The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-07-28
4 Curious Case.

smith, England, while passing the Pack
horse Tavern ut Furnham Green, had
his attention attracted by mob of
persons assembled around the door of
the inn, who were loud in their execra-
lions against some person who was
suspected of having murdered his
brother, in corroboration Of which he
was told that the bones had been found
near tho premises where ho formerly
resided, upon view of which a jury were
sitting after M adjournment from the
day preceding. Two surgeons had been
called to inspect the remains, and the
writer had no doubt that every infor-
nation rs to their character had been
obtained. The investigation, so far as
it had gone, had tended to show that
market gardener at Suttoncourt farm
had younger brother, who, few years
before, worked for him, but whose con-
duct at times was SO irregular rs to give
rise to strife between them. Ono winter
night, when the ground was covered
with SHOW, the younger brother alb
seconded and when he was missed the
ensuing morning, his footsteps were
tracked to a considerable distance, nor
were there any other footsteps but his
own. Time passed on; and, after
lapse Of some years, no tidings had come
OF the place of his retreat. Some alter
ations in the grounds surrounding the
house having been undertaken by O
subsequent tenant Tor tho elder brother
had left the farm) a skeleton was dug
up, and the circumstances appeared 80
conclusive that one brother had mur-
dered the other That the popular clamor
was raised to the utmost, and jury
impanelled to investigate the case. After
listening attentively to these details, the
writer says: "I vcntured to request OF
the Coroner to be allowed to examine
tho bones and, having disposed them in
natural order, found thoy represented
person Of short stature, and. from the
obliteration Of the s,ltures of the skull,
and the worn state of tho teoth, must
have belonged to an aged person. But
what was my surprise, when / recon
structed the bones of tho skeleton, and
found the lower bones of the trunk to
be those of female. 1 Immediately
communicated the fact to the jury, and
requested that the two medical men who
had given their opinions should be sent
an q moments hesitation corroborated my
report I need not add that tho pro-
cecdings were instantly at an end, and
M innocent man received M apology
from nil present, in which the Coroner
heartily joined. It was afterward proven
beyond doubt that the spot where the
bones were found was M old gravel pit
III which hordes of gypsies not only
assembled, but occasionally buried their
dead" In 1916 Jonathan Bradford, who
kept an inn on the rond from London to
Oxford, was found guilty Of the murder
Of Christopher Hayes, under the follow
ing circumstances Hayes was n gentle
man of fortune, and Oh his way to visit
n relation, stopped for the night at
Bradford's. At supper he supped with
two other gentlemen travellers like him
self--and unguardcdly mentioned that
he had considerable sum Of money
upon his person. In duo timo all retired
to their respective chambers, the gentle
men to two-bcddcd room, leaving u
candle burning in tho fireplace. Some
hours after retiring, one Of the gentle
mon, being awake, thought he heard a
deep groan in the adjoining chamber
| r. oNc,,cn1 hiu onr,,,onsn,,
they listened together; and, it being
evident that somo ono WAS in pain in the
next chamber, they instantly arose to
investigate. They found the door Of the
next chamber ajar, and, as they entered,
perceived person Oh the bed weltering
III his blood, and man standing ovel
him with dark lantern in ono hand and
q knife in the other 1t was at once
apparent that tho murdered person was
the stranger with whom they had supped
t in tho evening, and that the man stand
s ing over him was their host. They
3 seized him at once, disarmcd him of hi:
. knife, and charged him with the murder
: Bradford positively denied tho crime
@ and asserted that ho came there with tht
same humane intentions rs themselves
that hearing the outcry, he had struck {
i light, armed himself with knife fo
self-dcfence, and had but that instan
entered tho room. These assertions o
It innocence were Of little avail agains
Il such strong array Of circumstances
J.; Upon the trial, although Bradford still
q denied tho murder, his conduct appeared
to carry 50 many indications Of gull
IL that the Judge who passed sentence
II wrote upon the mittimus "Mr. Brad
o ford, either you or myself committed
u this murder" Nothing could be
o stronger than the evidence of tho two
;, gentlemen who testified to finding Mr..
Hayes murdered in his bed Bradford
., standing over him with knife and a
u l;obt ond tha hon1s which held them