Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1870-05-19
The Mysterious Highway.
man.

man.
The following strange narrativ.
appeared in a volume called ths
"Thsory OF Presumptive Proof,
published some sixty years since
and now not often met with:
A gentleman travelling to Hull
was stopped late in the evening
about seven miles short of thai
town, by q single highwayman,
with a mask on, who robbed him
of a purse containing twenty gum
cas-. The highwayman rode of
by a different road, full speed, and
the gentleman pursued his journey,
1t, however, growing late, and be
being already much frightened
and agitated at what had passed,
rode only two miles further, and
stopped at the Bell, a roadside
inn, kept by james Brunell. He
went into the kitchen to give di.
rections for his supper, when be
related to several persons present
his having been rocbbsd, to which
he addedthispeculiarc circumstance,
that when be travelled be always
gave his gold a particular mark /;
that every guinea in the purse he
was robbed of was so specially
marked, and probably the robber,
by that means, would be detected.
Supper being ready, he retired.
He had not long finished his re-
past when MIR. Brunell came into
the parlor. After the usual inqui-
ries OF landlords of hoping the sup
per and everything was to his lik-
ing, ETC., "Sir," says he, II under
stand that you have been robbed
not far hence this evening" 81
have, sir" "And that your mon
ey was marked Z" cit was" ga
circumstance has arisen which
leads me to think that l can point
out the robber." Indeed J"
"Pray, sir, what time in the even
ing was it ?''' 'It was just setting
in to be dark" "The time con-
firms my suspicion" Mr.. Bruneh
then informed the gentleman that
he had a waiter, one John Jen-.
nings, who had of late been SO
very full of money he had had
many words with him about it,
and had determined to part with
him on account of his conduct be-
ing SO suspicious that long before
dark that day he had sent him
out to change a guinea for him,
and that he had only come back
since he, the gentleman, was In
the house, saying he could not get
change; and that Jennings being
in liquor, he had sent him to bed,
resolving to discharge him in the
morning. That at the time he re-
turned him the guinea, he, Mr..
Brunell, did not think it was the
same which he had given him to
get silver for, having perceived a
mark upon this which he was very
clear was not upon the other; but
that, nevertheless he should have
thought no more of the matter, as
Jennings had SO frequently gold
of his own in his pocket, had be
not afterwards heard-for he was
not present when the gentleman
was in bis kitchen relating it
the particulars of the robbery, and
that the guineas which the high
wayman had taken were all
marked that, however, a few
minutes previously to his having
heard this, he had unluckily paid
away the guinea which Jennings
returned him to man who
lived some distance of and was
gone but the circumstance struck
him so very strongly that he could
not, as an honest man, refrain
from giving this information.
Mr.. Brunell was thanked for
his attention and public spirit. !
There was the strongest reason for
suspecting Jennings ; and il, on
searching him, any of the marked
guineas should be found, as the
gentleman could swear to them,