The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-03-02

why, no hat, but q fur cap-made oi
beaver skin-with two ear covers.''
"Was this the capP said the sheriff
producing the fur cap which had been
found near the corpse Of the murdered
| man, and which he had thus far been
holding under his cloak.
"Yes," exclaimed the landlord, that is
Capon's cap and no mistake. Where did
you find it2"
The Sheriff told him. Everybody
seemed horror struck at the idea that
poor Jack Capon should have committed
80 atrocious crime. Men we're imme-
diately dispatched to hunt up Jack Ca
pom. They did not find him at his won't
ed haunts in Steubenville but man
who was well acquainted with his habits
said if he could be found anywhere it
would be at the cabin of old Jim Brooks.
Brooks lived in the woods on thePitts-
burg side of Steubenville, about one
mile from the spot where the body had
been found. Like Jack Capon, old
Brooks was fond Of whisky, aud 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
any too well.
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
glance that he was in an alarming
state of intoxicatiop.
'Is Jack Capon here ?" they asked.
sYe-es-yes," hicupped Brooks; she is
lying asleep yorder, behind the stove. y
Then the drunken old fellow went
back to his lounge, and minute later
was sound asleep again. The men step
ped up to Capon. He was drunk also.
His coat and shirt were covered with
blood. They exchanged significant
glances anu aroused him, not without
considerable difficulty.
"What do you wanta" he asked, yawn-
ing.
s'The sheriff wants you, Jack"
''The sheriff What for? I haint
done nothing"
"You are suspected of having muir
dered Mr.. Sammis, of Pittsburg."
$50 away! I murdered Mr.. .Sammis2
You must be loony."
'tLook at yourself. -
Capon looked at his clothes. The
sight of the blood stains on them caused
him to sober up at once.
''How did I get these stains on my
coat and shirt 2" he stammered out at
last.
"Don't you know anything about
them p they asked.
"No, no! You say murder was COM
mitted 3"
"Come, come. Jack Capon," they re-
piled, "you can't fool anybody by plead
ing ignorance. What did you do with
your cap?"
He looked about the room.
''Some one must have taken it away"
he said ut last.
"You left it near the corps of the mur-
dered mani
"Was it found therea Great God
great God !"
He buried his face in his hands and
began to cry.
Then he followed the men, who also
took old Jim Brooks along, willingly to
the Ohio Tavern, where the Coroner had
meanwhile arrived. The sheriff appear
ed soon after with some men who were
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.
"It's Mr.. Sammis." he gasped out.
"Poor Sammis, who has murdered him9
"You were last seen in his company"
said the sheriff; "your cap was found
near the corpse, your clothes are blood
stained who but you can be the muir
derer?"
'I am innocent, cried Capon, desper-
ateiy. 81 got tight at Brooks. don't
know how I got this blood on my clothes
nor how my cap came near the corpse.
I have even forgotten that I was with
this poor gentleman"
The Coroner impanneled jury, and,
in the first place, took them to the place
where the murder had been committed.
Jack Capon, who had been, meanwhile,
heavily ironed, was also conveyed there.
The footprints near the point where the
corpse of the murdered man had lain,
were not very distinct, but they seemed
to correspond exactly with the soles Of
Capon's shoes.
Returning to the Ohio tavern, the
Coroner swore Jim Brooks. who, by this
tune, had become perfectly sober, and
who stated that ''Lsst night, about 1870
O'Clock, Jack Capon had come 70 his ca
bin and asked him if he had any whisky.
He had given him half-a-dozen drinks,
whereupon Capon had wanted still more
but he had no more. Capon had then
shown him q ten-dollar gold piece, and
had asked him if he knew where any
whisky could be bought. He had anser-
ed if he would 60 to Mike Perry's he
I'D