Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-03-30
THE FATAL NAIL.

OK the evening Of June 80. 1887,
peddler on horseback stopped at the
smithy of one John Steele, on the out
skirts of the town of Tickhill, near Don
caster, England. Several persons were
in the smithy at the time besides the
blacksmith and his son Richard. The
peddler asked Steele to shoe his horse as
quickly as he could, as he wished to
reach Doncaster early and get bed at
his old place; for the next day being
Statues, or fair, a number Of visitors
would be looking for accommodation.
While the smith was attending to the
pcddler's horse another stranger arrived,
also on horseback, and likewise desiring
the smiths services, asIhis horse had cast
shoe
The two strangers and the loungers got
into conversation, and the peddler finally
opened a mahogany case which was sus-
pended by strap from lis shoulder, and
exhibited his wares, which consisted of
rings, gold and silver chains, watches,
etc. On the last Comer's hearing that
the peddler was going to Doncaster he
offered to accompany him, as he was
going in the same direction; adding that
as he was a stranger the peddler might
take him to some house where he could
get accommodation. The peddler re-
piled that he was going to the g TRAY
eIer's Rest" on the outskirts of DOncas-
ter, as it was good house and he knew
the landlord.
When the smith removed the shoe
from the horse of the last conner he exam
ined it closely, remarking that it had
been made in Holderness, pointing to the
fact that the nail was peculiarly made,
having half split in the head, and say
ing that it was Hclderness fancy.
"pll keep this NAIL" the smith said,
and he drove it as a wedge into the
handle of small hammer, where it
passed through the head.
The peddler sent for a f1agon Of ale,
and they stood talking and drinking for
some time. When the blacksmith joked
the peddler about being in such hurry
when he first came in, he laughed and
said:
Oh that's all right. I've made up
my mind to sleep in the big clubhouse,
where have often slept before; it's COM
Portable"
When the two men were ready to depart
the peddler took a large wallet from the
valise on his saddle-bow and paid the
smith. The peddler seemed to make a
n .+so l..
wallet, which was crammed with bank
notes and gold.
The two men rode Oft together, and the
smith cleared his place and closed it for
the night In due time the peddler and
his new friend reached the Travellers
Rest, and told the landlord they would
sleep in the outbuilding in the rear, in
which there were several beds. The land
lord said there was good accommodation
there, and promised to make them com
Portable. The peddler retired first, and
the stranger remained behind to have
supper ana linger over his ale. At eleven
O'Clock lie went to the OutbuildiLg, and
five minutes later the landlord observed
the light put out
Next morning neither the peddler nor
his friend appeared, and the landlord
7Eent to the Outbuilding to arouse them.
lie found the door open, and, on entering
the room, discovered the peddler in his
shirt, lying on the floor at the far end in a
pool of blood. His head was battered in
and near him was lying hammer with
blood and hair on the head He was
dead and cold.
When the alarm was given 1t was found
that the horse belonging to the man who
accompanied the peddler to the inn and
occupied the same room with him, was
missing, and suspicion at once fell on
him as the murderer. The authorities
were notified, and officers were in pursuit
at the supposed assassin before the day
was an hour older They tracked him
to Coninbro', but lost trace of him just
outside the town, on the road to Sheffield
The keen eyes of the officers, however,
caught sight OF horse among the BRAN
bles IN valley TO the left of the road, and
there the man was captured. He was ter
ribly frightened-so much so as to be I'M
able to articulate for some time. Strapped
TO his saddle-bow was valise, and on
opening it a heavily filled wallet, identi-
lied as the peddler's, was found.
Before the Coroner, the prisoner, who
,ydld his name was Henry Scott told a
most astounding story. He said that
when he went to the clubhouse the ped
,dler had already gone to his bed, which
was high, old-fashioned tent bed, with
curtains. Scott took a bed at the opposite
end Of the room. THIS bed has curtains
also, as the room was large and draughty.
He placed his clothes on chair and
Sang his valise, or holsters, on bit Of
carpet at the side of the bed. When he