The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1879-07-03

visilani, whoever be wa, uttered sn oath
o. disappointment and hed from The
room
After waiting some Time ssott came
forth from The closet aud ioand the ped.
der lying on toe ground dead scott
was 10 = terrible dilemmA aud ssw 81 q
glance that he would be suspected OF
having murdered the peddler Panic
stricken, be hastily dressed bimself, pick.
ed up bis yalisc from the floor, took bis
horse from the stable and departed from
the ian, resolving TO seek safety Ia flght,
II was daylight when he reached Comm.
bro, and then for the first time be diseoy-
cred thG, tie yaIise be had taken from the
floor was not bis, but The peddler 's,which
be had no doubt dropped when the mur.
derers fell upon him, aud 10 place Of
which they doubtless seized aud carried
off SCOTS, which lay on the carpet close
by.
The extraordinary story was not be.
lieyed by the eoroBer's jury In the face Of
the dsmning evidence against Scott. II
was shown that he had seen the peddler
produce his wallet from the vslise 10 the
blacksmith shop that be offered TO sc.
company the peddier TO Doncsster, aud
that he bad taken up his quarters at the
same inn, aud slept in the same room
with the murdered man. Besides this,
be was captured with the vaise in his
possession, aud what better evidence OF
his guilt could there bel
Scott was sent TO Jail, aud in due
course tried for williui murder. Out Of
charity young lawyer undertook bis de-
Tense The evidence for the prosecution
was clear and convincing, aud Mr..
OBrien, the prisoners counsel, saw no
chance for his clients escape. The prin-
cipal witnesses against him were the
blacksmith, Johu Steele, bis son Richard,
the men that were in the smitby when
the peddIer and Scott first met, the land.
lord Of the inn, who swore that Scott
urged the peddlcr to 60 to another inn,
aud the officers who found Scott with the
pedller's valse in his possession.
The hammer with which the murder
was committed was produced on The trial
and shown TO the jury One OF them re-
marked TO the court that il was black
smiths hammer. Mr., O'Brien quietly
asked TO be allowed to look at It, and be
it closely. Then he stood up
aud handed il to the prisoner, Scott
glanced bis eye over it tor moment, and
then handed It back TO his counsel. The
next instant be clutched ii, drew it from
O'Brien's grasp, fnd scrutinized it With
the most intense interest. Then he lean.
ed on the dock and spoke in a hurried
tone 10 bis counsel. The latter, with
flushed face aud hasty movements, made
his way to the side of the prosecuting
officer, then spoke with the judge, aud,
after few seconds, beckoned an officer
and whispered him a 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 expert
enced blacksmith, are you notf
Yes, sir, Steele answered, with per-
ceptible tremor in his voice.
Did you work at your trade in Holder.
ness?
Yes, sir, when was young man.
Anything peculiar in the manufacture
Of horseshoe nails in that district, Mr..
Steele?
think there is, sir.
Pray tell me what the peculiarity is,
Mr.. Steele.
The head is divided like in the middle,
Anything like the head Of that nail
used as wedge in the handle Of that
hammer, Mr.. SteeleY the counsel asked,
handing the witness the weapon found
near the body OF the murdered peddler.
The witness hand shook like leaf as
be reached il ont for the hammer; bis
cheeks grew deadly pale, bis lips became
parched, aud, though he hed the hammer
u his hand, bis staring eyes were fixed
)n the questioner.
Anything like that nsily Mr.. O'Brien
calmly looking al the witness
Yes, sir, Steele replied at length, with
difficulty.
Should you say that nail had been
made 10 Holderncss, Mr.. Steelel
1t looks like it, sir, was Steele's reply
Mr.. Steele, the counsel said, almost
moving up to him, aud standing so that
udge aud jury could see both witness
and interrogation distinctly, did you ever
sec that hammer before you saw Il In this
,ourtl
Yes, sir; saw 1t in the hands Of the
coroner.
AT this juBclure there was disturb.
anee in the court, aud the officers were
striving TO prevent young man from
quitting the room.
The young man was Richard Steele, the
son.
Let me go, be said. That's the old
sconndre that did H. He knows be plan.
ned the whole thing and led me into il.
lie knows that hammers bis well enough
III iurn kings evidence; rl blsb the
whole story. Lei me go, aud III hang
Ibe old william, though be is my father.
The scene that followed cannot be de.
scribed. Suffice II 10 say that nole
proseqat was entered, aud Scott was
transformed into an importsn, witness
Steele and HE son being duly indicted
aud tried for Ibe murder oi the peddler.
Scott swore 10 the blaeksmith's having
taken the naji from the old horseshoe