The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-11-03

inal from just fate, advised him to flee
the country, and under another name strive
by better life to repay society for its toll
erance in suffering him to live.
All such advice the wretched man un-
needed, and returned to his olilhome, de-
claring his pun pose to remain there until
the cloud was lifted from his former good
name. But though saved from the gal
lows, he did not escape punishment. The
brand OF Cain was upon him. Everybody
believed him guilty, his old friends and
neighbors avoided him, he was pointed out
as a murderer, and his supposed crime was
hOOted in his ears many times as he passed
through crowds in the public streets.
Thus the unhappy man passed eleven
years OF his life, submitting quietly and
meekly to the aspersions cast upon him and
waiting patiently for his vindication. His
loss of character had brought with it loss
of property business men Stunned him,
the better avenues of trade and enterprise
were closed against him, and he became
reduced almost to beggary. But amid all
these misfortunes he was still hopeful.
Thus matters stood until the early part of
October, 1867, when n man clothed in the
garb Of sailor, made his appearance in
the village OF Plattsburg, and inquired for
Captain John Weatherwax. The latter
was just then entering the post-office,
where considerable crowd had collected
waiting the distribution of the mail, and
was pointed out to the inqu irng stranger.
He made his way toward him, laid his
hand familiarly upon his shoulder and ex-
claimed GLOW are you, John ?''
John looked at him a moment i'm be-
wilderment, gave suppressed scream and
replied
''Great Heaven has it come at last 2''
Turning to the crowd in the post Office
which by this time had become interested,
he said:
'Gentlemen, my vindication has at last
come. For eleven years l have borne your
reproaches in silence, hoping and praying
for this hour. This is my cousin Andrew,
for whose murder have suffered pun
ishment many times worse than death.''
The men stared at each other and at the
sailor, stupefied with wonder. Andrew
was equally perplexed, for the actions of
both parties were to him incomprehensi-
BILE.
For short time there was disposition
to regard the newcomer as an imposter
who had been brought forward to relieve
Captain Weatherwax of the disgrace that
had attached to him but his identity was
soon established beyond question, and the
interest in the case deepened, thousands
coming from all parts of the State to see
the man who had apparently risen from
the dead.
The account which Andrew gave of him
self was that he left the boat on that event
ful evening, after the quarrel, wandered
into a rum shop short distance from the
landing. became engaged in fight and was
arrested. In the morning he was brought
before a mag gistrate and fined, but having
no money, and being still angry with his
cousin, he would not go to him for aid
and was on the point of being taken to
Jail, when stranger in the audience came
forward and offered to pay his fine if he
would engage to sail with him, his vessel
then lying at Montreal. He consented
and the next day they sailed for China;
and for eleven years he followed the sea
and never once communicated with his rel
atives. He now heard for the first time
what one of them had suffered on his ac-
count.
The matter of the blood, and his hat,
which, it will be remembered, was found
| on the deck, he explained by stating that
lie had ha6 the nose bleed during the day,
and that some of the blood had probably
fallen on the deck the hat he tossed upon
| the deck when he decided to go out in the
evening, taking better one in its stead.
The Identification of the body found, the
| quarrel, the blow, and the voice of Wealth
| erwax heard during the alteration. are
mysteries never explained. Perjury can
hardly be alleged, but there was certainly
| criminal carelessness in judgment which
| embittered the best years of an innocent
man's life, and nearly sent him to an un-
timely and dishonored grave.
1t is hardly necessary to say that there
was complete revolution in feeling to-
ward Mr.. Weatherwax. Every one seemed
anxious to compensate by kindness and
| patronage for the wrongs SO innocently in
! flicted before. This was not tunappreciated.
| Business prospered, and three years ago
both Andrew and John A. Weatherwax
! were among the most contented citizens of
| Clinton county, New York.