Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1866-06-16
Circumstantial Evidence.
BRADFORD, The INN.REEPER

| Oeluk vi MS way 10 OAIOru on a visit
tQ a relation, put up at Bradf9rd's. He
there plned company with two gentle,
men, with whom he supped, aud in con,
yersatlon unguardedly mentioned that
he had then about him a considerable
sum of money. 10 dye time they re,
tired to their respective chambers; the
gentlemen to two,bedded room, Ieav
ing, as is customary with many, can.
die burning in the chimney cornor
Some hours after they were IN bed, Que
Of the gentlemen being awake thought
no heard deep groan in an adjoining
chamber and thus being repeated, be
softly awoke his friend They listened
together, ard the groans increasing as
one dying aud ip pain, they both instant.
J arose, and pF0ceeded silently to the
door of the next ehfmber, from which
the gloaus had ceased to come. The
door being anr they saw a light in The
room. They entered, but it is impoa-
sible 10 paint their CONSERVATION on
pelcelying a pergon Yeltering in bis
blood in the bed, and a man standing
over him with dark lantern in one
hand aud knife 10 the other The
man seemed as much petrifed as them,
selves, but bis terror carried with ii all
the appearance Of guilt. The gentle
men soon discovered that the murdered
person was the stranger with whom they
had supped that night and that the man
who was standing over bim wag their
host. They seized Bradford directly,
disarmed him of bis knife, and charged
him with being the murderer lie as,
sumcd by this time the air of Innocence,
positively denied the crime, and assert
ed that he came there with the same
humane intention with themselves for
that, hearing the noise which was sue
cfeded by groaning, he got out Of bed
struck light, armed himself with a
knife for his defense, aid had but that
minute entered be room before them
These assertions were of little avail: he
was kept in close custody till the morn
ing, and then taken before a neighbor,
ing justice of the peace Bradford sill
denied the murder, but with such appa,
rent indications ofguilt that the justice
hesitated not to make use Of this extra
ordinary expression on writing hDs mlt,
tiuus, M. Bradford, either you or
mySe If committed this murder"
This remarkable affair became top.
of conversation to the whole country.
Bradford wae co by the genes
raj voice of every company, 10 the
midst of all this predetermiuati.n, came
on the as,izes Of Oxford Bradford
was brought to trial he pleaded not
guilty Nothing could be stronger thar
the evidence cf tie two gentlemen,
They testife to the fl, ding Mr.. Hayes
murdered in his bed, Bradford at the
,ide of The body with a light and knife,
nd that kniIe u ths Aapd which he'd
it, bloody They stated thai. on their
entering The room, he betrayed all the
signs OF guilty man and that but o
few minutes preceding, they had heard
the groaus of the deceased.
BradfOrd's defence GU his trial was
the same as before. be had heard n
noise he suspected that some villalny
was tlan'aCting; be struck light
atohed up the knifr, the only weapon
at hand, to defend himself apd entered
the room of the decrasel. He agerred
that the terrors he betrayed were mere
| " Inc feelings natural to Innocence, as
we as guilt, on seeing so horrd a scene
The defense, however, could not be con
sdered but as weak, contrased With the
several p wertul circumstances against
him. Never was circumstantlal eyl'
dence SO strong no room appeared for
extenuation and the prisoner was de-
clared guilty by the jury without their
even leaving the box.
Bradford was executed shortly after
still declaring that he was not the mur
derer nor privy to the murder, of MIR
uayes but be died disbelieved by all
= Yet were these assertions true! 1h'
murder was actually committed by the
footman Of Mfr. Hayes; ard the assassin
Immediately on stabbing his master RI
fed his pockets Of bis money, geld wGtcl
and snulf,box, and then escaped back II
his own room. This could scarcely hav'
been effected, as after circumstance
showed, more than two seconds be'ol'
Bradford's entering the untortunae
J Oeptleman's chamber, The world owe
his information to remOrSe of couselenc
! on the part of the footman lelgntee,
months after the exception of Bradford
. when laid on bed of sickness. 1t wa
/, a death repeptsnce, and by that deaf
the law lost its victim.
: Il were to be wished that this accopr
: could close here but there is more 'olC
d Bradford, though innocent OF the mul
a der, and not even privy to it, was neV
!: ertheIess murderer ip design. lie o. ia
: beald, as we'll as the fOOtmaO' what MI "
!. HAYES bud declared at supper Es to IN
i having a SUN of money about him an
!. Se pTq Wenl to the chamber Of the deccaste
d With the same dreadful intentions IS %
:. servant. He was struck with amaa'
: ment on beholdiBg himself anticipate
IS in the crime He could not believe D
ii senses Sc @ and 10 turning back the ,Oe'
.. Globes to assure himself Of the tact' !
'' IN in Ms agitation dropped his knife on on !
4. blsedi6e body, BY which means P2tA !
hands and The weapon became blood
These circumstances Bradford acknoS y
\. .ha elarpyman Who atteh0