The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-10-22
THE STRANGER WITNESS.

n gentleman, followed by servant in
livery, rode into an inn in the west of Eng
land one evening, a little after dusk. He
told the landlord that he should be detained
i'll that part of the country for few days,
and wished to know if there were any
amusemeuts going on in the town to occupy
the time that he was not busy. He was in
formed by the landlord that it was their
race aud assiZe week, and that he therefore
would have plenty to occupy his leisure mo-
meuts. On the gentleman's making an
swer that this was fortunate, as he was fond
of hearing trials, the host informed him
that very interesting robbery trial was to
come on the next day-that tho evidence
was very strong against the prisoner, aud
the peoples opinion greatly divided,
as the man insisted that he was in another
part of the kingdom when the robbery was
committed.
The gentleman expressed considerable
anxiety TO witness the trial Accordingly
the next morning the host procured him Il
good location through his influence with
the court officers.
While the evidence proceeded against
him, the prisoners eyes remained fixed on
the ground but on being called upon for
his defence lie looked up, and seeing the
stranger, tainted away. At first this was
supposed to be a trick to gain time, but be-
ing questioned on his recovery, he asserted
that that gentleman could save his life if
he might put few questions to him.
-E-t..
turned upon the stranger, who seemed
somewhat embarrassed, but stated that
although he could not remember the prison.
eli he was willing to answer any questions
that might be proposed. The court granted
the prisoners request, and he asked the
stranger if he remembered being at Dover
on a certain date. To which the gentle
man answered that he had landed at Dover
shortly before, but could not positively
affirm that he was there that exact day.
Don't you remember that a man i'll a
blue jacket and trowsers carried your trunk
to the inn 90 asked the prisoner.
81 remember that man did carry my
trunk, but I do not remember his dress
But asked the prisoner, anxiously,
.'don't you remember that the man who
carried your trunk told you story about
his being in the service, that he thought
himself an i'll used man, and that be showed
you a scar he had on one side of his fore
head ?'
During the last part of the speech tn,
strangers face changed, and he said tha
he did remember the scar. The piisone
pushed aside his hair, displaying a scar oI
his forehead and the witness affirmed pos
, itively with great emotion that he was th,
very man,
A buzz of satisfaction ran through tn
court, for the day on which the witnes
had met the prisoner at Dover was th
very day of the robbery.
The stranger, however, could not b
certain of the time, but stated that b,
sometimes made memorandum of dates il
his pocket-book, and turning to that fount
that the date of his landing corrcspondet
with the prisoners assertion. This beis.
tile only circumstance necessary to prove
an oJibi, the prisoner was Immediately ac'
Quilted amid great applause and congratu-
lations.
The above trial occurred in 1882 an,
within less than month the gcntemanl
witness who came to the inn attended b,
servant in livery, the servant who fol
lowed him, and the prisoner, were all tire,
brought back to the same Jail fer robbinl
the mail. 1t turned out that the cleve
defense at the last trial was a skillfuily ar
ranged plot of the confederates 20 releas'
. their accomplice.
THE worst essay of Bacon is that or
hog climbing a fence.