The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-06-16

but il would have been difficult to paint |
their CONSERVATION on perceiving person |
weltering in his blood in the bed, and a
man stading over him, with a dark |
lantern in one hand and a knife in the |
other. The man seemed as petrified as
themselves, but his expression carried |
with it all the terror of guilt. The gen
tlemen soon discovered that the victim
was the stranger with whom they had that
night supped, and the man standing over
them was their host. They seized Brad
ford directly, disarmed him of the knife,
and charged him with being the murderer.
By this time he had recovered his COM
posture, assumed an air OfiDnOcence, posi-
lively denied the crime, and asserted that
he came there with the same humane in
tentiOns as themselves Hearing a noise,
he said, which was succeeded in deep
grOaning, he got out of bed, struck light,
and had only entered the room a minute
or two before them.
These assertions were Of little avail he
was kept in close custody till the morning,
and then taken before a neighbOring JUS
tice of the peace. He still resolutely de-
MED the crime, but nevertheless with
such an apparent indication of guilt that
the Justice made use of an extraordinary
expression on writing out his mittimus-
"Mr. Bradford, either you or myself COM
mitted this murder"
This extraordinary affair naturally be-
came the conversation of the whole county.
| Bradford was tried and condemned over
and over again in every company. In the
midst Of all this predetermination came
the assizes at Oxford. Bradford was
brought to trial. He pleaded " not guilty"
| Nothing could be more conclusive than
the dispositions of the two gentlemen.
| They testified to the finding of Mr.. Hayes
murdered in his bed; Bradford at the side
of the body with light and knife; the
| knife and the hand which held 1t bloody /;
on entering the room ne betrayed ali the
| signs of a guilty man. and few moments
before they had heard the groans OF the
| deceased.
Bradford's defense on his trial was the
same as before the gentlemen. tie had
heard a noise; he suspected that some
villainy was transacting; he struck a
/ light he snatched knife, the only
weapon near him, to defend himself; and
+! the terrors he discovered were merely
those of humanity, the natural effects of
innocence as well as guilt, on behOlding
such a horrid scene.
But this defence was considered weak,
contrasted with the powerful circum-
stances against him. Never was circum-
stantial evidence more conclusive. There
was little need of comment from the
Judge ia summing up the case. No room
or plea appeared for extenuatiOn. The
Jury brought in the prisoner guilty with
out ever going out of the box. Jonathan
Bradford was executed in due course OF
law, still declaring that he was not the
murderer, nor privy to the murder of Mr.
Hayes; but he died unpitied and disbe-
lieved by all.
Yet were these assertions not untrue.
The murder was actually committed by
Mr.. Hays footmsn, who Immediately on
stabbing his master Iifed his breeches
pockets OF his money, gold watch, and
snuff box, and escaped unobserved to his
own room. This could scarcely have been
five minutes before the entrance OF Brad
ford into the unfortunate mans chamber.
The world owes this knowledge to re-
morse Of conscience in the real delinquent
eighteen years after the execution oil
Bradford, on bed of sickness. 1t was q
death bel repentance, and by the death
the law lost its due victim. 1t seems
strange that as the two gentlemen had
distinctly heard Mr. Hays say he had a
large sum of money with him, they did
not search his clothes to see if it had been
distracted, and at the same time examine
the person of Bradford to detect the PUN
der in his possession. If it was on him
Its absence would have been point in
!. mis- favor, which ought not to have been
overlooked
1t would be more satisfactory if this &C
| count could close here; but it cannot
/ Bradford, though innocent, and not &
party to the murder for which ne suffered
the extreme penalty of the law, was, never
f theless, the murderer in design. lie haC
| heard, IS well as his footman, what Mr.
? Hayes had said as 90 his having a larg
4 sum Of money about him, and he went t.
[ the chamber with the same diabolical in
: tentions as the servant. He was strucl
/ with amazement! He could not belieV
/ his senses; but, in turning back the be-
I clothes to assure himself of the fact, he, il
D his agitation, dropped the knife on tn
| bleeding body, by which both bis han
r ard the weapon became bloody. Thes
r circumstances he acknowledged to th
: clergyman who attended him after hi
sentence.