Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-03-12

AHbh hug guinea WHICH ne MSS
very clear was not upon the other
but that, nevertheless, he should
have thought no more Of the mat
ter, as Jennings had so frequently
gold Of his own in his pocket, had
he not afterwards heard-for he
was not present when the gentle
man was in his kitchen relating It
particulars of the robbery,
and that the guineas which the
highwayman had taken we're all
marked that, however, a few min
utes previously TO bis having
heard this, he had unluckily paid
away the guinea which Jennings
returned 10 him to the man who
lived some distance of and was
gone; but the circumstance struck
MIN 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 if,
on reaching him, any OF his mark
ed guineas should be found, as
the gentleman could swear to
them, there would then remain no
doubt. 1t was now agreed to go
softly up to his room Jennings
was fas t asleep, his pockets we're
searched, and from one of them
was drawn forth q purse contain.
ing exactly nineteen guineas.
Suspicion now became demon
strated, for the gentleman de
clared them to be id~entically those
OF which he he'd been robbed.
Assistance was called, Jennings
was awakened, dragged out of
bed, and charged with robbery
He denied it firmly, but circum.
stances were too strong to gain
him belief. He was secured that
night, and the next day carried
before a neighboring Justice Of
the Peace. The gentleman and
Burnell deposed to the facts on
oath; and Jennings having no
proofs, nothing but mere ssser-
tons Of innocence to oppose
them, which obtained no credit,
was committed to take his triat
at the next asslzes.
The prisoners master, Mr..
Brunell, deposed to the fact,
fact, as to sending the pris-
oner to change a guinea, and Of
his having brought him back q
marked one In the room of the
one he had given him unmarked.
He also gave evidence as to the
finding Of the purse, and the nine
teen marked guineas in the pris-
oncr's pocket. And what con-
summated the proof, the man to
whom Mr.. Brunell paid the guinea
produced the same, and gave tes-
timony to his having taken it that
night in payment from the pris-
oner's master. Mr.. Brunell gave
evidence TO his having received Of
the prisoner that guinea, which he
afterward paid to this last wit
ness. And the prosecutor, com
pairing 1t with the other nineteen
found in the pocket of the pris-
oner, swore to its being, to the
best Of bis belief. one of the
twenty guineas Of which he had
been robbed by the highwayman.
The Judge, on summing up the
evidence, remarked to the Jury on
all concurring circumstances
against the prisoner and the Jury
on this strong circumstanclal eyi.
dence, without going out of the
court, brought in the grisoner
guilty. Jennings was executed
some little time after at Hull, re.
peatedly declaring his innocence
to tie very moment of being
turned off. This happened in the
year l742.
Within a twelve months after,
10! Brunnell, jennings master,
was himself taken up for a rob.
berry done on a guest in his own
house; and the fact being PROV
on on his trial, he was convicted
and ordered for execution. The
approach Of death brought on
repentance, and repentance, con.
tession. Brunell not only &C.
knowledged the committing of
many highway robberies for some
years past, but the very one for
which poor Jennings had suffered.
The account he gave, was that
he arrived at home by a nearer
way nd swilter riding, sometime
before the gentleman got in who
had been robbed. That he found
a man waiting to whom he owed a
little bill, and that not having
quite enough loose money in his
pocket, he took out of the purse
one guinea, from the twenty he
had got possession of, to make
up the sum, which he paid, and
the man went away. Presently
came in the robbed gentleman,
who, while Brunell had gone into
the stable, and not knowing of his
arrival, told his tale, as before
related, in the kitchen. The gen.
tleman had only just left the
kitchen when Brunell entered it,
and beinO there informad