Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1866-06-14
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.

III oNiOlb hSiJI Slil I'LL III NJA-
fordshire, OH the London road to Oxford.
He bore respectable character Mr..
Hayes, gentleman of fortune, being on
his way TO Oxford on a visit to relation.
put up at Bradfords. He there Joined
company with two gentlemen, with whom
he supped and in conversation unguarded-
ly mentioned that he had then about him
considerable sum of money. In due
time they retired to their respective cham
bers: the gentlemen 10 two-bedded
room, leaving, as is customary with many,
a candle burning in the chimney-corner.
Some hours after they were in bed, one of
the gentlemen being awake, thought he
heard deep groan in an adjoining cham
ber; and this being repeated, he softly
awoke his friend. They listened together,
and the groans increasing as of one dying
ceeded silently to the door of the next
chamber, from which the groans had
seemed TO come. The door being ajar,
they saw light in the room. They en-
tered, but it is impossible to paint their
CONSERVATION on perceiving a person wal
tering in his blood in the bed, and man
standing over him, with dark lantern in
one hand and and knife in the other
The man seemed as much petrifed as
themselves, but his terror carried with it
all the appearance of guilt. The gentle
men soon discovered that the murdered
person was the stranger with whom they
had that night supped, and that the man
who was standing over him was their host.
They seized Bradford directly, disarmed
him of his knife, and charged HIM with
being the murderer. He assumed by this
time the air of innocence, positively deni-
ed the crime, and asserted that he came
there with the same humane intentions as
themselves for that, hearing noise,
which was succeeded by groaning, he
got out of bed, struck light, armed him
self with knife for his defense, and had
but that minute entered the room before
them. These assertions were of little
avail he was kept in close custody till
the morning, and then taken before
neighboring justice Of the peace. Brad
ford still denied the murder, but with such
apparent indications Of guilt, that the jus
tice hesitated not to make use of this eX-
traordinary expression on writing his nit
timus, ''AIr. Bradford, either you or my
self committed this murder -
This remarkable affair became a topic
of conversation to the whole country.
Bradford was condemned by the general
voice of every company. In the midst of
all this predeterminatian, came on the as
sizes at Oxford. Bradford was brought
to trial; he plead not guilty. Nothing
could be stronger than the evidence OF the
two gentlemen. They testified to the
finding Mr. Hayes murdered in his bed,
Bradford at the side of the body with
light and IA knife, and that knife in the
hand which held it, bloody They stated
that, but a few minutes proceeding, they
had heard the groans of the deceased.
Bradfords defence on his trial was the
same as before: he had heard noise; he
suspected that some vilainly was transac-
ting he struck light, snatched up the
Knife, the only weapon on hand, to defend
himself. and entered the room of the de-
ceased. He averred that the terrors he
betrayed were merely the feelings natural
to innocence, as we'll rs guilt, on seeing SO
horrid a scene The defense, however,
could not but be considered as weak, con-
trasted with the several powerful circum-
stances against him. Never was circum-
stantial evidence 50 conclusive no room
appeared for extenuation and the prison.
er was declared guilty by the jury without
their even leaving the box.
Bradford was executed shortly after
still declaring that he was not the murder
er. nor privy to the murder, of MIR. Hayes !;
but died disbelievied by all.
Yet were these assertions not untrue
The murder was actually committed by
the footman of Mr.. Hayes; and the as
sassin. Immediately on stabbing his mas
ter, rified his pockets of bis money, gold
watch. and snuff box, and then escaped
back 10 his own room. This could scarce
ly have been affected, as after-clrcumstan-
ces showed, more than two seconds be-
fore Bradford's entering the unfortunate
pentIeman's chamber. The world owes
this information to remorse OF conscience
on the part of the footman eighteen
months after the execution of Bradtord)
when laid on a bed of sickness. 1t was
a death repentance, and by that death the
law lost its victim.
It were to be wished that this account
could close here but there is more told.
Bradford though innocent OF the murder,
and not even privy to it, nevertheless a
murderer in design. He had heard, as
well as the footman, what Mr. Hayes had
declared at supper, as to the having sum