West Feliciana sentinel. (St. Francisville, La.) 1876-1877, 1877-06-23
WONDERFUL BROTHERS.
ONE COMMITS A MURDER AND THE OTHER
AGREES TO HANG FOR THE CRIME.

AGREES TO HANG FOR THE CRIME.
Lincoln (Nebraska) correspond
euce of the New York Herald: a
case outrivaling that of Damon
and Pythias" has just occurred in
the State of Missouri, OF which we
have seen no full account. We
have been fortunate in obtaining
the facts from one who was inter-
ested somewhat in the matter, and
subjoin them: In Bloomfield, a
little town in the county of Stod-
dard, State Of Missouri, lived two
brothers, Poindexter and James
Edmondsou. Poindexter, the eld-
cr, was smart, intelligent young
man of twenty-seven, who had for
years cared for and protected his
younger brother James. The lat
ter was Of feeble mind, bnd wa
remarkable for the affection dis
played toward his brother. The
slightest wish Of Foindexter was
TO James a sacred command, and
the affection was returned in an
equal degree by the older brother.
Last summer Poindexter had some
trouble with man named William
Shaw, and in the fight which en-
sued Edmondson was struck on the
head with q brick Dy Shaw and
seriously injured. He was confin-
ed to his room for a considerable
length of time, and during his con-
tnement very naturally gave ex>
preston TO such remarks as "I'lt
get even with him." I'll fix Shaw
for this,' etc. These expressions
were noticed and remembered by
many people who called to see him,
though nobody paid any great at
tention to them at that time.
During the illness of Poindex,er,
james showed remarkable fits Of
violent anger toward Shaw, when.
ever he saw his brothers wound;
and long afterward, when the
wound had healed, he would fly
into violent fit Of rage at sight Of
the scar on his brothers head.
One day last October Poindcx.
ter, while sitting with his brother,
suddenly put his hand to his head,
complained that Shaw had given
him a wound for which he would
never entirely recover. James had
his usual paroxysm, and Poindex-
tes tried to soothe him, mentally
finding fault with himself for SO
'houghtlessly speaking Of this SUBJ
:jcct before his half-crazed brother.
l he next day James disappeared,
ana shaw was cut TO pieces with &
butcher knife, and quite dead in
his room. Suspicion at once ccn-
tered upon Poindextcr Edmondaon.
because Of The former trouble he
had had with Shaw, and his threats
during aud since h:s illness. He
was arrested and thrown into pris
on. For two days the most ag-
onizing thoughts filed the mind of
Poindexter in regard to the murder
The actions of Ills brother James,
his disappearance and the murder
following upon it, pointed in his
mind to his brother James as the
murderer of Shaw. But be hero
ically kept his mouth sealed On
the third day James returned and
confessed to his brother that he
had murdered Shaw, and wanted
to denounce himself ut once, and
take place behind the bars with his
brother But Poindexter refused
to allow it. In the most binding
way and in the most sacred man
ner, he commanded his brother
never to tell anybody the fact in
the case. Used to obeying his
brothers slightest wish, he readily
made the required promise.
The trial of Poindexter came on,
and the best attorneys that could