The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-09-26
Cales, gkettbes, 9nrtOotcs, Et.
CIRCUMsTANFIAL EvTnENCE

/
to mastcr-sail-ma got leave to visit
his mother to spend the Christmas hoIi-
days, She lived few miles beyond Deal
IN Kent. He walked the journey, and on
his arrival at Deal in the evening, being
much fatigued and also troubled with the
bowel complaint, he applied to the land
lady of public house, who was unac-
quainted with his mother, for a NIGHTS
lodging Her house was full and every
bed occupied; but she told him that If
he would sleep with ber uncle who had
lately come ashore, and was boatswain of
an Indiaman, he should be wecome. He
was glad to accept the offer, and after
spending the evening with his new COM
rade they retired to rest
In the middle of the night he was at
tackled with his old complaint, and waking
his bedfellow, he asked him the way to
the garden. The boatswain told him TO
go through the kitchen; but as he would
find 1t difficult to open the door into the
yard, the latch being out of order, he de-
sired him to take knife out of his pocket
with which he could raise the latch. The
young man did as he was directed, and
after remaining nearly half an hour in the
yard, he returned to his bed, but was
much surprised to find that his old COM
panion had risen and gone. Being impa-
tlent to visit his mother and friends. he
also arose before day and pursued his
journey, and arrived at home at noon
The landlady, who had been told of his
intention to depart early, was not sur
prIsed; but not seeing her uncle in the
morning, she went TO call him. She was
dreadfully shocked to find the bed stained
with blood and every inquiry after her
uncle was in vain,
1he alarm now became general, and on
further examination, marks of blood were
traced from the bedroom into the street.
and at intervals down to the edge of the
pier head. Rumor was immediately busy.
and suspicion fell of course upon the Young
man who had slept with him, that he had
committed the murder and thrown the
body over the pier into the sea. A war
rant was issued for his arrest and lie was
taken, that evening, at his Taoiher's house.
On his being examined and searched,
marks of blood were discovered on his
shirt and trousers, and in his pocket was
knife and remarkable silver coin, both
OF which the landlady swore positively
were her uncle's properly, and that she
saw them in his possession on the evening
he retired to rest with the young man. On
these circumstances the youth was found
guilty.
lie related all the above particulars in
his defence; but as he could not account
for the blood on his person, unless lie got
them when he retired to bed, nor for the
silver coin being in his possession, his
story was not credited. The certainty of
the boatswain's disappearance, and the
blood at the pier, traced from his bedroom,
were supposed to be too evident signs that
he was murdered and even the Judge
was so convinced of his guilt that he or
dered his execution TO take place in three
days. AT the fatal tree the youth de-
clared his innocence, and persisted in it
with such affecting aseverations that many
pliied him, though none doubted the JUS
tice of his sentence.
The executioners of those DAYS were
not 50 expert at their trade as modern
ones, nor were drops or platforms invent
ed. The young man was very tall. His
feet sometimes touched the ground and
some Of his friends who surrounded the
Sallows, contrlved to give the body some
support as 1t was suspended. After being
cut down those friends bore it speedily
away in coffin, and in few minutes
animation was restored and the innocent
saved. When he was able to move his
friends insisted on his leaving the country
and never returning. He accordingly
Travelled by night TO Portsmouth, where
he entered on board man of war on the
point OF sailing 10 distant part of the
world +; and as he changed his name, and
disguised his person, his melancholy story
was never discovered. After a few wears
of service, during which lis exemplary
conduct was the cause of his promotion
through the lower grades, he was at last
made masters mate and the ship being
paid off in the West Indies, he and a few
more of the crew were transferred to an
other man-of-war which had just arrived,
short of hands, from a distant station.
What were his feelings of astonishment,
and then delight and ecstacy, when almost
the first person he saw on board was the
Identical boatswain, for whose murder he
had been tried, convicted and executed
five years before! Nor was the surprise
of the old boatswain less when he Eeard
the story.
An explanation of all the mysterious
circumstances then took place. 1t appear
ed that the boatswain had been bled for
a pain in the side, by barber, unknown
to his neice, on the same day of the young
mans arrival at D.; that when the young
man awakened him, and retired to the
yard, he found the bandage had come off
his arm during the night, and the blood
was flowing afresh. Being alarmed, be
rose to 90 to the barber. who lived across