The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-15
AFTER FOURTEEN YEARS.
THE EvrRAORDINdRF STORY TOLD By
LIFE CONTICT IN CONNECTICUT.


n.,,or,nr that he Held His Peace when Con- |
.,r,.d Of Murder, Beeause he would not |
Hang His Fnthcr. who was tho Guilty |
Mnn-A story that. " True, Seems Unpar- |
au,tcd In Modern CriminnI Records-sui- |
eide ofthe Alleged Aecomplice In the Crime.
U,urFoRp, Conn, Feb. H.-Charlos Gill !
bert. now q sunken checked and broken man
Of 40 was sentenced to prison for life. fourteen
venrs ago for the murder OF a man in tho city
ot New Britain. His father died last October.
andit has lately come to light that tho prisoner
has declared that the death OF his father has ro-
moved an obligation OF secrecy that hc put
upon himself at the time OF his trial. and that
his father was really guilty Of tho crime for
which he the son. had been convicted. Neither
at the tria nor since. he says. could he tell tho
truth without disclosing facts that would put
the rope around his fathers neck.
Little credoncc would be given this story II Il
wero not corroborated In many important do
tails As 1t Is. the statement and the outside
eyiden Ia that support II are now before the
Legislative Committed on Pardons OF the Con-
nrctcst Assembly Tor the General Assembly
has the pardoning power in this State and
very strong efforts are being made by dlsin-
terrstrd persons who feel convinced OF the in
noccnce of the prisoner and Of his martyrdom.
to procure his release.
that of bounty and substitute broker. Henry
Caldwell. In New britain early in January. 1864
The motive was robbery. Cadwels body was
found in "A field. a short distance from Now
Britain, one Monday morning. The body was
partially covered with snow. Tho head was 30
di-1gured 10y the blows that caused death that
the face WIS almost unrccognizable The pock-
cts wcrs turned inside out. and IA II was known
that Caldwell had nearly u thousand dollars on
his person few hours before he disappeared.
It was believed thnt u large sum WAS taken from
him Caldwell was last alivo on the Satur
day evening before the day OF the discovery OF
the murder. and he WAS then with Charles Gill
bort. diss phted. uncouth man OF 25 years. and
another young man. Henry Deming by name
Tue tracks in the snow about Cadwels body
showed that he had been attacked by two men.
and the police therefore arrested Dcmipg and
Gilbert
At the preliminary hearing. a witness named
Nu-h swore that he found several locks Of black
har u the dead mans hand. indicating that
the murdered man had seized one OF his assal-
ants ny the hair. But Charles Gilbcrts hair
WIS short Hnd mwny. and Demings was not
black. Besides. both proved an alibi. and
they were discharged
A.irr ihe hearing no ono doubted Demings
ir u'.. hut there was something strange
ah,ut q iheris actions His alihi was prrfr,,t
n hi- witnesses were to be- believed. but tho
imlr.~-l'n gr. 81 that h. knew something about
ile murlrr li.wrNcr. not1 more was done
tOr year. EIrly in 1865 Charles wns re-
arrested nni with him Charles Parsons and q
cuIord man. L~yi B~nsnn. 1t had transpircd
tnN l'u-urs mad NJ" l. Ennspn on the sunday
nDilIus he'orr Ca.wrl's body was found ana
th .'f' lc.or" 1ny one knew Of the murder,
nud ASKED him i. i" bad heard anything uf the
nnri.r tat hud h''n ctmmtir III" night be-
lore Tins itt l'il 10 such Investigations as re-
buii'A ir l"l"r arrests. again Ontf's sci NJ
sr rhm. II WIZ sworn 10 10y iour or Il s." persons.
tn' o. y wrrr nll relatives. Al this hearing the
Hiinrs- Nash orethnt the hnir thnt Was found
Char..s iess harm t. an it would hat Nash not
sworn h-icre that the hair was hnck. Charlass
him Even his counsel. the Hon. s. T. Jones
n" "uiln"ni cpuu--iiNr. and recently widely
known hs conduct Tx the defence Of the Rev.
II. II. Hayden. saw tuHt there was something
tirk ~ AL. Thrr" was mystery about II.
H. vs. satisfied thut Charles dh not commit
D." muri'r. He had rigidly examined in pri-
tH'e h.~ Witnesses who were to prove AN Hlibi
knowing that the hrenk ing down OF nn alibi To-
lrAr" is sur t. result in conviction. and found
thit the story they told was accurate. md had
D. appearance ~ having been manufactured
Yet th"ra WAS something in the manner Of
CuHri' - of tie father AMI tn rest Oi the family
thht puiz.-d him more" b." now says. than ANY
ei TIE justice wn- also affected hy IL. and
wh" %" ~ harg"d l,ar-ons aud the negro. he
t"trr'aiurd To- send Charl~s 20 u Jury for trial.
bGi VAN grave d"uhk about ms &uIt -
The WY trial w3s- i+.un cary in April. lS6J.
It'd s'r,1 Au"rn"y was Rlrh4rd d. Hub.
a- tnty expired. Mr Hubbard admitted
h. Mr. JONES h-lor. the trial that the case
hH,urr,l him. lie dr AIDED the trial. There
VI, mystery about II somewhere. The allhi
{ ri - az s""U"d conclusive. nnd yet tho
nunn t"i N" accused uni HE want Of frank
TO- % some r"sl~'lS forced the impression
!! y, p" Anr~ SOM h' NJ about ne murder. and
iYr 'n.- reason Mr. liuhugrl said taat It WAS his
d4is GO ,fy the case. Inr triu went on. The
hHt" showed that Charles the last man
seol wfl Culwru. that his reputation was bad.
hui at Ice Jailed 10 max" sat -iactory cNplana-
& 10 , -ran III n r. rFEgs AMI ng S'aies , ~ y;
/ - ft MnnhgIN