Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-08-18


crime for which was to be hanged
by the neck until | was dead, in ten
days after the trial. They moved
heaven and earth to obtain commu-
tatiou of my sentence, and, after a
great deal of trouble they succeeded.
At the time of which [ speak there
was in England a temporary, but very
strong reaction against capital pun
ishment. | cannot recollect all the
circumstances Of the case, but, in a
trial for murder, two men had been
condemned to death and duly exc
cuted, and, shortly after they had been
hanged by the neck until they were
dead, their supposed victim made his
appearance, well and hearty. The
public press took up the question of
not hanging upon Giroumotantial evi-
dence, and | benefited to the extent
of my life by the temporary excite
ment. | was respited and condemn
ed to transportation for life, and very
shortly afterward5-for in those days
transportation was in full swing
found myself on my way out to Van
Diemen'S Land, a convict lifer.
"For seven long fears, gentlemen,
did | undergo this punishment for a
crime Of which | was perfectly inno-
cent. CuriouSly enough, the man who
really had murdered poor Strange,
, as he afterward confessed, went out
in the same ship with me, condemned
to seven years transportation for
, burglary. He must have heard me
tell my story and declare my inno-
cence over and over again; for in the
colony we worked long time to-
| gether in the same gang. He was
! afterwards assigned TO a master who
/ lived near the prison where | had to
slave out my time, as in those days
'HterS, whose sentence had been com.
mated for capital punishment, were
never allowed to leave the chain
, gangs. But, after three years III Van
} Dieman's Land, this real murderer
took t. his old trade of burglary
} To avoid being captured, he fled tC
the bush, and on party OF police
: being sent after the band to which he
5 belonged, he shot a constable In colo
blood. He was captured, sentenced
t to be hanged by the neck until he wa,
0 dead, and Two days before his eXecu
Il ton confessed that he had murdered
: at Southampton. person II calleC
It Strange, for which offence another
d man mad been sentenced to death.
5 His statement was taken down
e and it W, exact. 1t appeared tina
a he had been hidden for several hour
5 ID the inn, intending to steal whateve
e he could lay his hands on. Early il
'I.-- -e,....;ats ha h..A found his va
/, lnto poor Strange's room, hoping u
IS pick up something before the hou6
Y was a5tlr. But his entrance awok
t, Strange, who struggled for a few mil
n uteo with him, and kept hold Of hin
d The razor which had lent Strang
III being still lying on the bed, he mul
a. deTed his victim with it, and then pu
it it into otrange's hand, in order t
lie make it appear that he had committe
ID suicide. He secured the watch, th
ID pugse and the bank notes of the mul
n deNd man, and stole out of the nous,
le locking the door of the bedroom 0
il the outside, and hiding the key
ID He declared that he had got int
)r StraugeS room before | left th
it house, and that, for some time afte
Is his fear was lest l should come bacl
E. Had l done so, the murder would, /
at all probability, have been prevented
le when the statement made by th
he convict nad been duly verified, an
C. when certain references had bee
10 made to the Home authorities, wa
lp duly liberated. That is to say, gel
:e, tlemen, | obtained the royal pardo
as for having committed crime which
ly never committed. And very sensib
ne | am, gentlemen, OF the royal clemel
to cy. Though it seems odd"
to "AIl tickets, gentlemen, all tickets
D. The train had reached the ticket pla
lg form at VauXhalI.
as "Ah, yes!' said the little old gel
a tIeman, producing his, "mines R
a turn Ticket; but it had very nea
i'd ly been otherwise ALL the Yeo
er Round.