The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-05-18

Through which, reminding taded hopes,
Glide ylsitants immortal!
B W. Bal, in atlantic Monthly.
DEATH.BED ACCUSATIONS.
In the elements of evidence weighed by
the courts, none is more grave and con-
elusive than that of the death bed accuse.
! ton of avictim of foul play. One naturally
supposes that such person, with the near
prospect of eternity before him, will not
fasten the crime upon an innocent man :;
and his deposition is accorded weight
which is rarely given even to credible
eye-witnesses of a crime. Especially
strong does this sort of evidence become
when the accused is brought face to face
with his supposed victim at the bedside,
and is then and there sworn to as the real
criminal. Yet judicial annals abound
with instances in which persons have
been thus accused, and have suffered the
dread results Of such accusation, who
have afterward been proved clearly guilt
| less 1t need scarcely be remarked that
innocent persons often confess to having
committed crimes sometimes for the sake
of notoriety, sometimes to mitigate pun
ishment which they think certain to be
| inflicted upon them. AS to death bed ac-
cusations, the case of Sarah Green, in
girl was attacked by three men, who had
the appearance of being brewers appren-
tees. She was taken to the hospital, and
while she was lying there she was con-
fronted by man named Coleman, a
brewers assistant, whom a stranger, in
quarrel at an ale-house, had charged with
being concerned in the assault. She at
first declined to swear that he was one Of
her assailants, though she expressed de-
cided opinion that he was. Being brought
to her second time, however, she swore
positively that Coleman was one of her
assassins. Coleman was, however, set
free on bail; whereupon he fastened to
conceal himself. Soon after the girls
death he was found. He was indicted,
convicted and executed. Two years after
it was discovered that he was wholly in
nocent, the real criminals being appre-
hended, and confessing that they did not
so much as know Coleman by sight.
A similar tn ough yet more tragic in
stance of condemnation on account of an
accusation IN nrticul0 nlOrtis was that of
the Shaws of Keith. William Shaw, a
laborer, had daughter who was in love
with young man of whom the father
strenuously disapproved. One day loud
words were heard in the room where they
lived. After a quarrel between father and
daughter, Shaw left the house, locking
the girl in the room. Not long after, the
sound of groans caused the neighbors to
break open the door, when the girl was
found writhing in agony on the floor, a
bloody knife lying at her side. When
asked if her father had done the deed, she
nodded family, and Immediately drew her
last breath. Shaw just then returned, and
seemed overcome at the sight of his dead
child. He was arrested blood was found
on his shirt-sleeves, which he accounted
for as caused by his having bled himself
several days before; but circumstances
weighed too heavily against him, and he
was condemned and executed. Some,
time after, letter written by the girl was
found in the chimney of the room, stat
ing that she was about to commit suicide,
and also containing the words: My
,,,1 f,fI -, 4tn e M lpat
This gave the clew to the fatal gesture she
had made at the moment of expiring, and
clearly proved her own guilt and her faith
er's innocence. .t,.... -... .... 81.
The judgesof certain old German town
were sadly perplexed over case which it
became their duty to solve, and (which at
first glance seemed simple enough. A
rich but ill-tempered and truculent fellow
named Ruprecht, a goldsmith, on going
one night to low grog-shop, was assailed
at the door, and fell at the foot of the
stairs with a loud groan. The cronies of
the den hastened down, to find him in
great distress from deep wound on his
head. He stammered out, "The villain
with the ak! My daughter, my daughter!"
This was his only child, who, being mar
ried to one Berenger, lived in the suburbs
of the town.
Ruprecht was taken to the hospital, and
the next day revived sufticientlyto answer
the questions put to him, though very
briefly, and with evident difficulty. He
oel-ol ~ Io,1t III II
said it was Schmidt. What Schmidt was
it? The one who resided in. the Most
Strasse. With what weapon? A small AK
How did Ruprecht know him? By his
voice. What was the motive of the assault :?
An old quarrel. What was Schmidt's
occupation? A wood-cutter.
The case seemed to the Judge marvel
ously simple. He had only to find man
named Schmidt, who lived in the Most
strasse, and was wood-cutter, to accom-
plish the ends of justice. The difficulty
began when, on the Most-Strasse being
reached, two Schmidts, brothers, and both
wood-cutters, were found dwelling there.
Yet third Schmidt, wood-cutter, was
discovered, but he lived in another street,
the Hohen-P Pflaster. The brothers Schmidt
in the Most-Strasse proved to have long
known Ruprecht. They were called
Big" and "Little" Schmidt. Big
Schmidt had not long before been wit
ness against Ruprecht in civil suit.
In the dilemma between these Schmidts,
it became important TO ply the wounded
man with new questions. Fortunately he
was still alive and in his senses. But it
was impossible for him to utter word.
He was asked whether the assailant was
Big or Little Schmidt. He tried In vain
! to answer. Then he was asked if the