Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1863-10-21

ABOUT TINS time or the year, attended
rustic wedding and merry making at the
"farm town. of ASsynt, where, among the
fair damsels assembled, he had contrived
considerably to tighten his pack No one
had observed him leave, and for month
afterwards nothing was heard of his
movements. His absence excited no
surprise among the country people, as it
was supposed that he had gone TO visit his
relations, who lived in Rosshire. They,
however, ignorant Of his movements, and
seeing him only at distant intervals, were,
of course, not troubled at his customary
absence, and the pedar might have been
away much longer before any suspicious
could have been excited. But exactly
four weeks after the festivities at Assynt,
a farm servant, passing deep and precip-
itouS turn on the mountain road which
lies between the farm town and the
Clachan Of Assynt, observed, by the
imperfect dawn light, bundle floating
upon the water, then unusually low and
clear. A rude raft was constructed, and
with It's aid the neighbors dragged the
corrupted body of a human being to the
shore. Though much decomposed, all
who were present Immediately recognized
the body of the missing pedIar The
clothes were the same which he had worn
when last seen, but the pockets had been
carefully. turned out and rihed, and
nothing of any value was found on the
corpse.
Notwithstanding these suspicious ap-
pearances, the simple people among whom
murder had never been committed
| concluded that the unfortunate man had
fallen accidentally into the tarn. So
confirmed were they in this opinion, that
they at once buried the body, and John
Mcdonald and the tragedy connected
with him was in a fair way Of being for
gotten. The parish minister, however,
had accidentally learned of the discovery,
and he forthwith forwarded information
TO the proper authorities. The sheriff of
the county and the public prosecutor
| Immediately came down to the district,
and commenced searching investigation.
Under the guidance of John Cameron,
| the schoolmaster, who was recommended
to them by the minister as skillful and
trusty person, on whom perfect reliance
could be placed, and accompanied by the
medical men of the island, the sheriff
visited the spot where McDonald's body
had been buried. 1t was disinterred in
his presence, and, on examination. several
deep wounds were discovered on the back
of the head, any one Of which, the doctor:
reported, would have been sufficient tt
cause his death Coupled with the fac
that the clothes had been plundered, NJ
reasonable doubt could remain that
murder had been committed. 1t was wei
known in the island tha. Mcdonald, VIII
had made considerable money, carried hi
fortune on his back-banks and stoct
being unknown Institutions to thes
primitive people. But for many days al
the ingenuity of the law was bafiied t
obtain any trace Of the murderer No on
had been seen with Mcdonald after h
left Assynt; no article of any kind coul
be identified as his property. The scare
appeared fruitless. Several murder:
however, had been committed in tn
northern counties; they had RENAME
unpunished it was, therefore, matter c
much public importance that in this cas-
an example should be made. The shcrl
established himself en- Pernaa'eence at
roadside hostel in the vicinity, and al
nounced his determination to examln
every resident in the island.
During these Investigations the sheri
was Invariably accompanied by Cameron
who, through his acquaintance with til
Gaelic tongue, and his knowledge of tn
inhabitants, proved of great assistance ;
an interpreter. One morning, howeve
the sheriff went down to the district Po
Office alone, Cameron being for the FIR
time absent. During desultory conve
sation, the post master incidentally state
" that soon after the date of the murder
n had given change for 9lO Bank
X England note to person who he did n
IN think should have had so much money
t, his possession. Who was this? Jot
N Cameron, the schoolmaster. Camert
h was sent for, was asked how he had con
,o to have the money in question, al
os peremptorily denied any knowledge of t
il transaction. His statement, though ma
IN without apparent embarrassment, exclt
r. suspicion, and he was arrested, charg
rs with the murder.
" For some time, however, no fa'
es appeared to confirm the suspicion. Ca
to eron's house, which stood on hillside
n. itself, was minutely searched, but none
al the pedlar's property was found in It, L
,ts sister, who lived with him, was evident
ue perfectly ignorant and innocent. She "
young and pretty girl, and, ior
Mt station in life, intelligent and cultivat
no When told of the charge, she indignan