The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-07-09

disappeared at the other side The neN
moment he heard a s,-raaln and a Scufie
and saw the legs OF ihe peddler protrud
from the cur.ains. There was n scnlll
ai:d suppressed cry, and the next mo
mont the n"d,iirr bounded from the he,
and r;,p. Scrcamiug Murder" towar,
SCOTS bed. holding his vaIise at arm
Icncih Two mon followed the fugitive
aud Scott. i0rrilird aud terror stricken
slipped rom h led on the far side, anC
I'D IiiuSrlriu a closet He heard eroan.
p",l blows, aud The sound of retreating
Footsteps; then all was still. The next
insfauf, however, the door opened
liasty fu"istcps were heard along the
floor, and the cr-ta'ns of SCOTS bed
were hastily drawn. The visitant, who,
ever lac was, uttered an oath of diSap-
poi.Itulelt, nd hurried s-cm The room.
Altar waiiI2 for some time Scott
| came forth from the closet, and found
! the Prtldier lying on tlIe ground, dead.
! Scott was ma terrible dilemma, and saw
/ at "a glance thar lac wOnId be suspected
| OF having murdered the peddler Panic
stricken, le hastily dressed himself,
picked up his valise from the floor, took
his horse from the stable, and departed
from thr ii::, resolving TO seek safety in
| Hight j; WIS daylight when he reached
Coz IIfo,' and lien ior the first time he
discovered ;i.at the val.sa, which he had
taken ON the floor was not his, but the
peddlerS, which le had no doubt drop
ped when the mUrderers fell upon him.
and ia the place of which they doubt
less seized and carried off Seott's which
lay on the carnet CLOSE by.
TINS extraordinary story was not be-
licvcd 10y the CorOner's jury in tile
face Of al the da,nuing evidence against
Sc0it. Ii was shown that he had seen
the pedfIrr produce his wallet from the
va!;se, in the blacksmith shop, that he
had offered 10 accompany the peddler
to Donclster. and that i,e had takeL up
his auaFicfs IN the same inn, and slept
iu the same room with the murdered
man. Besides this he was captured
with tine valiSe in his possession, and
what better evidence of his guilt
could there be!
Sa,,tt was sent 10 Jail, and in due
cOurSr tiled for that awful murder. Out
of charity a young lawyer undertook
his defense. The evidence for the pros
epution was clear and convincing, and
Mr.. O'Brien - afterwards Sergeant
O'Brien-the prisoners council, saw no
chance OF h-S clients escape. The prin-
cipa, witnesses against him We're the
blacksmith. John Steele, his son Rich
ard, tine meu who were N .ha smitlIy
when the landlord of the inn, who
aworr that Scott urged the peddler to
take the out-room when he wanted to
go to another Inn, and the c9cefs who
found Sco.t ih Ihe nedd.er's valise in
his possession.
The hammer with which the murder
had been committed was produced on
tlse tri:s and shown to the jury. One of
them rciIia kt.tl to The court that it was
black kaIn;ths slIocinG hammer. Mr..
O'Biirn quietly asked to be allowed
70 look at it, and he examined il closely.
Then he S, nod up and handed it to the
=. Snuer Scott glanced over it for
muiuent. and li."is handed # back to his
ouuue'! Th,, next instant he clutchcd
al il. drew it from Mr. O'Brien's grasp
and scrut:ir zad it "; ;ili the most intense
Interest. Ihrn he leaned Oh The dock
and spoke in hurried tone TO his cOun-
sci. Th, latter with flushed face and
Eas.y movements made his way to the
side as the prosecuting officer, and colt
verscd w,ti, II m IA a low tone for sever
nj minutes. The prosecuting officer then
spoke With the judge, and after few
srcords. bechoned an officer and wills
pered to him "a rcw words Mr.. Steele,
the blacksmIs WIS recalled 10 the wit
ness stand by Mr.. O'Brien, who said:
"Mr Steele, you hre AN old aud ex-
pelieiccd blacksmith, are you not.'
YES 81" Steele answered with
percrpiihle trcmor Of voice,
'1iid you ever work at your trade in
UoIde,nessl'
'.Yes, sir, when l was Il young manE
Anything prcuiiar in the nllnufac-
tura ol horse shoe nails in that district
Mfr. Steele"
Il tIiiak there j., sir.
Pray tel us What HAT peeuliarity is
Mr. Steele"
"Tle head IS divided like, in the mid
die. "
Anything Ike tl," head Of that nail
used ~ "a wc,lg,. la thc handle of that
hammer, Mr. SiccIel" the council asked,
handing to the witnrss the weapon
found near the body Of the murdered
peddler.
The witness hand shook like II leaf
as he reached out for the hammer, his
checks grew deadly pale, his lips became
parcbed, and though lac held the ham
mer, in his hand, ,h;s staring eyes were fix
ed on his qnestioners.
Anything like that nail:' Mr.. O'Brien
repeated. calmly looking at the witness.
eyes, SIR" Steele rrplyed at length,
with difficulty
''Should you say that nail hal been
made ia HoldcrncsS, Sir. Strelc.'
lit looks like it, sir, D." was Mr.. Steele's
reply.
''Mr. Steelr, the counsel said, moving
almost eio>e up 20 lin. and standing so
that Judge and jury could see both wit
ness and i-,terrosator distinctly, "did
Won ever sge tl:at hammer before yOu
saw it "a II, court =
The witness gave n gasp, aud then re
covering himself, said:
"Ycs, sir; | saw it i'll the hands Of the
Coroner
At tlIis jrncture there was n disturb
onee in fhe court. and the officers were
seen striving 10 prevent a young man
from quitting the room.
The vouag man was Richard Steele,
the bIackSmitiI'S son.
.I.et me GO he said, that's the
damned old seoundrc4 that did it. He
knows that hammers his well enough.
He knows that Inc planned the whole