The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-11-11
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.

Mrs Child, i'm her work advocating the
abolition of capita punishment, gives no.
tice OF two cases in which circumstantial evi-
dence led to the execution Of wrong parties
A few years ago poor German came to
New YORK and took lodgings where he was
allowed to do his cooking in the same room
with the family. The husband and wife liv-
ed in perpetual quartet One day the Ger
man came in the kitchen with a cIa5p-knife
and a pan of potatoes, and began to pare
them for his dinner. The quarrellsome cou-
pie were in more alteration tian usual ; but
he sat with his back toward them, and, be
ing ignorant of their language, felt in no
danger Of being involved in their dispute.
But the woman, with a sudden and unex-
pected movement, snatched the knife from
his hand and plunged it into her husbands
heart. She had sufficient presence of mind
to rush into the street and scream murder.
The poor foreigner, in the mean - hile, seeing
the wounded man reel, sprang foI ward to
catch him in his arms, and drew out the
knife. People from the street crowded in
aud found him with the dying man in his
arms. the knife in his hand and blood upon
his clothes The wicked woman swcre in
fighting with her husband anG had stabbed
him witt knife be always carried. The un-
fortunate German knew too little English to
understand her accusation OF to tell bis own
story. He was dragged of to prison, and
the true state Of tie case was made known
through an Interpreter bat 1t was not be-
lieved. Circumstantial evidence was exceed
ingly strong against the accused and The real
criminal swUre uuhesItatingly that she saw
him commit the murder. He was executed,
Notwithstanding the most perseveIing eff
forts of his lawyer, john AnthOn, whose
conviction of the mans innocence was pain
+ fully strong that from that day he has refus-
ed to rave any connection with a capital
case Some years after this tragic event the
woman died, and on her death bed confess
ed her agency in the diaOulical transaction !;
but her poor victim could receive no benefit
) from the tardy repentance society had wan
tOnly thrown Tits power 10 atone for the
gTevious wrong.
Many readers will doubtless recollect the
traeica fate OF Burton, in Missouri, on which
a novel was fOuI ded that still continues in
/ the Libraries. A young lady, belonging to a
genteel and proud family in Missouri, was
beloved by young man named Burton, but
/ unfortunately her affections were fixed on
/ another less worthy. He left her with a tar
" Z
! getic and high spirited her family were
/ proud and she lived in the midst of society
/ which considered revenge a virtue. and
! named 1t honor. MIsled 10y this false pOpu-
/ lar sentiment and her OWE excited feelings.
: she resolved to repay her lovers treachery
by death. But she kept her secret SO well
/ that no one suspected her purpose, thOugh
1 she purchased pistols and practiced with
/ them daily. Mr.. Burton gave evidence of
his strong attachment by renewing his at
] tap xyb q
her His generous Kindness won lei bleed
ing heart, but the sOftening influence of love
/ did not lead her to foTpEo the dreadful pur-
J pose she had formed. She watched for
! favorable opportunity and shot her betrayer
when no one was near to witness the hoTri-
! Bile deed. Some little incident excited the
suspicion of Burton, and he induced her to
/ confess To him the whole transaction 1t was
/ obvious enough that suspicion would natur-
ally fastpn upon him, the well-knnwn lover
/ of her who bad been SO deeply injured He
was arrested, but succeeded IN peISuadIng
! her that he was i'm no danger. Circums tan
I tial evidence was fearfuiy against him and
/ he soon saw that his chance was doubtful ;
! but with affectionate magnauimity he con-
cealed this from her. He was convicted and
condemned. A short time before his ex..cu-
/ ton he endeavored To- cut his throat but his
| life was saved for the cruel purpose OF TAX
! ing it away according to the cold bloOded
/ 5arharisrn of the law. Pale and wounded
{ he was hOisted to the gallOws before the gaze
I of a Christian community.
The guilty cause OF all this was almost
! frantic when she found that he had thus
sacrificed himself to save her. She i'm media
/ tely published the whole history of her
| wrongs aud her revenge Her keen sense of
wounded honor was 81 accordance with pub
/ lie sentiment. Her wrongs excited indgna-
/ ton and compassion, and the knOwledg dge
/ that an innocent and magBanimous man had
! been SO treated excited = general Tevulsion
/ OF popular feeling No one wished for an
other victim, and she was left unpublished,
! save bv the records Of the memory.