The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-03-05

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ALSO as the room was large and draughty
ae placed his clothes on chair anc
flung his valise, or holsters, on bit q
carpet at the side of the bed. When h,
put out the light he observed that tn,
moon was shining full into the room. H,
lay awake for some time, and PRESENT.,
heard footsteps in the room. The mex
moment the curtain of his bed was gen
thy drawn and he saw face looking
down upon him. He Law quite still
though greatly alarmed. The face dis
appeared, and retreating steps were heard
He rose on his elbows and peered
through the curtain. He, distinctly saw
two men at the further end Of the room
near the peddler's bed. They passe
round the foot of it and disappeared at
the other side. That moment he heard a
scream aud saw the face of the peddler
protrudc from the curtains. There was
a scutfle and a suppressed cry, and the
next moment the peddler bounced from
the bed and ran screaming 'murder" to-
ward Scott's bed, holding his valise at
arms length. The two men followed the
fugitive, and Scott, Mortified and fear
stricken, slipped ffom his bed on the
other side and hid himself in closet.
He heard the groans and blows, and the
sounds Of retreating footsteps. then all
was still. The next instant, however, the
door opened, other footsteps were heard
along the floor, and the curtains of SCOTS
bed were hastily drawn. The visitant,
whoever he was, uttered an oath of dis
appointment and fled ION the room.
After waiting some time, Scott came
forth from the closet and found the ped
dler lying on the floor, dead. Scott was
in terrible dilemma, and saw at a glance
that he would be suspected of having
murdered the peddler. Panic stricken,
he hastily dressed himself, picked up his
va]ise from the floor, took his horse from
the stable, and departed from the inn, re-
solving to seek safety in flight. It was
daylight when he reached Coninbro, and
then for the first time he discovered thet
the valise he had taken from the floor
was not his, but the peddler's. which he
had no doubt dropped when the murder
ers fell upon him, and in place Of which
they doubtless seized and carried off
SCOTS, which lay on the carpet close by.
. This extraordinary story was not
believed by the corners jury in the face
of all the damning evidence against Scott.
It was shown that he had seen the peddler
produce his wallet from the valise in the
blacksmith shop; that he offered to &C.
company the reddler to Doncaster, and
that he had taken up his quarters at the
same inn, and slept in the same room with
the murdered man. Besides this, he was
captured with the valise in bis possession,
and what better evidence of his guilt
could there be?
Scott was sent to jail, and in due course
tried for wiltul murder. Out of charity
a young lawyer undertook the case. The
evidence for the prosecution was clear
and convincing, and MIR. O'Brien, the
prisoners counsel. saw no chance for his
clients escape. The principal witnesses
were the blacksmith, John Steele, bis son
Richard, the men that were in the smith s
when the peddler and Scott first met, the
landlord of the inn, who swore that Scott
urged the peddler to 60 to another inn,
and the officers who found Scott with the
peddler's valise in his possession.
The hammer with which the murder
was committed was produced on the
trial, and shown to the jury. One of
them remarked to the court that it was
a blacksmith's shoeing hammer. Mr..
O'Brien quietly asked to be allowed to see
it, and he examined it closely. Then he
stood up and handed it to the prisoner.
Scott glanced his eye over it for a mo-
ment, and then handed it back to the.
counsel. The next instant he clutched it,
drew it from O'Brien's grasp: and scruti-
nized it with the most intense interest.
Then he leaned on the dock and spoke in
a hurried tone to his counsel. The latter,
with flushed face and hasty movements.
made his way to the side of the prosecut-
ing officer, then spoke with the Judge,
and after few seconds beckoned an Of
fcer and whispered to him few words.
Mr.. Steele, the blacksmith, was recalled
to the witness stand by Mr.. O'Brien, who
said:
"Mr. Steele, you are an old and expe-
rienced blacksmith, are you not2''
Eyes, sir" Steele answered. with per-
ceptible tremor in his voice.
Did you work at your trade in Holder
ness?'
Eyes, sir, when was young man."
"Anything peculiar in the manufac.
ture of horse shoe nails in that district.
Mr.. Steele?"
II think there is, sir"
"Pray tell we what that PECULIARLY is,
Mr.. Steele"
1.-THE head is divided like in the mid
de-"
"Anything like the head of that nail
used as wedge in the handle OF that
hammer, Mr.. Steele?" the counsel asked.
handing the witness the weapon found
near the body of the murdered peddler.
The witnesses hand shook like leaf as
he reached it out for the hammer; his
cheeks grew deadly pale, his lips be-
came parched, and though he held the
hammer in his hand his staring eyes were
liked on his questioner.
"Anything like that one?" Mr.. O'Brien
repeated, calmly looking at the witness.
Eyes, sir" Steele replied at length,
with difficulty.
"Should you say that nail had been
made in Holderness, Mr.. Steele?"
"1t looks like it, sir" was Steele's |
reply.
"Mr. Steele the counsel said, moving
almost close up to him, and standing so
hat the judge and jury could see both |
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