The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-04-27
AHArR-BREADIH ESCAPE

ing cltV OF StcuDenNllic, Oiilo, "ao I"
very small place. Its population
was noted for its quiet and orderly
character, and there was nota single
LIQUOR saloon in the place. Crime
was very rare. and the Circuit Judg
es often had occasion TO congratu-
late the people upon not having q
single criminal case upon their cal
cndar.
In consequence there was an IN
tense excitement in Steubenyillc
when at an carly hour in the morn
ing of the 18th of November, in the
above mentioned year, the report
reached the place that the corpse OF
a man had been found in the woods
within a hundred yards of the last
house of the town, and close TO the
Pittsburgh turnpike with every eyi,
dence that an attrocious murder bad
been committed. The Sheriff, ac-
companied by some fifty citizens
immediately fastened TO the spot
indicated to him by the person that
had discovered the remains OF the
murdered man.
This person was decreped
old woman, who had gone out to
gather brush wood. No one would
have suspected her, under any cir
cumstances, of having had anything
to do with the bloody deed, and, be
sides. she manifested such unfeign-
ed horror in, describing what she
had seen at the dismal spot in the
woods that she was unhesitatingly
allowed to 90 about her business.
Upon arriving at the scene OF the
supposed murder, the Sheriff and
his companions saw at glance that
a terrible crime had been committed
The dead man was covered all ovel
with frozen gore, and several wounds
apparently inflicted with SHARP
knife were found upon his body
His head was still covered with {
nice felt hat. His face presented
most ghastly aspect. \ terrible
cash extended from the left temple
20 the right jaw. Another cash wa:
in the forehead. The victim wa:
dressed in substantial fur coat. HI
was apparently forty-two years old
When his pockets were examined
they were found TO be entirely emp
ty. But close to his holy was an
old fashioned wallet. 1T was still
open as if its contents had been tax
en- from it, and as if he who haC
emptied it had afterward thrown i
away.
At distance of about ten yard;
from the corpse. near an old log, lay
peculiar shaped fur cap. 1t could
not have belonged to the murdered
man, for, as we have said before, hi
hat was on his head.
The ground was covered viii
snow, and there were 4 number o
light footprints visible in it. These
were the only indications of the per
petrators of the horrible crime
The Coroner was sent for, and un
til his arrival, the Sheriff and hi
companions went to the Ohio tav
ern, which was situated at no great
distance from the scene Of the mur
der.
When the Sheriff told the land
lord about the murder, and describ
ed to him the appearance of th'
corpse, the landlord exclaimed a
once
''Great God |. that fellow canno
be ANYBODY else but Mr.. Sammis
the Pittsburgh cattle dealer. HI,
was here last night and took suppe
with another man from Pittsburgh
whose name, L believe, was BelsoI
or Wilson, and who rode on toward
Pittsburgh Immediately after the,
had left the stable. Sammis sat il
the front room with me and Jacl
Capon for an hour yet, when th'
two went out-together."
Jack Capon was a dissolute, bu
very good natured fellow, about thir
ty wears old who had a decided
aversion to work, and a still NOR,
decided prediction for stron:
drink.
He could not get any whiskey a
Steubenville, and hence he otter
walked miles and miles in order tc
obtain "wee drop" of whisky.
When he was successful he re
turned with his hat full of bricks tC
Steubeville where he had frequent
iy been punished by the Squire
for intoxication with fine and i'm
prisonment. Still everybody liked
him because he had an excellent
most unselfsh heart, and never for
got a favor done him.
"What sort of hat did Capor
wear last night ?" asked the Sher,
if.
"Why, no hat, but a fur cap
made of beaver skin-with two eal
covers"
"Was this the cap?" said tht
Sheriff, producing the fur cap which
had been found near the corpse o.
the murdered man, and which h'
had thus far been holding under hii
cloak.
"Yes," said the landlord, "that j,
Capon's cap, and no mistake. Where
did you find it ?"
The Sheriff told him. Everybody
seemed horror struck at the ides
that Jack Capon should have com.
mitted so atrocious a crime. Men
were Immediately dispatched tC
hunt up Jack Capon. They did not
find him in his wonted haunts in
Steubenville but a man who was
well acquainted with his habits said
if he could be found anywhere il
would be at the cabin of old Sim
Brooks.
Brooks lived in the woods on the
Pittsburgh side of Steubenyilie,
about one mile from the spot where
the corpse of Mr.. Sammis had been
found. Like Jack Capon, old Brooks
was found of whisky, and the two
would frequently drink together un-
ill utterly obliyious TO the cares and
sorrows of this world. which. as they
thought, had not treated either of
them too well.
So to Brooks went tho men.
They Knocked at the front door,