Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-06-21
weaverville, = June 81, 1879
CIRCUMsTANTIAL EVIDENCE.

quoted case Of error growing out OF toc
much dependence upon circumstan:la
evidence is that of Jonathan Bradford
which occurred in England in 1876.
Jonathan Bradford kept an inn in Ok
fordshire, Upon the London road, and bore
an excellent character as a host. A gen.
tleman OF fortune, named Hayes, wher
on his way to visit relative residing il
Oxford, put up at Bradford's inn, where
he Joined company with two other gen
tlemen with whom he supped. During
supper he unguardedly mentioned that ht
had upon his person large sum of mon
ey. In due time the party went to theil
several rooms, the gentleman to a two
bedded chamber Of size and comfort; anC
after sitting awhile, be retired to rest
leaving his candle burning in the chin.
ney-corner. Some hours after they went
to bed, one Of the party Of the evening
being awake, thought be heard deep
groan in the next room into which the
gentleman had gone. The groan being
repeated. he aroused his friend, and they
lay listening together awhile until the
groans became so painful and prolonged
that they determined to arise and investi-
gate the cause of the disturbance. They
both slipped on their dressing. gowns, and
stole On tp.toe TO the door of the next
cham Der, pushed it ghntly sjar, and by
the light of what appeared to be taper
were enabled to discern n sight which fill
ed their bosoms with horror. Mr.. Hayes
lay on his bed, literally weltering in
blood, and man stood over him with n
dark lantern in one hand and a long-blad-
cd and bloody knife in the other. The
murderer seemed as petrifed as themsel-
yes, and his terror bore all the evidences
Of guilt. To their further CONSERVATION
the assassin proved to be no other than
their host, Jonathan Bradford. They
seized him at once, disarmed him of his
deadly weapon, and accused him Of the
murder.
By this time Bradford had partly re-.
covered his self-possession, assumed an
air of innocence, firmly denied the crime,
and avowed that he happened to hear the
groans within and had come into the room
with the same huwane intentions as
themselves. He stated that the noise in
Mr.. Hayes room awakened him, that
he got ont Of bed, struck light, armed
himself with knife for self-defence, and
had only arrived at the fceno Of the mur~
der single moment before they themsel
yes had entered. In spite of these plaus-
ible assertions, no donbt the crafty inven-
tions of guilt detected in the very act,
Bradford was placed in close custody till
the morning, when he was carried before
n justice of the peace. Here he preserved
in his details Of any knowledge of how
Mr.. Hayes came to his violent end, but
the justice was go fully convinced Of bis
criminality that in writing out mitti-
mus, he turned to the prisoner and
said
"Mr. Bradford, am certain that either
you or committed this murder, and I
NNutu iOl HdNb uOIt ~.
The whole county was in excitement
over the terrible affair, and Bradford was
tried and convicted thousand times even
before his trial, by all the gossps of Ok
fordshire. AT length the cnse came on at
the assizes at Oxford Bradford pleaded
not guilty in court room full of ncred>
ulous hearers, an udience in whose minds
the prisoners guilt was already predeter-
mined. Nothing could be more explicit
and direct than the testimony of the two
gentlemen who had made the arrest of
the murderer. They had taken supper
and played cards with Mr.. Hayes in the
evening ; had seen him to his room when
he retired; had heard him moving about
at later hour, and had seen the light Of
his candle Pickering for some time after /;
had been awakened in the night by his
dying groans had gone to his assistance,
and had detected Bradford in the very
act, standing over his victim with Ian
tern and bloody knife and the hand
which held it red with blood and were
impressed alike with the murderer's guilty
confusion and trepidation. Here was
proof positive, Bradford's defence on the
trial was the same as before the gentle
men. He had heard a noise resembling
groans, and feared some villainly ander
his rool had struck light, snatched a
carving knife from the shelf, the only
weapon at hand, and proceeded in the
direction Of tie sound ; that upon enter
ing the room of his guest, to his
great dismay he found him bathed
In his blood that. dropping his own
weapon, he had drawn the kuIfe of some
assassiDr from The wound in the side OF
Mr.. Hayes, and was thus himself be.
smeared with blood /; that. being surprised
with all the evidences Of guilt upon him
by the two gentlemen. in his fear and
horror no wonder he had exhibited signs
of terror.
The defense was considered as weak
contrasted with such powerful circum-
stances against him. Never was clrcum-
stantial evidence so strong no room APP
peared for extenuation. The judge had
no need to sum up. The jury brought
in the accused guilty Of murder without
leaving the box, amid the muffled paud.
its Of the spectators of this signal scene
of retribution.
Bradford was hung shortly after the
trial, still declaring that he knew nothing
OF the murder; but lie died disbelieved by
all.
Yet Jonathan Bradford's declarations
were not untrue, however guilty he might
have been at heart. 1t transpired event.
ually that :he murder was actually com
mltted by Mr.. Hayes lootman, who
lno...i..- IL