The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-06-02

as she could learn, he had not only been
away for much longer time than bust
ness could require, but had never been
seen since, began to be much agitated,
especially as every one was talking of a
horrible murder in the Bellair coach.
At last she went to Bellair, and when
she learned how the victim had said this
and that she thought little about it, for
she knew poor Tom had no power to
speak. One evening, however, she saw
a drunken man rolling home. Like
other fools of his class, he scattered all
he had about him, and Mrs. Conway's
eyes fell upon small letter-case which
he knew belonged to Ellwood. She
picked it up, followed the drunkard, saw
where he lived and then applied to the
magistrate. The drunkard was arrested
He proved to be none other than the
coachman, John Rush, who could not,
however, account fairly for the case.
Drunk as he was, he was too sensible to
betray himself. He was, however, held
to bail, which, as he could not give, he
was of course locked up.
The next day he was brought before
the magistrate and examined. Mrs.
Conway swore that the letter-case be-
longed to her missing brother. The
coachman swore that he bought it, with
some other trifes, of peddler whom
he met In the street, and, as there was no
evidence to refute this statement. he was
at once discharged. Rush now saw that
he was likely to become ali object of
suspicion and prepared to fee.
Meanwhile the detective police, hav-
ing at last clew which even blind
man could not help but follow, set to
work again in earnest. They saw Mrs.
Conway and suggested to her that it was
her brother Ellwood who had been muir
dered, and that perhaps the coachman
knew more of the affair than he chose
to allow. This suspicion she of course
declared groundless, as her brother, be-
ing deaf and dumb, could not have
spoken as the coachman asserted. A
warrant, however, was obtained for ex-
huming the body of the murdered man.
Mrs. Conway at once recognized her
brother. oA afesft
Rush was now again arrested, al
though the magistrate was greatly OPP
posed to the proceeding, as he Justly
stated that there was not sufficient evil
dence to justify an arrest. A we'll
known lawyer, Mr.. Chancery, however,
came forward and clearly showed that if
Rush, having every facility for forming
proper Judgment, had sworn solemnly
that the deceased had said such and
such things, the deceased being-as was
now fully proved-deaf and dumb from
birth, he must either have deliberately
committed perjury or else he must have
some completely in the bloody deed, or
possibly he might be guilty of both.
This argument, coming from man like
Mr.. Chancery, was listened to with
proper attention. The coachman was
again taken into custody and committed
for trial.
He was arraigned at the next sessions.
Had he only murdered the unfortunate
Mr.. Ellwood and said nothing about it
he might possibly have escaped. But he
condemned himself out of his own mouth
by swearing at the inquest that man
now proved to have been born dumb had
said certain things to him. When
brought up for trial he came with an air
OF defiance and proposed to brazen out
the whole matter. But when, after he
had again been infinitely questioned
about what the murdered man said. and
had sworn to it, other witnesses Of I'M
doubted character proved that the un-
fortunate man never could speak !; then,
turning to the Judge. the criminal said,
The game is played out" and tainted.
The jury brought in verdict of will
full murder against John Rush.
1t would, however, appear that all
that the guilty man said about the be-.
ginning of the fatal journey was true.
Mr.. Ellwood did really leave his hotel
to go to the post, but being anxious to
arrive in Bellair that day, and seeing the
stage, already started, rounding the
corner, he got into it without returning
for his luggage. The other passengers
alighted at their several destinations,
and he was left alone. Rush had some
slight knowledge of him, and believing
him to carry large sum had, when he
found his victim left without protection,
stopped the coach, and in an unguarded
moment stabbed him in the neck. His
first idea after pillaging the murdered
man was to bury him on the spot; but,
fearing discovery, he hid his spoils q
little way off in the woods, and then con-
cocted a story to account for the delay
OF the coach-wounding the horse HIM
self, so as to bear out his tale.