ii, and that Pearce had, at the
time Of Mr.. Morris death, aspired to the hand
Of his daughter, in whose affections he
had been supplanted by poor Newton. The
former soon left the neighborhood became a
drunken and dissolute man, and was ultimately
killed in some lime works while in the act of
blasting a rock. Pearce grew sullen and dis
pirted, his very existence proving a burden
to him, and, as the old sexton'of Montgomery
expressed it, che wasted away from the face
of the earth" have not seen the grave since
1851, but | have heard that some person has
covered it with thick turf which has united it.
self with the surrounding grass, except at the
oSead, which is still withered and bare, as if
scorched by lightning. The prayer, however,
of poor Newton, that his grave might remain
uncovered for at least one generation has been
heard, and his memory vindicated in a most
remarkable manner. The name given to the
grave was singularly inappropriate it should
have been called "the grave of the innocent"
The widow, with her daughter, left Oakfeld
and went to reside with her brother. For
some weeks after poor Newton's burial, it is
said his grave, from time time was found
strewed with wild flowers, by whom done was
unknown, but it was observed that after Jane
Morris had left the neighborhood, not Il flower
was found upon the grave.