Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-08-23
GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY
BY AN Ex-PoLIcE OFFICER.

A few weeks after the lucky termina
ton Of the Sandford affair, was engaged
in the investigation of remarkable case
of burglary, accompanied by homicide
which had just occurred at the residence
of Mr. Bagshawe, a gentleman Of com
petent fortune, situated within a few
miles Of Kendall, in Westmoreland The
particulars forwarded to the London po-
lice authorities by the local magistracy
were chiefly these;
Mr. Bagshawe, who had been some
time absent at bennington, Warwick
shire, with his whole establishment, wrote
TO Sarah King-a young woman left in
charge Of the house and property-to
announce his own speedy return, and at
the same time directing her to have a
particular bedroom aired, for the recep-
ton of his nephew, Mr.. Robert Bristowe,
who having just arrived from abroad,
would, he expected, leave London i'm
mediately for Five Oaks House. The
positive arrival of this nephew had been
declared to several tradesmen Of Kendall,
by Miss King, early in the day preceding
the night of the murder and robbery and
by her directions, butcher-meat, poultry,
fish, and SO on, had been sent by them to
Five Oaks, for his table. The lad who
carried the fish home stated that he had
seen a strange young gentleman in one Of
the sitting rooms on the ground floor
through the half opened door of the apart
ment. On the following morning it was
discovered that Five Oaks House had
been, not indeed broken into but broken
out of This was evident from the state
Of the door fastening, and the servant
woman barbarously murdered. The
neighbors found her lying quite dead and
cold at the principal staircase, clothed
only in her night gown and stockings,
and with a fat chamber candle-stick
tightly grasped in her right hand. 1t was
conjectured that she had been reused
from her sleep by some noise below, and
having descended to ascertain the cause.
had been mercilessIy slain by the dis
turbed burglars. Mr.. Bacshawe arrived
on the following day, and it was then as
certained that not only large amount Of
plate, but between three and four thou
sand pounds in gold and notes.-the pro-
duce Of government stock sold out about
two months preyiously-had been carried
off. The only person, except his niece,
who lived with him, that knew there was
this sum in the house, was his nephew,
Robert Brstowe, to whom he had written, /.
directing his letter to the Hummuns Ho-
tel, London, stating that the sum for the
long contemplated purchase of Rylands
had been some time lying idle at Five
Oaks, as he lad wished to consult him
upon his bargain before finally concluding
it. This Mr.. Robert Bristowe was now
nowhere to be seen or heard of; and what /
seemed to confirm beyond doubt the
TO Mr.. Bagshawe and his nieee-tor;ur-
ing, horrifying suspicion that his nephew
was the burglar and assassin, portion
OF the Identical letter written to him by
his uncle was found in one of the offices
As he was nowhere to be met with or
heard of in the neighborhood of Kendall,
1t was surmised that he must have re-
turned to London with his booty and a
full description of his person, and the
dress he wore, as given by the fshmon-
gers boy, was sent to London by the au-
thorities. They also forwarded for our
use and assistance one Josiah Barnes,
sly, sharp, vagabond sort of fellow, who
had been apprehended on suspicion,
chiefly, or rather wholly, because of his
former intimacy with the unfortunate
Sarah King, who had discarded him, it
seemed, on account of his incorrigibly
idle, and in other respects, disreputable
habits. The alibi he set up was. however,
SO clear and decisive, that be was but a
few hours in custody; and he now ex-
hibited great zeal for the discovery of the
murderer Of the woman to whom he had,
to the extent of his perverted instincts,
been sincerely attached. He fiddled at
the festivals of the humber Kendalese
sang, tumbled, and ventriloquised at their
tavern orgies; and had he not been so
highly gifted,might,ther was little doubt,
have earned decent living as a carpen-
ter, to which profession his father, by dint
OF much exertion, had about half-bred him.
Ills principal use to US was, that he was
acquainted with the features OF Mr.. Rob-
ert Brlstowe; and, accordingly, as soon
as l had received my commission and
instructions, started off with him TO the
hummuns Hotel, Convent Garden. In
answer to my inquiries, it was stated that
Alr. Robert Bristowe had left the hotel a
week prcyiouslv without settling his hill A.,