National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-05-14
Circumstantial Evidence.

iliNetla few miles beyond Deale, in
Kent. He walked the journey, and
on his arrival at Deale, in the even
ing, behlg in,.eli iistiyued, and Also
troubled with bowel complaint,
he applied to the landlady of a pub.
lie house, who was acquainted with
his mother, for a nights lodging
Her house was full. and every bed
occupied; but she told him that if
he would sleep witg her uncle, who
had lately come ashore, and who
was boatswain of an Indiaman, he
should be welcome. He was glad
to accept the offer, and after spend
ing the evening with his new com
rade, they retired to rest. In the
middle of the night he was attacked
with his complaint. and awakening
his bedfellow. he asked him the way
to the garden. The bOatswain told
him to go through the kitchen, but
as he would find it difficult to open
the door into the yard, the latch be
| ing out of order, he desired him to
take a knife out of his pecket. with |
which he could raise tue latch. The |
young man did as he was directed,
and after remaining hearty half an
hour in the yard, he ret Urned to his
bed, but was much surprised to find
his companion had risen and gone.
Being impatient to visit his moth.
er and friends. he also rose before
day and pursued his journey, and
arrived home at noon.
The la ldlady who had been told
of his intention to depart early, was
not surprised; but not seeing her
uncle early in the morning, she
went to call him. She was dread
fully shocked to find the bed stained
with blood, and every inquiry after
her uncle in vain. The alarm now
became general, and on further ex.
animation, marks of blood were
traced from the bedroom into the
street; and at intervals down to the
the edge OF the pier head
Rumor was Immediately busy, and
suspicion fell, OF course, on the
. young man, who had slept with him
that he had committed the murder,
and thrown the body over the pier
into the sed. \ warrant was issued
against him, and he was taken that
evening at his mothers house. On
n his being examined and searched,
y marks of blood We're discovered Oh
his shirt and trowsers, and III his
- pocket were knife and a remark
able silver coin, both of which til,
landladv swore positively were hel
uncle's property, and that she saw
them in his possession on the even
ing he retired to rest with the young
man. On these strong crcumstan
ccs the unfortunately youth was tount
m guilty. He related all the above
ne circumstances in his defence; but a
he could not account for the marks
- of blood on his person, unless he go
them when he returned to the bed
nor for the silver coin being III HI
-. posscssion, his story, was not cred
tied. The certainty of the boat
swain's disappearance, ana the uloo'
at the per traced from his bedroom
,ts were two evident signs ofhiS havln
been murdered; and even the Judg
was so convinced of his guilt, tlt
he ordered the execution To tar
W. place in three days. At the iati
ion tree the youth declared his lnnt
ccncc, and persisted III 1t with sue
affecting asseveratlonS, that mai
piticd him, though none doubt'
the ius,ness OF his sentence.
The cXccu;ioners were not SO e
- merit at their trade as modern one
nor were drops aud plat forms lnve
? ted. The young man was very tal
cnr his feet sometimes touched u
op. ground, aud some OF his irleh
,ci. Who surrounded the gallows CO
MI; ,,mS trivcd to give the body some su
mort as it was suspended. All
I'VE. being cut down those friends spe'
ily bore il away in coffin, ana
the course Il few hours anlmatl
- was restored, and the innoce
saved. When he was able to mo-
X, his friends insisted on his qulttl
thc country and never returning
-- Tie accordingly Travelled hy nt
to Por,smou.aa, where he ente'
on board a n,.c of war, on the pc
Of sailing for u distant palc oi
-- world; and IA he changed his ma
and disguised his person, his mel
ING, choly story never was dlscoVe,
and After few years Of service, q
ing which his exemplary cond
was the cause of his promot
- through the lower grades, he
at last made q masters mate, I
r. his ship being paid of In the "
Indies, he with few more OF
crew. were transferred to ano'
- man of war, which had just arri
short of hands. What were his
). inps of astonishment and thci
delight aud ccstacy, when am
'e". the first person he saw on ID
within his new ship was the Identical !
or tho .wain for whose murder he had
,c,r, tried. convicted and executed,
Wo,sh Years before. Nor was the SUR
of the old boatswain m'ch less
u, on he heard the story.
An explanation of oil the III
bury, rious circumstances then took !
c'oecr' it appeared that the bcatswai''
Fair. been bled for pain IN hls slu
.... | IL