The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-04-12

miles and miles in order to obtain q
"wee drop" of whisky. When he was
successful ne returned with his hat full
of bricks to Steubenville, where he
had frequently been punished by the
esquire for intoxication, with fine and
imprisonment. Still, everybody liked
him because he had an excellent, unset
fish heart, and never forgot a favor done
him.
"What sort of hat did Capon wear
last night ?" asked the sheriff.
"Why, no hat, but fur cap-made
of beaver skin-with two ear covers.'
"Was this the cap2' said the shel iff,
producing the fur cap which he had
found near the corpse of the murdered
man, and which he had thus far been
holding under his cloak.
Yes, " exclaimed thelandlord, "that
Is Capon,s cap, and no mistake; where
The sheriff told him. Everybody
seemed horror-struck at the idea that
poor Jack Capon should have committed
so atrocious crime.
Men were Immediately dispatched to
hunt up Jack Capon. They did not
find him at his wonted haunts in Steu-
benville but a man who was we'll ac-
quainted with his habits, said if he
could be found anywhere it would be at
the cabin of old Sim Brooks.
| Brooks lived in the woods on the Pitts
burgh side of SteubenviIle about one
mile from the spot where the corpse of
Mr.. Sammis had been found. Like
Jack Capon old Brooks was found of
whisky, and the two would frequently
drink together until they were utterly
oblivious of the cares and sorrows of
this world, which, as they thought, had
| not treated either of them too we'll.
So to Brooks cabin went the men.
They knocked at the front door, which
was locked. For several minutes there
was no response. At last old Brooks
himself opened the door. They saw at
| a glance that he was in an alarming state
of intoxication.
Is Jack Capon here 2" they asked.
"Ye-ye-yes," hiccoughed Brooks he
is lying asleep yonder, behind the
stove.
Then the drunken old fellow went
back to his lounge, and a minute later
he was found asleep again. The mon
stepped up to Capon. He was drunk
also. His coat and shirt were covered
with blood. They exchanged significant
glances, and aroused him not without
considerable difficulty.
What do you want2" he asked,
yawning.
"The sheriff wants you, Jack"
"The sheriff What fora hain't
done nothing"
"You are suspected of having MUIR
dered Mr.. Sammis, of Pittsburgh"
GO away murdered Mr.. Sam
mis- You must be loony."
"Look at Yourself"
NJ &c IL
sight of the bloody stains on them
caused him to sober up at once.
How did I get these stains on nv
coat and shirt2" he stammered out at
last.
"Don't you know anything about
them2" they asked.
"No-no You say murder was
committed2"
"Come-come, Jack Capon," they
replied, "you can't fool anybody by
pleading ignorance. What did you do
with your cap?"
He looked about the room.
Some one must have takeni it away"
he said, at last.
"You left it near the corpse of the
murdered man."
"Was it found there? Great God
great God!"
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
meanwhile arrived. The sheriff appear
ed soon afterward with some men who
were carrying the CORY, frozen corpse of
the victim. Jack Uapon was conducted
to the corpse. AS he caught sight of it
he recoiled in horror.
"It's Mr.. Sammis," he gasped out.
"Poor Sammis, who has murdered
him 2"
"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 I" cried Capon, des-
perately. "I got tight at Brooks. II
don't know how got this blood on NV
clothes, nor how nay cap got near the
corpse. 1 have even forgotten that I
was with this poor gentleman"
The coroner impaneled jury, ard, in
the first place. took them to the spot in
the woods where the murder had been
committed. Jack Capon, who had been,
meanwhile, heavily ironed, was also con-
veyed thither. The footprints near the
point where the corpse Of the murdered
man had lain were not very distinct, but
they seomed to correspond exactly with
the soles Of Oapon's shoes. ~
Returning to the Ohio tavern, the cor
oner swore Sim Brooks, who by this
time had become perfectly sober, and
| who stated that last night, about half
past ten, Jack Capon had come to his