Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-05-23

hammer, Mr.. Steele P" the counsel asked,
handing The witness the weapon found
near the body of tho murdered pedler.
The witness hand shook like leaf as
he reached It out for the hammer, his
cheeks grew deadly pale, his lips became
parched, aud, though he held the ham,
mer in his hand, his staring eyes were
fixed on his queslioner.
Anything like that nail P" Mr.. OBrien
repeated, calmly looking at the witness.
"Yes. SIR" replied Steele, at length,
with difficulty.
"Should you say that nail had been
made 10 Holderness, Mr.. Steele?"
at looks like it, sir" said Steele.
"Mr. Steele" the counsel said, moving
almost close to him, and standing so that
Judge and jury could see both witness
and interrogation distinctly. "did you ever
see that hammer before you saw it in this
court?"
The witness gave a gasp. and then re
covering himself, said:
"Yes, sir; saw i, in the hands OF the
coroner"
At this iunclure there wss disturbance
in the court. and the officers were seen
striving to prevent q young man from
quitting the room.
The young man was Richard Steele.
The blacksmilh's 500.
LET me go!" he said that's the old
scoundrel that did it. He knows that
hammers his. well enough. lie knows
that he planned the whole thing, and led
me into it. I'll turn Kings evidence (;
I'll blab the whole story. Let me 60, and
I'll hang the old villain, though he be my
father
The scene that followed cannot be de-
scribed Suffice it TO say that Holie
proStglU was entered. and Scott was
transformed iHto IN important witness,
Steele and his son being duly indicted
and tried Tor the murder OF the pedler.
Scott swore to the blacksmith S having
taken the nail from the horseshoe, re
marked that it had been made in Holder
ness, and driven it into the hammer
head as wedge. The hammer was
furthermore identified as having belonged
to Steele, and testimony was given which
showed that the blacksmith and his son
were absent from home the night OF the
murder, marksmau swearing be passed
them near Dbncaster, going in the dIrec-
tion OF VIckhill, al o'clock in the morn
iug OF The 2ls. OF June. But the evidence
that settled their fate was furnished by
SCOTS yalise, which they had taken al
the time OF the murder oi the pedIer.
|. was discovered in an ash heap at the
back OF the smilhy. Steele and his son
were convicted and sentenced to be
hanged. and both made full confession to
the following effect Steele, Sr., resolved
on the robbery and murder, ii need be,
/ OF the pedler Immediately alter he dis
covered that the man was possessed OF u
: large sum of money. After the pedler
and bis companion had quilted the smithy,
Steele closed it. and communicated to his
son his design respecting the pedler. Tie
son, who was proAigate man. assented
/ TO the scheme.
Both were about TO start alter The two
men and get ahead of them by bride
psth, but the smith changed his plan. Ii
they did that, they would have 10 attack
them both in the open road and on horse
back. The smith knew the iun 10 which
they were going and was well acquai lted
with the outbuildings in which they were
to sleep. He proposed, therefore, thai
they should rob the peder in his sleep
and only use violence in case it should ot
necessary to secure safety. When they
entered the outbuilding, the smith wen
towards SCOTS bed. while Richard re-
manned near the door.
Finding the man wanted was not there
Steele and his son approached the othel
bed and found he ped!er, knowing it was
he from his bald head. They tried to
remove the valise ON which he slept
from under his head, but he evidently
had his hand in The strap, and the tuG
awoke him.
He hurried back 10 the room. resolved
to brain Scott il be found him awake
On discovering the bed empty, the smith
dropped his hammer in alright, the only
explanation 10 bis mind OF Scotl's ab
sence being that he had Witnessed th'
crime and quilted the place secretly L
give the alarm. The smith and his sol
departed panic stricken, and on reaching
home discovered, TO their intense morti
tication and disappointment. that th'
va.ise for which they had murdered
man and exposed themselves TO the gal
lows, contained only lew old clothes
Steele and his son were hanged at York
December s. 1887
THE RECOVERED TREASURE.