Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-05-13


death by a pistol shot fired by
the hand of Robert Bamford
and the prisoner was Immediate
ly committed to trial.
The distracted mother retain
ed me to do what / could for
her unfortunate boy; but the
task looked like a hopeless one.
To all my questioning | could
get but one answer.
Robbie persisted in asserting
bis, own guilt and the innocence
ofh brother, whose absence he
attributed to his having run "a
way to escape his s,ep-father's
cruelty. llaa
When asked as to his possess
sion Of the pistol sold to Char
ley, and the motive of the crime,
he fell into his usual silence.
In due time my client-was in
dicted and arraigned TO plead.
] stepped forward to answer for
him, but, before i could inter-
pose the boy himself had spo-
ken.
Il plead guilty. he said in a
clear firm tone.
"No, nor cried a voice that
startled all who heard it; cit is
not he, butt who am guilty!"
and the next moment Charley
Bamford stood at his brothers.
side, encircling him with his
arm.
"Was it not / who ran away?"
he went on, hurriedly, sand my
pistol that was found? Cannot
every one see that my poor,
dear, generous brother wish
es 10 screen my life at the ex-
pense of his own?lr abes3 s9a
"Do not believe himl' broke
il Robbie; sit is he that would
sacrifice himself for me.
"Let the prisoner be remand
ed" said the judge, visibly
moved ut the scene; "and let his
brother be detained. There is
something here which requires
And within a week the ex-
planation came in manner
least expected. AZ ! i-.lsl
John Willis, an old servant
of the family was taken sudden
ly i'll, and soon lay at deaths
door. Before he died he sent
for a clergyman, to whom he
told a story which completely
cleared up the mystery. vF
The day before Mr.. Talbur-
ton was killed Charley Bamford
had offered to sell Willis a pis-
toll which the latter bought for
few dollars. That night Willis
heard noise as OF one stirring
in the house, and slipping from
his room, pistol in hand, he saw
some one movingristealthily in
the lower hall. 1t was long
past the hour at which any of
the family were likely to be up.
Burglaries had been frequent Of
late, and taking the best aim he
could, by the dim light, Willis
fired.
Seeing the man fall he ran
down and turned up the gas,
when, 40 his horror, he dis
covered that lhe had slain his
master! The pistol dropped
from his hand, and hearing the
approach of hurrying footsteps,
and fearing to be accused of
murder, he concealed himself in
the study, from which he did
not emerge till Others had made
their appearance, the first being
Robbie, who picked up the pis-
tol. rs nwnaa eI
The strange conduct of the
brothers was now fully account
ed for. Robbie, who had seen
the pistol during the day in the
possession of his brother, and IN
view of the latter's flight, and
his relations with his step father,
believed him guilty; and had ta-
ken advantage of the appearan-
ces against himself to shield his
brother. .o ,u
Charley acknowledged that
he had bought the pistol to de-
fend himself against his perse-
cutor in their next encounter;
but, changing his mind, he de-
termincd to run off to sea, for
which he had made secret ar
engagements the same afternoon;
and it was from his first voyage
that he had just returned ON the
day of Robbie's arraignment.
Doubtless it was Charley's 8
steps, stealing down the stairs,
and out at the front door, which
latched itself behind him, that
had aroused Mr.. Talburton and
the servant, the former having
remained in his study that night
TO a later hoursthan usualso a,s
Mrs. Talburton's grief was
greatly Modified BY the restora-
ton of her two boys, and this
time she is likely to remain q
widow. .e 's,