The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-04-28
JUSTICES CRIMES.
INNOCENT VICTIMS WHO HAVE SUFFERED
FOR THE GUILTY.

FOR THE GUILTY.
The chains of circumstances which have
/ dragged the innocent to the expiation of the
crimes of others clank in the criminal records
of all countries and ages. Innumerable links
compose them, some so strong that they have
endured the severest tests the law could ap-
ply to them others mere playthings often
forged by The victims own act. Sir Edward
Coke affirms that the most common cause of
false condemnation on the evidence of cir
cumstances is the inclination of the party
charged with the ofTense to lie on his own be-
half when he finds the evidence against him
so plausible IL order to combat the cOinci-
dences of Fate he invents what he considers
a cogent lie to explain it away, and is invari-
ably detected. One case in the great law
yer's OVID cognizance was that of a gentleman
who was accused of the murder of his infant
niece and ward. He was so frightened that
he produced a false ward to disproye the
charge of which he knew himself to be guilt
less The trick was discovered and he was
hanged. Shortly afterward the victim he had
suffered for not creating was rescued from
the band of Gypsies who had kidnapped her.
DOOMED BY HIS DAUGHTER.
In the year 1921 there resided In Edinburg
an upholsterer named William Shaw, who
had daughter, Catherine Shaw. This young
woman encouraged the addresses of John
Lawson. profigate young man, addicted to
every kind Of dissipation. He was forbidden
the house, but the daughter continued to see
him clandestinely; the father, on the discov-
cry, kept her strictly confined
William Shaw ba6 for cDr,a tfr,o ,,-r,o,l !;
daughter to receive the addresses of a son of
Alexander Robertson a friend and neighbor;
and one evening, being very urgent with her
thereon, she peremptorily refused, declaring
she preferred death to being young Robert
sons wife. The most passionate expressions
arose on both sides, and the words barbarfty,
cruelty and death were frequently pro-
nounced by the daughter loudly and emphat-
ically
The greater number of the buildings in
Edinburgh are tall and massive, divided into
flats. William Shaw resided in one of these,
and partition only divided his dwelling
from that of James Morrison, a watch case
maker. This man indistinctly overheard the
conversation and quarrel between Catherine
| Shaw and her father, and was parti cularlv
| struck with the repetition of the above words.
At the end of the squabble he heard Shaw
go out and lock the door, and presently heard
several groans from the daughter Alarmed,
he called some of his neighbors, who, in his
room, not only heard the groans, but dis
tinctly heard Catharine Shaw two or three
times family exclaim "Cruel father, thou
art the cause of my DEATH" A Constable
was procured and an entrance forced. Cath
crime was found weltering in her blood, and
the fatal knife by her side She was alive.
but speechless ; but on questioning her as to
owing her death to her father, she was lust
able to make motion with her head appa-
rently in the affirmative, and expired. At
/ this critical moment William Shaw returned.
At the sight of his daughter he turned pale.
| trembled, and was ready 20 sink The first
surprise and the succeeding horror left little
| DOUBT OF his guilt in the breasts of the be-
holders; and even that little was done avav
on the Constable discovering that the shirt of
William Shaw was bloody Evidence such
as this was considered ample to secure his
hanging in November, 1921.
Next year man who had become tho loo
see OF his rooms found a scrap Of folded pa
per IN crevice behind the manteI-pjece
from which it had evidently fallen or been
blown. Itwas letter from Catherine Shaw
five minutes after her fathers departure. An.
nouncing that she intended to commi. sni-
eide
1t may have been some satisfaction TO vii.
liam Shaw that when his innocence was &c
tablshed the authorities caused a fac To he
waved over his grave
WITHIN AN INCH OF HIS LIFE.
In the reign of Charles II, JACQUES din
Moulin, French refugee, having brought
over ms family and small sum of money
employed it in purchasing lots of goods that
had been condemned at the Custom-bouse
which he again disposed of by retail. He
came frequently to persons of whom he had
received money with pieces of counterfeit
coin, and pretended that they were among
the pieces which had been paid him. This
soon brought him into disrepute. and he
gradually lost business and credit. 1t han
pened that having sold goods to one Harris
person with whom he had no DEALINGS ba
received the money in guineas and PORTUGAL
gold. In few days he returned with six
pieces, which he averred were of base metal
and part of the sum which he had few 5a vs.
before received. Du Moulin insisted that he
bad put the money in drawer by itself, and
locked it up till he offered it in payment of a
Dill OF exchange, and then the pieces were
found to be bad. Harris became angry. and
charged DG Moulin with intending fraud
and told the story wherever he went, until
the refugee sued him for defamation. In
seif-defense Harris and several previous vic
tins Joined TO sue out warrant against him
on charge of offering counterfeit coin.
He was arrested and his house searched
counterfeit coin, tools, molds and the like
were found in his escritoire. On this evi-
denee be was convicted and sentereed to
death A few days before the carrying out
OF the sentence a seal engraver named Will