Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-04-01

find him at his wonted haunts In Stev
benville but . man who was we'll "
quainted with his habits, said il b
could be found anywhere IL would be 9
the cabin Of old Sim Brooks.
Brooks lived in the woods ON the Pitt
burgh side OF Steubenville about on
mile from the spot where the corpse @
Mr.. Sammis had been found. Lik
Jack Capon old Brooks was fond Q
whisky, and the two would frequentl
drink together until they were utterl,
oblivious Of the cares and sorrows O
this world, which, as they Thought, ha,
not treated either Of them too we'll.
So to Brooks cabin went the men
They knocked at the front door, whicl
was looked. Fog several minutes ther,
was no response. At last old Brook
himself opened the door. They saw o
glance that he was in an alarming stat,
Of intoxication.
Is Jack Capon here :" they asked
Ye-ye yes, hiocoughed Brooks b,
is lying asleep yonder, behind tn
stove"
Then tho drunken old fellow ven
back TO his lounge, and minute latel
he was found asleep again. The me1
stepped up to Capon. He was drunl
also. His coat and shirt were covered
with blood. They exchanged significant
glances, and aroused him not without
considerable difficulty. .5.5. .......
= "What do you want9" he asked,
yawning. -
"The sheriff wants you, jack"
"The sheriff What fort ! hain't
done nothing"
"You' are suspected If having mur.
dered Mr.. Sammis, of Pittsburgh."
"Go away! I murdered Mr.. Sam.
mist You must be loony."
"Look at yourself"
Capon looked at his clothes. The
sight Of the bloody stains on them
caused him TO sober up at once.
How did I get these stains on my
coat and shirt" he stammered out ct
last.
"Don't you know anything about
them9" they asked. I-..
"No-noi You say murder was
committed9"
"Oome-come, Jack Capon," they
replied, "you can't fool anybody by
pleading ignorance. What did you do
with your capa .r4-..is-".I'D'
He looked about the room.
"Some one must have taken it away, I"
he said, at last. '' ''" -
"You left it near the corpse of the
murdered man,"
"Was it found there Great God
great Godl" -ot '.'
He buried his face in his hands, and
begun to cry. ...........
Then he followed the men, who also
took old Sim Brooks along, willingly, to
the Ohio tavern, where the coroner had
arrived. The sheriff appear
ed soon afterward with some men who
we're carrying the CORY, frozen corpse Of
the victim. Jack Capon was conducted
to the corpse. As he caught sight of it
he recoiled in horror. ntiT 80.
"It's Mr.. Sammis," he gasped out.
" Poor Sammis, who has murdered
him9" '-13
"You were the last seen in his COM
pany," said the sheriff "your cap was
found near the corpse your clothes are
blood-stained who but you can be the
murderer ..,....
"I am innocent !" cried Capon, des-
perately. ~ got tight at Brooks. I
don't know how 1 got this blood on my
nor how my cap got near the
corpse. I have even forgotten that
was with this poor gentleman.
The coroner impaneled jury, a.d, in
the first place. took them to the spot in
The woods where the murder had been
Jack Capon, who had been,
heavily ironed, was also con-
Keyed thither. The footprints near the
point where the corpse Of the murdered
nan had lain were not very distinct, but
hey seemed to correspond exactly with
he soles Of Capon's shoes.
Returning to the Ohio tavern, the cor
,ner swore Sim Brooks, who by this
ime had become perfectly sober, and
Who stated that last night, about half
,ast ten, Jack Capon had come to his
abin and asked him if he had any whis-
y. He had given him half q dozen
thinks, whereup0n Capon had wanted
till more, but he had no more. Capon
lad then shown him ten dollar gold |
,iece, and asked him if he knew where
ny whisky could be bought. He had
il he would go to Mike Perry's
le might get some. There Capon had
,one, and returned with whisky, but
Without his cap, and with his shirt and
he front part Of his coat all bloody.
Brooks added that he had asked Ca
ION how he got the blood on him. Oa-
'on was 80 drunk that he could not give
very Ineligible account Of what had
appened to him, but he had said some
hing about having had fall and hurt
imsef.
Upon hearing this evidence the pris-
ner exclaimed: f.
"Yes-yes, that's true-I do remem-
er it now. made short cut through
he woods to Mike Perry's house, whore
got the whisky, and returned by pretty
1uch the same route, when stumbled
yer something and FELL"
The jury rendered verdict against
i'm, and he was committed for trial.
lis pockets were then examined, and
be ton dollar gold piece, which Sim
|roOks had mentioned, was found.
Capon said that Sammis, who had
aken on interest in him, had given it to
i'm. This was considered flimsy false
God, and everybody was convinced that
ack Capon was guilty.
A messenger, with the news of Sam
lis murder, was dispatched to Pitts
urgh, where it created profound sensa
on. It turned ont that the murdered
IAN had nearly $40, 900 in large bank
ills on his person. Sammis' brother I
lark, wholesale grocer, and very or.
rgetic man, accompanied the messen-
or back to Steubenville, and engaged
pecial counsel to assist him in the
of Capon. The latter was ,
led and convicted, but the jury having I
, fix his punishment, he was not SEN
,nced to death, but to imprisonment at
arl labor for life. {
The prisoner was overwhelmed with I
rief because of his conviction. He
ever tired Of protesting his innocence,
nd his eyes were constantly red and
wollen from weeping. He was taken to !
,e penitentiary at Columbus, where he {
as at first very harshly treated; but his ]
miable disposition was not long in max {
lg no agreeable an impression upon the I
eepers that many privileges were {
roukp1 IN hin, Thooo ho povor a b,,oa1. |