The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-26

than hour. / paid my share of the bill, for I in
fenced starting early went up stairs found Strange
issl asleep, ana went to bed myself. Next morn.
ing was called stfye, packed my bag, swallowed
cup OF coffee, and in half an hour was on my
way to London. On leaving the inn
told the porter that my companion was
asleep, ana that as he was only going by
the ten O'Clock coach to Brighton, they need
not call him yet / should not forget to tell
| you that, while was dressing in the morning.
strange awoke, and that we shook hands over our
| dispute OF the previous day. We moreover agreed
10 change our plans, and Strange was to meet me
IN London on the next day. AS was closing nv
carpet bag he asked me to lend him one Of nv
razors; a thing which had the greatest objec.
non 70 lior II | am particular about any thing |
possess, it is about my rszors) but, having Just
made up my difference with him, could hardly
refuse him small favor.
| The days am writing Of were before railways
nsd EXTENDED toSouthampton. Leaving the latter
place at half-past five in the morning. il was half
past six in the evening before got to town. went
10 bed, got up next day, and, while was sitting
AZ breakfast with my wife, our servant told me
mat Two gentlemen wished to speak to me.
| went down TO see them, and before | could open
| my mouth to ask them what thew wanted. fonnd
myself with handouts on, arrested for the murder
! Of Edward Strange.
| 1t seems that, finding Strange did not come
down by hslfpast nine, the porter went up to call
him. he found the door locked but no kew in il.
| Alter knocking some time on the outside, the
door was broken open, and poor Strange was
found, with his throat cut from ear TO ear, and
razor IN his hand. The KEY of the door was after.
wards found in the coffee room under the verv
| beneh on which had sat to drink nv Gun of
| coffee before starting.
:" l was brought before the magistrate at Bow
street. the next morning, and was by him sent
down TO Southampton to await the result of the
eoroDers inquest upon my partner. The verdict
was wi liul murder, and, after commitment by the
magistrate TO The sessions. was put on my trial
LOT my HE al Winchester.
" The trial lasted Only a few hours II mas
fuly proved that Strange and myself had quar-
relied and had high words the night before ard
maj hsd SAD did not care how soon he died,
so mat could recover the money l had lent him.
A great deal was made of the fact that by
SraDge's death j should be entitled TO the insn.
rance upon his life to the amount of two thousand
pounds, by which should be a clear gamer of
one thousand two hundred.
q" IL was further shown that the razor found
IN poor Suange's hand was mine, and three
medical men declared the conviction that.
although that instrument was undoubtedly
used TO Bull the dead man, it must have been
placed in his hands after death. Moreover. there
were not only evident marks of a struggle abont
the bed and bedclothes, but Strange's throat was
cut from right to left, which no one could have
done unless be had been lefthanded man. which
Strange was not. Then, again, the fact of the
bedroom door being locked, and the kew hid close
TO where had breakfssted, told fearfuly against
me. IL was clear that Strange could not by any
possibility have cut his throat and then locked
the oOor Uf his room on the outside. Ii was at.
tempted by my counsel to throw discredit upon
TINS part OF the evidence. The learned gentle.
man tried very hard to elicit something which
might even lead the Jury to imagine that the |
door mad been locked after the murder and that |
some person unknown had unknowingly let |
the Key drop in the coffee room. But it was of |
no avail whatever. IL was clearly proved III at |
the key bad been inside the door when / went |
up to bed, and that it had never been seen /
sgaln until it was found in the coffee room. |
MY defense tried very hard to make out that
GFT HlyA1v "a II
have been in the house on that day. but all of No
use. AS the trial went on, even l. who knew INV
innocence, could not help allowing TO myself that
the evidence, though purely circumstantial was
very strong against me. The only points in nv
favor were. that, on the day of the murder was
supposed TO have committed, travelled IN 70
London, and had not the least appearance Of a
man who had anything on his mind. Again.
strange was known to have had on his person
GOD watch, and purse containing a few soye.
relgns and twenty fve-pOund notes. the numbers
OF which latter were ascertained at the bank at
southampton, where he had procured them in ex.
ehHange Ior bank post bill. The watch had been
taken, and was never traced the sovereigns had
also disappeared; but the bank notes had been
exchanged at the Bank Of England on the day
after the murder, and before |, as fully
with any one in London. OF this last point |
my counsel made the most, but it did not
help me much, if anything. The iQry
and, after celebrating about half an
through |
their foreman, that was guilty of the wilful muir
der of Edward Strange.
Gentlemen, man who has gone through that
ordeal-who has heard the jury pronounce him
su.ty OF capital crime, and heard the Judge pass
sentence of death upon him-a man. say, gentle
men, who has gone through that ordeal and still |
ives 10 tell the tale, may Tor am presumptuousO
BE looked upon as man who has really gone
hfough what, In these days, would be called a |
sensational time. heard every word the foreman
u The jury said. and found myself wondering
Rhat The Judges black cap-of which every one
las heard, but few have seen would be like, |
Iben was In kind of dream for time, until
leafd Inc words condemning me to be hanged by |
be neck until was dead. A sensational effect |
pon me- gentlemen, or am presumptuous? And
VII you favor me- sir, with light?
" In spite OF appearances" said the little old
Gentleman, smoking with exceeding relish, INV
rlends did not believe me to be guilty of the fear.
al crime for which | was to be hanged by the
eek until was dead, in ten days after the trial.
hey moved heaven and earth to obtain a commu.
4uon OF my sentence, and, after a great deal of
rou6e, they succeeded. At the time of which I
peak, there was in England temporary but
cry strong, reaction against capital punishment
cannot recollect all the circumstances of the t
ase out IN trial for murder two men had been |
ondemned to death and duly executed, and.
lOrtly after they had been hanged by the neck I
ntll they were dead, their supposed victim made a
Is apFeaance, well and hearty. The public press g
'ok up the question of not hanging upon circum. | Il
sntial evidence, and benefited to the extent of C
y life by the temporary excitement. | was re. \
1lted, and condemned to transportation for life, ,
40 very shortly afterwards-for in those days ;
snsportstlon was in full swing-found myself on b
y way TO Van Diemen's Land, a convict lfer' 3
FOR seven long years, gentlemen, did | uu- il
Ergo TINS punishment for a crime Of which was II
srfecty innocent. Curiously enough, the man g
no really had murdered poor Strange, as he o
forwards confessed went out in the same shin 81
ith me, condemned to seven years. transports. | il
IN for burglary. BE must have heard me tell 81
y story aud declare my innocence over and "
er again Tor IN the colony we worked long O.
ne together in the same gang He was after
ARDS assigned to master who lived near the | r.
ison where l had TO slave out my time as 10 fl
ose days lfers,' whose sentence had been com. Is
1'ed for capital punishment were never allowed q
leaVe the chain gangs But, after three years | OF
Van Dienan's Lana, this real murderer took to | a
old trade of burglary. To avoid being cap. to
red. he fed to the bush, and, on a party of DO. al
e being sent after the band to which he be- cl
oged' be shot constable in cold blood He "a
Is captured sentenced to be hanged by the W
OK until ne was dead, and, two DAYS before his by