Litchfield enquirer., 1872-04-11

citement, when chaise and four drove rapidly up to the hotel, and out tumbled Johnson the constable. His ta1ewas soon told. On the previous evening, the land lady of the Black Swan, 6 roadside pub- hc house about four miles distant from the scene of the murder, reading the name of Pearce in the report of the trial in the Sunday county paper. sent for Johnson.to state that that person had on the fatal evening called and left q port. manteau in her charge, promising to call for 1t in an hour, but had never been there since. On opening the portmanteau, Will sons watch, chains and seals and other property, were discovered in it ]; and John son had, as soon as it was possible, set off in search of me. Instantly, for there was not moment to spare, l, in company with Armstrong's counsel, sought the judge, and with some difficulty obtained from him formal order to the sheriff to suspend the execution till further orders
 Off I and the constable started, and hap fly arrived in time to stay the execution, and deprived the already assembled mob of the brutal exhibition they so anxiously awaited. On inquiring for Mary Strug- nell, we found that she had absconded on the evening of the trial. All search for her proved vain. -E -..
 Five months had passed away; the fate of Armstrong and his wife was still unde- clded, when a message was brought to my chambers in the Temple from wo- man said to be dying in St. Bartholomews Hospital. It was Mary Strugnell; who, when in state of intoxication, had fallen down in front of carriage, as she was crossing near Holborn Hill, and had both her legs broken. She was dying misera- bly,, and had sent for me to make a full confession relative to Wilson's murder. Armstrong's account was perfectly correct. The deed was committed by Pearce, and they were packing up their plunder when they were startled by the unexpected re- turn of the Armstrongs. Pearce, snatch 1 ing up bundle and 8 portmanteau, es- capped by the window; she had not nerve enough to attempt it, and crawled back to her bedroom, where she, watching the doings of the farmer through the chinks of the partition which separated her room from the passage, ,concocted the story which convicted the prisoners. Pearce thinking himself pursued, too heavily encountered for rapid flight, left the portmanteau as described, intending to call for it in the morning, if his fears proved groundless He, however, had not courage to risk call ing again, and made the best of his way to London. He was now in Newgate un- der sentence of death for burglary, &C., companied by personal violence to the in
 mates of the dwelling he and his gang had entered and robbed. took care to have the deposition of the dying wretch put in- to proper form; and the result was, after 8 great deal of petitioning and worrying of authorities,a full pardon for both Arm strong and his wife. They sold Craig Farm, and removed to some other part of thu. the country. where, I never troubled my be able at last to wash my hands of an af- fair, which had cost me so much anxiety and vexation; albeit the lesson it afforded me of not coming hastily to conclusions, even when the truth seems, as it were, upon the surface of the matter, has not been, trust, without it's uses,