South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1879-09-05

seconds, beckoned an officer and whis-
pered to him few words. Mr.. Steele.
the blacksmith, was recalled 10 the
witness stand by Mr.. o Bricn. who said :
Mr.. Steele, YOU are an old and ex-
perienced black smith, are you not?'
Yes. sir. Steele. answered. with .
perceptible tremor in his voice.
Did you work at your trade in Hol-
derness?' go
Yes, sir. when was young man.
Anything peculiar in the manafsc
ture Of horseshoe nails in that district.
Mr.. Steele?'
Il think there is. Sir
Pray tell me what that popularity is.
Mr.. Steele cttl. -
The head is divided like in tho mid
die ,...---'-.-'''
Any thing like tho head OF that nail
used as wedge I'm The handle OF tbt,
hammer, Mr.. Steelep the counse, nsk 1.
cd, -handing tthe witness The weapon
foand ncar tho body Of the murdersl
ped,.ler. ..,..
The witness hand shook like a leaf
as DC reached it Out for the hammer his
cheeks grew deadly pale, his lips became
parcbed. and though ho held the ham.
mer in his hand. his starting eyes were
fixed on his quest!oner.
Anything like that nailp Mr.. O'Brien
repeated, calmly looking at the witness.
Yes. sir, Steele replied at length,
with difficulty.
Should you say that nail had been
made in Hoflerness, Mr.. steele
"a ~
ply.
Mr.. Steele the counsel. said almost
moving up TO him, and standing so that
judge and jury could see both witness
and interrogation distinctly, did you ev.
er see that hammer before you saw it in
this Court2'
Yes sir; saw il in the hands Of the
coroner
AT this juncture there was distur.
bance in the Court, and the officers
were striving TO prevent young man
from quitting the room.
The young man was Richard Steele,
the blacksmith's son.
Let me 60 he said. That's the old
scoundrel that did it. lie knows that
hammer well enough. He knows he
planned the whole thing. and led me
into it. I'll turn Kings evidence I'll
blab the whole story. Let me 90 and
I'll hang the old villain. though he is
my father
The scene that followed canno. be de-
scribed. Suffice it to say that nolle pro-
seqm was entered, and Scott was trans.
ierred into an important Witness, Steele
and his son being duly indicted and
tried for The murder Of the pcddler. -
Scott swore 10 The blacksmith having Ia.
ken the nail from the old horseshoe. re.
marked that it had been made in Hol-
derneas, and driven it into the hammer
head as 4 wedge. The hammer was fur
thermoTc identified as having belonged
to Steele, and testimony was given which
showed that the blacksmith and his son
were absent from homo on the night or
the murder, marketman swearing be
passed them near Doncasier, going in
the direction OF Vickhille, at three o.
clock on tho morning or the 2lstof June.
But the Evidence that settled their fate
was furnished by SCOTS valise, which
they hal taken at the time OF the
murder Of the pcddler. II was discoy
cred in the ash heap a, the back Of the
sinithy. Steele and his son were convic-
ted and sentenced TO be hanged, and
both made full confession 20 the follow
ing effect:
Steele, SEN. resolved on the robbery
and murder, if need be. OF the peddler
Immediately after lie discovered that the
man was pos sessed OF large sum Of mo-
NJ ftrr 10 -.
panion had quilted the smithy. steele
closed IL, and communicated 10 his son
his design respecting the pcddler. The
son, WHO was prohigate man, consen-
led to the scheme. Both woro about To-
start after the two men and get ahead Of
them by n bride path, but the smith
changed his plan. If they did they
would have TO attack them both IN the
road and on horseback. The smith
knew the inn 10 which they were going,
aud was well acquainted with the out.
boildings in which they were 20 sleep
lie proposed. therefore, that they should
rob the peddlor in bis sleep. and oni Y
use violence in case il were necessary
TO secure their safety. When they Ell.
tered the out-building tie Smith went
toward SCOTS bel. while Richard re-
manned near the door. Finding tic man
wanted was not there Steele and his son
approached tbs other bed and found The
peddler. knowing it was be from his bald
head. They tried TO remove the valise
on which he slept from under his head
but be evidently had his hand in the
strap, and the tug awoke him.
The reader knows the rest from the
story told by Scott. After the smith
and bis son had quilted the room with
what they supposed was the peddler's
vatise, Stcele's mind misgave him and
q dread that Scott had been an observer
Of the bloody deed and would recognize
the perpetrators seized bin.
Tic hurried back 10 the room, resolved
TO brain Scott IL he had found him a.
wake. On discovering that the bed was
empty the smith dropped his hammer in
alright. the only explanation to his
mind OF SCOTS absence being that be
had Witnessed tho crfr mo 81 a.-fs4-1 a. d.