The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-02-25
Miscellaneous.
THE FATAL NAIL.

on horseback stopped at the smithy of one
John Steele, on the outskirts of the town of
Tickhill, near Doncaster, England. Several
persons were in the smithy at the time, be.
side 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 next day being "Statues," or fair
number of visitors would be looking fol
accommodation
While the smith was attending to the ped
dler's horse, another stranger arrived, also
on horseback, and likewise desiring the
smiths services, as his horse had cast a
shoe.
The two strangers and the loungers got
into conversation, and the pedder finally
opened a mahogany case which was suspend
by strap from his shoulder, and exhibited
his wares, which consisted of rngs,g gold and
silver chains, watches and so forth. 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 he was stranger, the peddler
might take him to some house where he
could get accommodation. The peddler re-
piled that he was going to "Thc Travellers
Rest" on the outskirts of Doncaster, as it
was good house and he knew the land
lord.
When the smith removed the shoe from
the horse of the last conner, he examined it
closely, remarking that it had been made in
Holderness, pointing out the fact that the
nail was peculiarly made, having a half split
in the head, and saying that that was a
Holderness fancy.
'I'll keep this nail" the smith said, and
he drove it as a wedge into the handle of a
small hammer, where it passed through the
head.
The peddler sent for flagon of ale, and
they stood drinking and talking for some
time When the blacksmith joked the ped
dler about being in such a hurry when he
first came in, he laughed and said:
ooh, that's all right. I've made up my
mind to sleep in the big clubhouse, where l
have often slept before; it's comfortable, and
you take anybody you like in there you
know" the peddler added, with a wink.
When the two men were ready to depart,
the peddler took large wallet from the
valise on his saddle bow and paid the smith.
The peddler seemed to make rather osten-
tatous exhibition of his wallet, which was
crammed with bank notes and gold.
The two men rode off 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 outbuild-
ing in the rear, in which there were several
beds, The landlord said there was good ac-
commodation there, and promised to make
them comfortable. The pcddler retired
first, and the stranger remained behind to
have supper and linger over his ale. At II
O'Clock he went to the outbuilding and five
minutes later the landlord observed the light
put out.
Next morning, neither the peddler nor
his friend appeared, and the landlord went
to the outbuilding to arouse them. He
found the door open, and on entering the
room discovered the peddler. in his shirt, ly-
ing on the floor at the far end in 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 it was found
that the horse belonging to the man who
had acc ccompanied the peddler to the inn and
occupied the same room with him, was miss
ing, and suspicion at once fell on him as
the murderer. The authorities were notified,
and officers were in pursuit of the supposed
assassin before the day was an hour older.
They tracked him to Coninbro', but lost
trace of him just outside that town, on the
road to Sheffield The keen eyes of the
officers, however, caught sight of horse
among the brambles in a valley to the left
of the road, and there the man was captured.
He was terribly frighteDed-so much so as
to be unable to articulate for some time.
to his saddle bow was a valse, and
on opening it a heavily filled wallet, identi-
fled as the peddler's, was found.
Before the Coroner, the prisoner, who
said his name was Henry Scott, told most
astounding story. He said that when he
went to the clubhouse the peddler had al
ready gone to his bed, which was a high,
tent bed, with curtains. Scott
took a bed at the opposite end of the room.
This bed had curtains also, as the room was
large and draughty, He placed his clothes
on a chair, and flung his valise or holsters,
on bit of carpet at the side of the bed.
When he put out the light, he observed that
the moon was shining full into the room.
He lay awake for some time, and presently
heard footsteps in the room. The next mo-
ment the curtain of his bed was gently
drawn, and he saw a face looking down
upon him. He lay quite still though greatly
alarmed. The face disappeared and retreat
ing steps were heard. lie arose on his ell.
bow, and peered through the curtain. lie
distinctly saw two men at the further end OF
the room, near the peddler's bed. They
passed round the foot of it, and disappeared
at the other side. That moment he heard a
scream and scuhle, and saw the legs of the
pedder protrude from the curtains. There
was a scuille and suppressed cry, and the
next moment the peddler bounded from the
bed and ran, screaming Murder |" toward
Scotts bed, holding his valise at arm,
length, Two men followed the fugitive, ,and
Scott, horrifed and fear-stricken, slipped
from his bed on the other side and hid him,
self in closet, lie heard the groans ant
blows and the sound Of retreating footsteps
then all was still. The next instant, how,
ever, the door opened, other footsteps were
heard along the floor, and the curtains O.
Scots bed were hastily drawn. The visi
tant, whoever he was, uttered an oath o.
disappointment, and fled from the room,