The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-06-23
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.
TWO VERY NOTABLE CASKS.

Mrs. Child, in her work advocating the
abolition of capital punishment. gives a
| notice of two cases in which circumstan-
tial evidence led to the execution Of
wrong parties.
A few years ago a 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 hus-
band and wife lived in perpetual quar-
rel. One day the German came into the
kitchen with clasp-knife and pan Of
potatoes, and began to pare them for his
dinner. The quarrelsome couple were
in more violent alteration than usual:
but he sat with his back toward them,
and, being ignorant of their language,
felt in no danger OF being involved in
their dispute. But the woman, with q
sudden and unexpected 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 meanwhile, seeing
the wounded man reel, sprang forward
to catch him in his arms, and drew ont
the knife. People from the street crowd
ed in and found him with the dying man
| in his arms, the knife in his hand and
blood upon his clothes. The wicked
woman swore in the most positive terms
that he had been fighting with her bus
band and had stabbed him with knife
he always carried. The unfortunate
German knew too little English to under
stand her accusation or to tell his own
story. He was dragged off to prison,
and the true state of the case was made
known through an interpreter; but it was
not believed. Circumstantial evidence
was exceedingly strong against the ac-
cused and the real criminal swore unhes-
itatingly that she saw him commit the
murder. He was executed, notwith-
standing the most persevering efforts of
LILO OOIlh L1htLOus NLOoC COLf1S-
ton of the mans innocence was so pain
fully strong that from that day he has
refused to have any connection with a
capital case. Some years after this tragic
event the woman died, and on her death
bed confessed her agency in the diabol-
ical transaction; but her poor victim
could receive no benefit from this tardy
repentance; society had wantonly thrown
away its power to atone for the grievous
wrong.
Many readers will doubtless recollect
the tragicai fate of Burton, in Missouri,
on which novel was founded, that still
continues in the libraries. Ayoung lady,
| belonging to q genteel and very proud
family in Missouri, was beloved by a
young man named Burton, but unfor
tunately her affections were fixed on an
other less worthy. He left her with q
furnished reputation. She was by nature
energetic and high-spirited; her family
were proud; and she lived in the midst
of society which considered revenge a
virtue, and named it honor. Misled by
this false popular sentiment and her own
| excited feelings, she resolved to repay
her lovers tgeachery by death. But she
kept her secret so well that no one sus-
pected her purpose, though she purchas-
ed pistols and practiced with them daily.
Mr.. Burton gave evidence of his strong
attachment by renewing his attentions
when the world looked coldly upon her.
His generous kindness won her bleeding
heart, but the softening influence of love
did not lead her to forego the dreadful
purpose she had formed. She watched
for favorable opportunity and shot her
betrayer when no one was near to witness
the horrible deed. Some little incident
excited the suspicion of Burton, and lie
induced her to confess to him the whole
transaction. It was obvious enough that
suspicion would naturally fasten upon
| him, the we'll known lover of her who
had been SO deeply injured. He was
| arrested, but succeeded in persuading
| her that he was in no danger. Circum-
stantial evidence was fearfully against
him, and he soon saw that his chance was
| doubtful; but with affectionate magnani-
nifty he concealed this from her. He was
| convicted and condemned. A short time
before the execution he endeayored to
cut his throat, but his life was saved fer
| the cruel purpose of taking it away ac-
| cording to the cold blooded barbarism of
the law. Pale and wounded, he was
hoisted to the gallows before the gaze of
| 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
mediately published the whole history of
her wrongs and her revenge. Her keen
| sense of wounded honor was in accor-
| dance with public sentiment. Her wrongs
excited indignation and compassion, and
| the knowledge that al innocent and mag
| unanimous man had been so brutally
treated excited general revulsion of
popular feeling. No one wished for
another victim, and she was left unpun-
ishsd, save by the records Of her own
| memory.
FILES.