Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-05-18
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 accusa-
ton victim Offoul play. One naturally
supposes that such a person, with the near
prospect Of eternity before him, will not
fasten the crime upon an innocent man;
and his deposition is accorded a 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,
aud is then and there sworn to as the real
criminal. Yet judicial annals abound
with instances ii 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
London, is to the point. One night this
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 a
quarrel at an aIe-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 a 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 though yet more tragic in
stance of condemnation on account of an
accusation l11 ortjcul0 naOrtts was that of
the Shaws Of Keith. William Shaw,
laborer, haG 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 quarrel between father and
daughter, Shaw left the house, locking
the girl In the room. Not long after the
sounu OF grOans caused the neighbors to
break open the door, when the girl was
found writing in agony on the floor, d
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 shiTt-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
cruel father is the cause of my death y
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 limo cenCe.
The judges of certain old German town
were sadly perplexed over a case which ii
became their duty to solve, and which al
first glance seemed simple enough A
rich but ill-tempered and truculent fellow
named Ruprecht, goldsmith, on going
one night to a low grog-shop, was assaulted
at the door, and fell at the foot of the
stairs with loud groan. The cronies O
the den fastened down, to find him IL
great distress from deep wound on hi:
mead. He stammered out, 1.-The villair
with the ak! My daughter, my daughter
ms was his only child, who, being mar
ried TO one Berenger, lived in the suburbs
of the town
Ruprecht was taken to the hospital. anC
the next day revived sufficiently to answe
the questions put to him, though yer,