Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-02-26
MISCELLANEOUS.
[Frcm the CT cinnati Commercial Jan l7th.l
A STRANGE STORY.
Circumstantial Testimony,

Every man is interested in the faithful adj
mnistratiOn OF the law. and every case in
which its full vi gor has been expended should
be carefully scrutiniZCd-as when life is ta-
ken no remedy is left the State, and no rena-
ration can be made Markley was executed
at Frederick City, Maryland. in the Summer
OF 1880, for the murder of seven .pcrsors-
his uncle and aunt and three children his
aunt's father and mother. His guilt was SO
clearly established that no man in a populous
city and county doubted it, yet upon the gal
lows and for days before the execution. he
persisted III his innocence. The execution
was public, III the presence Of a very large
concourSc OF cltIZens-the attending clergy
man, after the rope was adjusted, returned to
the platform Mrec times, and each time re-
cclved the same answer, ~ never murdered
them, nor do know who did" This answer
was made known to the crowd each time and
not one human being present, but was con~
Vlnced, that to special cruelty, was added a
Stolidlty and stubbcrnness, never before man
ltestcd in man. His body was given to sur
geons as soon as removed from the galOws.
and IN an adjoining barracks (buit by the
English before the Revolution was publicly
d1sscctcd, in the presence Of number Of
physicians and medical students (of whom
the writer was oue), aud the entire day given
to anatomical demonstrations, by medical
gentlemen selected for that purpose No man
objected. no friend asked for the BODY. and
but one human being on earth then lived
who knew that Markley was innocent. and he
was silent then, but an important witness du-
ring the trial, no man will doubt the fairness
OF the trial when [ mention the fact that
Judges buchanan and Shriver, presided. and
the bar Of Frederick was second to none in
the Union james Dixon, Esq, was prosecu
tor and the SchIeys were the attorneys for de-
fence. The Chief Justice Buchanan, with
tears, asserted his full assent to the verdict of
guilty, and said that in n long life he had ncv
or heard so atrOciOus case.
We willsn detail prelminaries and give
the testimony OF one witness from whose
statements there could be but one conclusion,
and that of guilty.
Inc prisoner was an orphan. and BY the
Court was bound to his uncle for u term of
years: Ill the usual manner, to receive certain
education, and at his majority to have a Ger,
tain sum of money. The boy was indsposcd
to go to school, and was idle yet was not re-
gardcd as vicious. Living in the country.
and in family where every moral duty WIS
illustrated, and where kindness was the rul-
ing element, he had nearly completed his ap-
Prentlceship, without any spec al objection
being formed by his uncle or aunt. and pos
slbly had not TIE loss of thirty five dollars
been discovered and traced to the bov, all
would have gone on we'll until he had filed
the time Of his indenturcS This was the
youths only offence and alter full confession
was heartily forgiven, and as far as the family
knew, the fact was confined to themselves,
and almost forgotten. BY means as yet un-
known, the fact became known, and the un-
Gle was summoned before the grand Jury,
and was compelled to testify to the truth. and
IN despite OF his cntreatics that the affair
should be regarded as youthful indiscretion,
a'true bill for larceny" was found. the Eoy
arrested, thrown into jail and convicted and
sentenced to the penitentiary for three wears
lie was taken to the pcnitentiary. and not
wlthstandIng the most solemn assurances of
ms uncle and aunt, that they were not cul.
PaDle IN the exposure, and deeply sympathizcd
with hlm IN his punishment, he believed they
were not sincere, and said it was done TO avoid
the payment Of his s.treedom mopey." He
regarded them as his worst enemies, and rs
thcy were the only witnesses. sworc to be
avenged upon his discharge from prison. His
uncle could not make him comprehend the
uuty OF witness, and parted FROM him in
tears' not M re from the disgrace of the bov
than II IN the sorrow that he should feel as
he did toward family whose hearts bIed Mt
the misfortune of their relative Anxious To
disabuse his mind he visited the prison and
returned sorrowing that his nephew should
even after time should have modified his feel,
lnGs, still hold him responsible and to the last
threatened his life and that of his entire FINN
iiy He would be revenged, and it should
be summary, and sure. So frequently be-
fore his continemeut5in the penitentiary. were
these threats made as to be known to many
persons and every man from this naiphbor-
hood, who was permitted, by the rules of the
prison to visit NIarkley, heard from him the
same threats, and spoke Of them publicly. If
thc uncle ever entertained fears. he nn,.cr