The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-03-17
THE RECONSIDERED VERDICT.

| True in substance, though tell it from
a memory not very retentive of details, and,
! though true, probably new to many of my
readers, is the story of the "Reconsidered
! Verdict Some sixty autumns ago the
case was tried at Chester before Judge of
great ability and eminence, and jury
whose inteligeuce-but you shall hear. In
the preceding spring-April, l think, was
the month-there had been bad case of
burglary at farmhouse In Cheshire: Three
men had tied down and gagged the farmer
and his two maid servants, and had rifed
! the house at their leisure. The police were
told of the matter, and pretty accurate
descriptions were given of the men. There
were two other clews. In the struggle one
Of the men had lost a button from his coat,
! which button he had left behind. Also,
the same man had had his face SO badly
scratched by one of the maids that the girl
said ''she was sure she had left her mark
upon him" Weeks passed without any
arrest being made, and people began TO
forget the burglary, until one day man
was taken up i'll Liverpool on suspicion Of
being concerned i'll n quite different matter.
He had with him bundle containing some
of the plumber OF the farmhouse. More of
the plumber was found at his lodgings.
UiS face bore traces of scratching, and, to
clinch the matter, his coat wanted a button,
and the buttons on it corrcspondcd exactly
with that picked up at the scene of the
burglary.
His defense was very flimsy. "He knew
nothing about the burglary, but had bought
the coat aud things very cheap of a man in
the street" ''Did you know the man ?''
mo, never saw him before, nor since"
Glow about the scratches ?'' "Well, he
was sailor, and too much accustomed to
big hurts 20 take notice Of scratches" Of
course lie was committed for tlial, and the
trial, said, came on al Chester. 1t excited
n good deal of interest, and the cours was
crowded. And yet, after all, there was
very little to be said. The circumstanti
testimony above mentioned was overwhclm-
ing, and, in addition to that, farmer and
servants, with one accord. swUre TO the iden-
thy Of the prisoner with the burglar.
There was no defense the jury found a
verdict OF guilty" without leaving the box;
and as burglary was a hanging matter in
those days, it merely remained to pass
sentence of death. Only a foI mula between
him and Judgment
prisoner at the bar, you have heard
the verdict Of the jury. Have you anything
to say why sentence of death should not be
passed upon you?'
Then the prisoner spoke for the first
time. Just brushing his eyes with the
cuff of his coat, he began.
"Wcll, capn, it's hard to be hung for
notli'n, but | see this is . yaId-arm bust
ness. ! know no more o this ere burglary
nor baby but these witnesses ham told
no lies, s'pOsc. And what can say again
'em? When the thing came off-Apri,
didn't they say was Gghtin' the slavers
on the gold coast. But you've got no call
to believe that, and 50 there's an end to it."
There was something in the mans man
ncr that impressed the judge, SO he said,
uot unkindiy ''But surely, prisoner, if
your story is true, you must have friends
and comrades with whom you could have
communicated. If you had thought they
| this. 1t is too late now"
| ''1ou'rc right, cap'n, it's to late. But
| it's all very well to say let 'em know when
| a mau is locked up in Jail, and can't write
nor read and don't know where they are.
| They may be in America, they may be in
| the cape, and how could | let 'em know
| Icastways, not in time? No, it's no use,
/ Il hot tC ho tp ~
| yard arm at once
''But," urged the judge, 'ihe court has no
wish to hang a man who may be innocent.
! Is there no ore who could speak for you ?'
! The man looked in helpless sort of way
| round the court.
| ''No,'' he began bnt just then his eye
| lighted on a stranger from the inn. eyes, y"
| he added, pointing to him; 'there's n gentle
man who might speak for me if he would. >
! The judge turned round. ''Do you know
the prisoner ?'' he asked.
| s'No, my lord" was the reply, ~ never
| saw him before in my life"
"WeI. Captain sharpe said the prisoner,
sIf you put the rope around my neck, L
| give in. Go on, my lord
"Stay," said the judge, rs your name
| CAPTAIN Sharpe ?'
eyes. my lord"-and, Captain Sharpe,
| r. F., was on the card he had sent in.
! "Wen, the prisoner seems to recognize
Won. so that 1 will ask you TO step into the
witness box and be sworn, that lie may ask
you questions"
| The captain went into the box, and The
/ following dialogue ensued:
care you Captain Sharpe, of his maJes-
tvs ship Vulture9'
| eyes"
| "Were You in command of her on the
slave coast this spring
| 81 was"