Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-02-03
MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

A coach on one of the stage routes il
California was stopped at n sharp turn il
the road by three men in masks. Rifles
were presented ut the drivers head and
at each door of the coach simultaneous
ly, and demand was made for money
and valuables under pain of instant
death. There We're only two passengers
in the vehicle, and under the circum.
stances it would have been useless fol
them to resist. They gave up theil
property without much hesitation and
were then invited outside to be ex.
amined, as it was possible that they
might have forgotten something in theil
haste. One robber stood guard over the
driver, second held his cooked rifle in
front of the passengers, while the third
"went through " their pockets. Num-
Der three dropped his mask accidentally
while Mt his work, so that the passengers
and driver had full view of his fea-
lures, and we're confident they could
identify him. He replaced the mask as
hastily as possible and muttered some
thing like an oath as he did so.
The robbery being ended, the three
men disappeared into the bushes, the
passengers resumed their seats, and the
coach rolled onward. A sheriff and posse
went in pursuit of the thieves, and
about five miles from the scene of the
occurrence they found man seated by
the eide Of mountain brook and eating
Il crust of bread. A rifle lay near him,
and a huge revolver was swung at his
hlp. As the sheriff's party approached
he sprung up, seized his rifle, and as
sumed an attitude of defense. But he
could do nothing, as four rifles were
bearing upon him and resistance would
have brought him to instant death. He
complied with the demand to surrender.
threw his rifle upon the ground, and
held his hands in the air. as though ac-
customed to do so The sheriff came
forward and bound him, while his assist
ants kept their rifles carefully aimed at
the supposed robber until the work of
binding was complete.
No other traces could be found of the
r,bbers, and the sheriff returned to
town with his prize
The prisoner spoke not a word until
the party was in sight of the Jail, when
he said to the sheriff
"You have made mistake"
"Made mistake! What do You
mean ?"
You have arrested the wrong man"
"We're always doing that" said the
sheriff. "No man was ever arrested
yet who didn't think there was some mis-
take about it,"
You are after the men that robbed
the stage this morning. had nothing
to do with it, and didn't know what you
were hunting till your party talked about
it after You took me in."
"That won't do" said the sheriff;
you're nice innocent, you are. Good
angels like you are getting their wings
every week."
81 had nothing to do with the stage
business"
"Well, if you didn't, give an account
Of yourself. Who are you, and what were
you there for?"
I" am not the man you want"
The sheriff piled the man with ques-
ions, but learned nothing. The only
answer was denial of all knowledge of
he robbery, refusal to account for his
presence there, and total inability to
designate any one in that part of Cali
ornia who could identify him. He gave
he name of Charles Jones, which was
an alias newly adopted, as he
allied to respond when Clones p was
called out.
The sheriff lodged his prisoner in jail
o await the action of the grand jury. On
he day the grand jury met, Jones was
AIKEN from his cell and placed in a row
With about twenty other persons. The
river was called in, and without a mo-
nent's hesitation he selected Jones as
he robber whose mask was accidentally
ropped.
One OF the passengers was called, and,
Then he had retired, the other was sum-
loned. Both of them confirmed the
tatement of the driver that Jones was
he third of the robbers.
The Identification was complete, and
ones was indicted and held for trial.
He refused to give any account of him.
elf, but continually persisted that he
as not the man they wanted. So it was
etermined to establish his identity and
ct at some portion of his history.
At that time robberies were numerous
l California, and it was generally be-
eyed that many of them were the work
single gang that moved rapidly from
lace to place and thus eluded capture.
was thought that Jones belonged to
lis gang, and, in order to determine the
uestion, the victims of other robberies
ere summoned to come and see him.
Tany of them came and evidence was