East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-05-23
UNEXPECTED EVIDENCE.

IL once had an adventure" said my
friend, "whieh think is worth printing
and if you will write it out, III tell it tc
you"
"Go on" said |, "and if it suits, the
printer shall have it,"
"Well-Ill give it to you," he resum.
ed, as he threw his cigar away, and tipp-
ed his chair back against the wall. at
may not have been so startling an adven-
ture as some, but the train of crcumstan.
ces connected with it were curious, and
in my opinion, remarkable. My brother
James, who is two years older than my.
self, had gone out into the West, intend
ing either to settle in Missouri or Ken.
tucky. He had been gone about three
months when received letter from him
dated Columbia, Kentucky. lie was in
Jail, and about to be tried for the crime
of murder. He had been arrested for
numbering traveller, and the evidence
was so strong and so direct against him,
that no lawyer could be found who could
give him any hope. He had stopped
over night at small inn some twenty
miles West of Columbia, aud in the
morning ho set out alone on his journey.
AS he was passing through wood he
saw dead body lying by the road side,
and he stopped his horse aud dismounted.
He found it to be middle aged man,
who had been killed with knife, there
being several deep wounds upon the
breast; the corpse was still warm, and
while in the act of turning it over, in
order to get better view Of the face, he
heard some one approaching, and on
looking up he saw two men, who seemed
to have come from a little wood path
near at hand. He told them how he
found the body, and asked them if they
knew who it was. But they only shook
their heads, and told him he was doing
il very well. In short, they accused
him OF having done the deed, and without
further ado, apprehended him and carried
him to the next village, where they en-.
tered a complaint and gave in their evil
dence.
"At first my brother looked upon it as
light affair, and only considered the
delay it would occasion him; but when
the examination came on, he found
things looking rather dark. 1t was prov
ed that the murdcrhd man had stopped
at the inn where he stopped, having ar
rived late in the evening, and started of
at daylight in the morning. The two
men who had caused his arrest swore
point blank, that they saw him strike the
fatal blow, and that he was pulling the
murdered mans purse from his pocket
as they came upl They told the story
with such assurance and regularity that
they were readily believed. And then
James could not deny enough to help
him. The people had become convinced
that he was guilty, and the whole tide
was against him. l Hoilnaa A i.a
"As soon as got this letter / hurried
off to Kentucky, hoping that / might be
Of some assistance to my unfortunate
brother, and wished to get there, il
possible, before his trial came on. On
the evening of the fourteenth day ]
reached IA inn to which / had been di
rected, and had my horse put up.
knew, that was very near my Journeys
end, but could 60 no further that night
After supper l went into the bar-room
where few Of the neighbors had assem-
bled, and from their conversation soor
learned that this was the very house a
which my brother had stopped on tn,
night before his arrest, and of course
could not be far from the scene Of tn,
murder. l had made up my mind tha
| would not reveal my relationship to tn,
prisoner until had seen him, and con
ferred with his lawyer, If he had one
and if he had none, with one whom
4 might engage for him. SO pretended
to be entirely uniformed upon the sub
lject and asked what tho circumstances
were. The facts were related TO m,
just as my brother had stated them
though somewhat heightened in color.
~ felt the public pulse through these