Morris tribune., 1883-02-10
Misleading Evidence of Murder


Misleading Evidence of Murder.
Dublin Irish Times, January 1.
Jonathan Bradford was executed at
Oxford in 1856 for the murder of Chris
topher Hayes, Esq. This Bradford kept
an inn on the road form London to Ok
ford. He bore an uneXceptional char
acter. Mr.. Hayes, II gentleman of for
tune, being ON his way to visit relation,
put up at Bradford's house of entertain
ment. He there joined company with
two other gentlemen, also incidental
travellers like himself, with whom he
supped, and in course of conversation
mentioned unguardedly that he had
about him large SUI n ofmoney. In due
time they retired to their respective
chambers; the two gentlemen to a double
bedded room, having, as customary with
many, a candle burning in the chimney
corner.
Some hours after they were in bed,
one being awake, thought he heard a
groan in the adjoining champer. This
being repeated, he softly wakened his
friend. They listened together, and the
groans increasing, as of one dying, they
both arose and proceeded silently to the
door of the next chamber, from whence
the sounds proceeded, and, the door be-
ing ajar, saw light in the room. They
entered, but it would have been difficult
to paint their CONSERVATION on perceiv-
ing person weltering in his blood in
the bed, and a man standing over MIN
wi tn dark lantern in one hand and q
knife in the other. Ehe man seemed as
petrifed us themselves, but his express
SION carried with it all the terror ofguilt
The gentlemen scoE discovered that the
victim was the stranger with whom they
had that night supped, and that the man
standing over him was their host
They seized Bradford directly, disarme6
him of his knife, and charged h4m
with being the murderer. BY this time
he had recovered his composure, as
sumed an air of innocence, positively
denied the crime, and asserted that re
came there with the saline humane in
tentiOns as themselves. Hearinga noise.
ne S;ilu, when was succeeded Dy deep
groaning, he got out of bed, struck a
light, and had only entered the room a
minute or two before them.
These assertions were of little avail
he was kept in close custody till the
morning, and then taken before the
neighboring Justice of the peace, still
resolutely denied the crime, but, never
theless, with such an apparent indica
ton of guilt that the justice made use OF
an extraordinary expression on writing
out his mitimus-"Mr. Bradford either
you or committed this murder"
This extraordinary affair naturally be-
came the conversation of the whole
country. Bradford was tried and con-
delnned over and over again in every
company. In the midst of all this pre-
determination came on the assizes at
Oxford. Bradford was brought TO trial
He pleaded Not guilty" Nothing could
be III IRE conclusive than the dispositions
of the two gentlemen. They testified to
the finding Mr.. Hayes murdered in his
bed; Bradford at the side of the body
with a light and knife; the knife and
hand which held it bloody; on their en-
tering the room he betrayed all the signs
of guilty man; and few moments be.
fore they had heard the groans of the
deceased.
Bradford's defense on his trial was
the same as before the gentlemen. He
had heard noise; he suspected that
some villiany was transacting; he struck
light, he snatched a knife, the only
weapon near him, to defend himself
and the terrors he discovered were
merely those of humanity, the natural
ettec S of innocence as we'll rs guilt, on
bebOlding such a s-ene.
But this defense was considered weak,
COZ trasted with the powerful cirCum-
stances against him. Never was circum-
stantial evidence more conclusive. There
was little need of comment from the
Judge in summing up the case. No room
or plea appeared for eXtenuation. The
jury brought in the prisoner guilty with
out even going out of the box. Jonathan
Bradford was executed in due course Of
law, still declaring he was not the muir
derer nor prIvy to the murder of MIR.
Hayes, but he died unpitled and disbe-
ieved by all.
Yet were these assertions not untrue
The murder was actully committed by
Mr.. Hayes footman, who Immediately
on stabb ng his master rifled his
breaches pocket ofmoney, gold watch,
and snuff box, and escaped unObserved
10 his own room. This scarcely could
have been five minutes before the en-
trance or Bradford into the unfortunate
mans chandler. The world owes this
knowledge to a remorse ofconscience in
the real delinquent eighteen years after
the execution of Bradford, on a bed of
sickness. 1t was death-bed repent
ance, and by that death the law lost its
due victim. 1t seems strange that as
the two gentlemen had distinctly heard
Mr.. Hayes say he had large sum OF
of money with him they did not search
his clothes to see if it had been alb
stracted, and at the sumo time examine
the person of Bradford to detect the
plumber in his possession, if it was on
him. Its absence must have been point
in his favor which ought not to have
been overlooked.