The sun., 1879-06-01

II was not proven TINT he came 70 or near
the scene of the tragedy on that fatal night
but II caine out that he wis not seen nj homo
seen on tho rond from Middletown to South
Lebanon TINT night riding In n hurried man
nor on horseback in The direction of tho Inter
pince and some one passed through the toll
gate hall way bctwcon the two places the next
morning ut 3 o'clock. going in the direction OF
MiddletOwn. These persons wcrc suppOsed TO
have becn the same. but neither WAS identl I'd
ne Sam Coovert. Mrs. Rooen testified that tho
left hand sam Coovcrt was left -hnnded. There
was evidence that Coovort hnd formerly used
hundEerchicfs similar TO the ono found on tho
walk In the Roosa garden, but the handkerchief
was not identified as being his. 1t is now be-
licved that this evidence waR false and was
worked up by tho detective in his efforts to So
cure the largo rcwGrds But the evidence
which did most TO convict COOvort was yet to
Mary Shaffer. a young woman Of worry bad
Character. and who niterward dind nm awful
death. swore that she was at McNeal's tho morn
ing after the murder wednesday, IN Middle
town. and TINT CooNon came in about o'clock
und told the story. There wero no means by
WHICH tho people OF Middletown could know Of
the horror until the Cinrinnnu evening papers
came which would bc lute Wednesday night. 40
that Coovert told OF tho uldcr twonty-lour
hours , before i could possi3ly, be gcHEar9ily
say 1t was on Thursday instead of Wednesday
morning. but she stubbornly persisted in the
story ns taught hor by tho detective. She snid
that she had mentioned this fact to no ono but
tho detective and when pressed Tor her rensOns
for preserving silence gave the very unsntisinc-
tory answer that she did not wish TO- become
mixed up In any nffnir Of the kind. Tho pris-
oner was on this first trial convicted Of murder
In the second degree. whereupon the defence
made n motion for new trial, which was
granted.
ownership Of the handkerchief. though
stronger. was not positive. However. verdict
Of murder in tho first degree was returned. and
Aug a. sS6. Miss shafsr TT stated at S to rSIa6lo
parties before she died TINT the detective wns TO
have given her thousand dollars for her evi-
dcnce but that hc did. in fact give her but thrco
hundred. Tho detective has since come TO a
disgraceful and untimely death. The commu-
nifty was much divided ms to COoverts guilt or
innocence before the execution but il seems
that a majority were against the poor penniless
wretch.
A short time before tho execution. Mt mid
night. the prisoner wHs taken from the jail and
hurried away toward the place OF the murder A
rope was put around his neck and over limb.
and he was drawn up until nearly dead To try TO
CNtOrt q confession from him, but without avail.
This shows that even the prosecutors enter
tanned serious doubts as to his guilt Couvert
mnde his nOtoricty as criminal In connection
with this koosa affair. Prior TO this he had been
looked upon rs an innocent. harmless. half-wit-
ted fellow. For all these long years since tho
execution OF Coovert pubic opinion has been
steadily approaching. tho conviction that the
wrong man died on the scaffod There were
Inconsistencies in the testimony OF Mrs Roosa
even. At the different examinations her do
scription Of tho murderer's appearance did not
correspond. Many think that the person who
entered the house came for the purpose Of com
hitting moro heinous crime than that OF
numbering for money. Only n small sum, n
very few dollars. were taken by tho criminal.
The near future 1t Is believed has some de-
velopmcnts to make. when startling and now
unthought OF chapters will be written concern
ing this awful horror Cooyert did not die
game" but he saw that his fate was inevita-
BILE. and made up his mind to die with calm.
Christian resignation. Here is Converts dying
declaration while on tho scaffold: "Gentle-
men," no said. Il am about TO leave this world.
treated justly. rs far as know. by the Jury
and Judges. but ms 10 the witnesses / cannot
say they were just. While my end is near,
that innocent family. As to the evidence OF my
speaking Of i on Wednesday. ! hope may
Here prayer was offered the moose placed
around his neck. the black cap drawn down.
and the doomed man exclaimed. " Good-by oh.
cent man, inno-." The word was not finish
ed. The Sheriff pulled the lever Just then. and
Sam Coovert's soul went to meet its God.