The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-09-24
i" THE DEAD ALIVE"
BY CHRISTIAN REID.

THERE are many instances on record
of the temperance of men supposed to
be dead, after judicial murder had been
committed on the persons of those sus-
pected of their death. One of the most
remarkable of these cases occurred in
England, in 1860.
On the 9th of August, in that year, one
William Harrison, the steward Of a
wealthy lady in Worcestershire, mystic
riously disappeared He had left home
in order to collect rents; so, when days
and weeks passed without his returning
or anything being heard Of him, suspi-
cion of robbery and murder became rife
among his friends. In the neighborhood
there lived a poor family, consisting of
mother and two sons-Perry by name
of whom the mother bore but an indif-
ferent character and one Of the sons was
half-witted. 1t is supposed that the
numerous reports which were in circula-
ton with regard to Harrison unsettled
what brain this poor idiot had, for he
actually went before a Justice Of the
Peace and deposed to the murder of Har
rison by his brother, while his mother and
himself looked on, and afterward Joined
in robbing him. On this testimony the
three were arrested, and, at the follow
ing assizes, doubly indicted for robbery
and murder The presiding Judge, Sir
Charles Turner, refused TO try them on
the murder indictment, as the body had
not been found; they were, however, ar
raigned on the charge Of robbery, and
pleaded guilty. on vague impression
that their lives would be spared. While
in prison, John (the half-wir persisted
in the charge he had made adding that
his mother and brother had attempted to
poison him for pcaching. At the next
assizes Sir Robert Hyde, in considera
ton OF the non-appearance Of Harrison,
tried them for the murder. On this trial
John retracted the accusation, declared
that he was mad when he made il. and
knew not what he said Those were.
however, the good old days" when
stealing penny loaf, or the presumption
of having stolen penny-loaf, was cap
ital offense in England, and when
Wrefches hanged that jurymen might dine"
The mother and both the sons were
sentenced TO death, and died protesting
their innocence
After these poor victims of ignorance
had lain in the grave for three years the
murdered Harrison suddenly reappcared
on the streets of Gloucester, Ia a letter
to Sir Thomas Oyerbury he accounted
for his long absence by stating that On
returning home after the receipt of the
rents he was set upon by gang Of
crlmps, who forced him to the sea-shore.
where they hurried him on ship-board
and carried him off to Turkey There
they SOLD him as slave to physician,
with whom he lived for nearly two years,
when, his master dying, he made his es,
cape in a Hamburg vessel to Lisbon
and was thence conveyed to England
Blame in this instance could not pos
sibly attach TO the missing steward but
what can we think of the heroine Of an
other story-an heiress whose uncle was
at once her guardian and her heir-at law
One day when he was correcting her for
some offense she was heard to say.
Good uncle, do not kill me-" after
which she could not be found; where
upon the uncle was committed on suspi
cion of murder and admonished by the
justices Of the assiZe TO find out the
child by the next assizes Against this
time, having failed to find her. he
brought another child like her in wears
and person, appareled like the missing
heiress; but, on examination, she was
found not to be the true child Upon these
Prescriptions (Which were considered to
be as strong as facts that appear in the
broad face of day. he was found guilty
and executed But the truth was that
the child, having been beaten. had RIM
away and af,cIwaiu, when she came of
age to have her land, appeared and de-
manded it and was directly proved to be
the true heir
Nothing is more remarkable in these
cases than the facility with which jurors
convic ed and judges condemned on the
slightest possible grounds of evidence.
One sickens as one reads, for we cannot
forget that, in the agony of degradation
which accompanies judicial murder, it is
far more terrible than that which leaves |
reputation stainless, though ii takes life |
How much innocent blood cries to God |
from sea olds which have been erected
n q n nf Ire
know "till the secrets of all hearts shall |
be revealed" and those who have con
demned shall stand before that mighty |
Judge whom no influence can corrupt |
nor prejudice mislead Ii would be pos
sible to multiply greatly these examples,
but there is only space for one more
that Of a curious case in Gibralter, which. |
says Mr.. Phillips, shows how ineffect- |
lively the romancist, even when his mag |
ination is strained to the utmost. can |
portray the extremes of passion to which |
human nature is susceptible" 1t is of |
later date than any of the others, having
occurred in the year 1S41
At that time a respectable merchant
named James Baxwell lived in Gibralter.
lie had removed thither in early life
from London, principally because he was
Of the same religious faith as the people |
Of his adopted country-in other words,
4 Catholic For many years he occupied |
a small dwelling near the base of Mount
st. Michael, SO renowned for its caves
md crystallizations. He carried on
traffic in all articles of British
manufacture introduced into Spain, ac-
luiring, indeed, a very considerable for
.une in this way. All the country knew
hat he had large amount of treasure
ylng by him, not to speak of the capital
belonging to him which was embarked
u commerce. His name was one Of
Tcdit in all the principal houses Of ex-
change in Europe.
Desiues his wealth, he had an only
aaugnter OF remarkable loneliness. The
p'cul1ar charm of English and Spanish
beauty were combined in her to an IN
usual degree, and she had been for SOW.
eral years an object of devoted adm;ro
ion to all the youths of Gibra,ter a.
church they devoured her with tbe;r
eyes, aud many thought that hannv
above all men would he be who could
win the smiles of Elezia Baxwen. Rut
Elezia bestowed her smiles on no one
She seemed to carry maidenly modesty