The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-11-17
rhe ssr.sser wisne.s.

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A gentleman followed by a ser.
want in livery, rode into an inn in the
west Of England q evening, a lit
tie after dark. lie told the landlord
tina. be should be detained in that
part Of the country for q few days,
and wished to know if there were
any amusements going Oh in the
town to occupy the time that he was
not busy. He was informed by the
landlord that il was their race and
assize week, and that lac therefore
would have plenty to occupy his
leisure moments. On the gentle
mans making answer that this was
fortunate, as be was fond of hearing
trials, the host informed him that a
very interesting robbery trial was to
come On the next day. That the evI-
dence was very strong against the
prisoner, and the peoples opinion
was greatly divided, as the man in
sisted that he was ia another part OF
the kingdom when the robbery was
committed.
The gentleman expressed consider
able anxiety to witness the trial
Accordingly the next morning the
host procured him o good location
through the influence of the court Of
icers.
While the evidence proceeded
against him, the prisoners eyes re-
NAMED fixed on the ground; but
upon being called upon To- the de-
fence he looked up, and seeing the
stranger, tainted away. At first this
was supposed to be a trick to gain
time, but being questioned on his re-
covery, he asserted that that gentle
man could save his life if he might
cut a few questions to him.
The eyes of the whole court were
now turned upon the stranger. VINO
seemed somewhat embarrassed, but
stated although he could not remem-
Der the prisoner be was willing to
answer any questions that might be
proposed. The court granted D
prisoners request, and he asked the
gentleman if he remembered being
at Dover on a certain date. To
which the gentleman answered that
be had landed at Dover shortly be-
fore, but could not positively Affirm
that be was there that exact day.
Don't Won remember that a nan
in a blue jacket and trowsers carried
your trunk to the inn," asked the
prisoner.
81 remember that a man did carry
my trunk but | do not remember his
dress"
But asked the prisoner anx-
iously, don't you remember tina:
the man who carried your trunk told
you a story about being in the SER
vice, that be thought himself an i'll
used man, and that be showed you a
sea- be had on one side of his fore
head ?"
During the last part of the speech
the Strangers face changed, and be
said that be did remember the scar,
the prisoner pushed aside his hair
displaying a scar on his forehead,
aud the witness affirmed positively
with great emotion that he was the
very man.
A buzz Of satisfaction ran through
the court, for the day on which the
witness vas at Dover was the very
day of the robbery.
The stranger, however could not
be certain of the time, but stated
that be sometimes made memoSan-
dums of dates in his pocket-book, and
turning to that found that the date
of bis landing correspouded with The
prisoners assertion. This being the
ouly circumstance necessary to prove
an alsoi, the prisoner was immediate
ly acquitted amid great applause and
congratulations.
The above trial occurred in 1882,
and within less than a month the
g%entlemanly witness who came to
the inn attended by a servant in liv-
cry, the ervant who followed him,
and the prisoner, were all three
brought back to the same jail for rob-
bling the mail. 1t turned out hat
the clever defense at the trial was a
skillfully arranged plot Of the con
federates' to release their accomplish.