The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-08
CURIOUS CRIMINAL GASES.

The danger of convictions for grave Grim
inal offenses on purely circumstantial EVIL
dence has been aptly illustrated In Georgia,
recently, in two different cases. One was the
case of Sam Hail. recently sentenced to be
hanged for a murder committed in Museogee
county, Ga, in November, 1876 The circum-
stantial evidence was strong against some
one who bore a striking resemblance to Sam,
and he was convicted and sentenced. Finding
that there was no other way of escaping the
gallows, he came out at the last moment
and made an interesting statement which his
sense of propriety had forbid his making be-
fore. It was to the effect that in 1872 he had
been sentenced to fifteen years In the Peni-
tertiary for horse-stealing, and that he did
not make his escape until February, 1877;
consequently, he could not have committed
the murder for which he was sentenced to
death, by reason OF circumstances entirely
beyond his control. Sam was naturally re-
luctant to prove an abb under the circum-
stances, but, to the confusion of the prosecu-
ton, he succeeded In doing so and has been
sent back to the penitentiary to serve out his
term for horse-stealing. The other case is
that of Griggs, Lovett and Barnes, convicted
and sentenced to be hanged on purely cir
cumstantial evidence but of the strongest
possible kind of the murder and robbery of
Sparta merchant named Rozier. The cir
cumstances of their case Is related as follows
by an exchange:
They were seen near the place Of the murder
just before and after the occurrence they gave
accounts Of their movements that were clearly
proved to be false. They tried before their ar
rest to mislead the detectives. and at last they
| 4 foil
the blows of two strangers. There was no
direct evidence against them, but many facts
sustained the prosecution, and the jury agreed
plOyed by Lovett sWife claims to have discovered
the real criminals IN two desperadoes attached
posts on the night of the murder, when the
show was 10 that part of the State, and on their
return had roll of money which they boosted
| OF obtaining by robbery The watch stolen from
| Rozier has been found in the possession OF a
| negro. who says he bought it of two circus
| men. Either the three condemned men are in
| nocent, or q clever scheme have been devised to
save them.
| A still more remarkable case in every re-
spect, however, is that of Joseph Buzzell,
under sentence of death in New Hampshire
| for the murder of Miss Hanson. At the
time of her murder a suit brought by her
against Buzzell for breach Of promise of mar
riage was pending, and, in the absence OF any
eeSoS~SAACNt
arrested, tried and acquitted. How he could
second time be put in jeopardy for the same
olfense, In view Of the prohibition in the Fed
eral constitution, is one OF the mysteries of
New Hampshire jurisprudence we shall not
attempt to explain. Such was the case how
ever, and ON the second trial he was con-
victed, and is now under sentence of death.
His conviction on the second trial was
procured by professional detectives, and it
illustrates, besides the unreliability of cir
cumstantial evidence, the danger of employ
ing professional spies and infOrmers to work
up cases against suspected persons. 1t
appears that Immediately after Buzzell's
first trial and acquittal, a number of barns
were burned in the neighborhood among
them one belonging to the person who had
been most active in his prosecution. Two
detectives were employed to ferret out the
incendiaries. They began by arresting boy
in the employ of BuzZell, whom they kept in
close confinement for several weeks, allowing
no one to see him but themselves; finally
forcing him by threats and promises to
confess that he was the incendiary and
that he had acted at the instigation and pro-
curement Of Buzzell. Then, by promises OF
protection against the charge Of arson they
induced him to swear that Buzzell had killed
Miss Hanson and forced him to participate by
compelling him to pull the trigger of the gun
while he, Buzzell, aimed 1t. In the mean
while the detectives, who had been employed
in the Buzzell case before, worked up series
Of circumstances against their victim going