The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1864-03-24
Slistrllanrous.
lFoR THE rlrr'S rRmuSE.l
Truth Stranger than Fiction"
A YOUNG MANS CAREER

The difference in character and con-
duct, seen in members OF the same fami
ly often. cannot. il seems. be accounted
for H,ads, wisu aud otherwise have
puzzled over the matter and-g'vcn itup.
u isa pity that il i so, at all events. 1t
places parental taith(ulucss at discount
in the view Of many, who jump to the
conclusion thst after all natural temper
amrnt and not ANYTHING received through
careful trimming governs the formation Of
character. Tde very excellence Of the
good part ofthe family make the pres.
cnco of the evil, wicked members the
greater source of grief aud arroganc,.
The folks in a farming community Of
h Ca. Pa, have had lately problem
of this kind to think over. There was
not more respectable aud worthy family
than that uc s. in all the vicinity
Their connections were numerous and
worthy, too. Their children grew Up,
helped their parents, worked away at
books aud farm duties as well as any 9th.
or children of the plac,--with one cxccp.
ton. II was E--,O youth yet in his
teens when crime hogan to bring its pen.
atty upon him. H. showed disregard
to truth and right Of property very early
and, rs consequence. onj,ycd brief
visit TO the Pcntcutiary before he was
seventeen. He came out worse than b
fore in morals, but little more shrewd.
Gambling was his secret trade aud horse.
trading, his open on. There was spos
near his house fifty termed "lIcll's H,l.
low, the resort Of all sorts or roughs in
former days, and not unknown to such
characters Of late; its lrcqucntcrs no
doubt had much to do with the ruin OF
E.
In his vanlcrings over the country one
day in search of customers, he fell in with
n stranger, named $, with whom
he succeeded in making an exchange Of
his own inferior animal for much bett
one. s. soon found out the false.
hood in the representations made and en-.
deavOred to trace out the defrSuder. Ills
inquiries were at length successful; as
was testified in court, one afternoon he
was directed by a ncighbor of tho s.
family 10 their house; he rode on and was
never seen again. The body of man
wss found, much drcayed, in pit out in
the woods attached to the farm aud what
same. thought were sufficient evidences
of identity ofthe body with s. and
also of death by violence, were discover
ed. One witness testified to seeing
horse stand tied to the fence in front Of
the house of the s. family for houls.
md the same or another witness testified 3
to the hearing Of two pistol-shots in the
woods referred to, that day. But still
much uncertainty hung over the whole
matter.
That very c'cning young F. START
rd upon journey. lie rode all night
but still rode leisurcly, stopping at day.
break at blacksmith shop TO have his
nrsc shod. lie had stepped upon fer
'y'boat that would soon have land
I'd him upon the soil of another State,
when an officer Of justice reached the
boat and arrested him. The poor sheriff
soon found that nrrcsting was a small part
Of the job; holding his prisoner was to be
his main task. He WAS lodged first in
the Jail of the county where the capture
took place, and even there rumors Of a |
rescue were floating. In taking him
thence to the county where the deed was
committed, they found II necessary to
tarry for the afternoon and evening at
tho little village ofP-. Unacount.
able reports were soon spreading that the
place was to he burned that night by
the friends of F. who would thus effect
his dclivcrancc. A strengthening fe-
male was seen 10 ride frequently through
the streets, suspieiousIy tarrying about
the house where the prisoner and his
guard were tabernaclcd.
The streets were patrolled all night
and its hours wore quietly away. The
guard pursued their journey next morn
ing in safety to its end.
Immense excitement attended the tra';
able advocates were retained on both
sides and, us usual, the most conflicting
testimony was produced. Persons thor 4
'ughly persuaded of the young mans
quilt, doubted the possibility of convic.
ion. The prisoner meanwhile watched
he proceedings with perfect coolness
hough with interest OF course; once on
y, when the fragment OF the skull, sup
'osed to indicate blow from ball, wns .
Produced in court, he became pale and
vas plainly much moved. He had some
title time before nearly succeeded in es- !
aping from the jail, and tina, bore G
gainst him. q
The verdict was "guiIty," and was
almly. stolidly listened to by E.. :
motion for new lrill on slight pre- 3
'xts was made, aud decision, adjourned &
} the next session; so sentence was not n
Zen pronounced. Ii
The Jail was new one, built Of stone
enormous expense, and supposed per-
'ctly safe. Yet 10 few weeks, the
ews spread that E. was gone. A D
'pe, hanging over the outer wall, served u
} show how he had escaped, but was ?
ore justly interpreted as a mere blind. &c
is afflicted mother, as rumor said had, c.
zen with him the day before and had u