The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-07-28
Circumstantial Evidence.

CircumStantial Evidence.
Mr.. David Graham Adee, in the Wash
ington Republic, gives some interesting in
stances of the misleading character of cir
cumstantial evidence.
In 1742 gentleman on his way to Hull
was robbed by highwayman. He stopped
at the next inn, and in describing his loss
stated he always marked his coins. Shortly
after retiring to private parlor he was
waited on by the landlord, who, informing
him he had heard of his (the traveler's)
adventure, asked the time of the robbery,
and said he suspected his hostler, who Of
late had had plenty of money. Continu
inc, he said that shortly before he had sent
the hostler to change a guinea, who re-
turned after dark, saying he could not
change it. The landlord noticed the coin
was not the one he gave him, but before
be heard of the robbery he had paid it to
countryman. He suggested that the hos
tier who was then asleep under the lntiu-
ence of liquor, be searched, which, being
done. the marked coins, minus one, were
found in his pockets. He was tried and
hanged, but years afterward the landlord,
being at the point of death, confessed he
did the robbery, managing to reach his inn
by short cut, and, having paid out one of
the coins before finding they were marked,
he took advantage OF an errand he had
sent the hostler on and his drunken condi-
ton to place the marked coins in his pock
cts. and the evidence of the countryman
hanged him.
The case of the innkeeper in Oxford
shire, Jonathan Bradford, has often been
told Late one night two guests heard
deep groans proceeding from an adjoining
apartment, and, repairing there, saw Brad
ford, with Ion ng knife in his hands, stand
ing over the body Of guest named Hayes,
who, earlier in the evening, had admitted
that he had large sum of money in his
possession. Bradford stoutly maintained
his innocence, claiming he had been at
tracted by the groans Of the victim, and
had Just drawn the knife from the wound
when the other guests arrived The evil
dence, however, was strong against him,
and he was hanged The real facts of the
crime did not come to light for some years,
but Bradford was not innocent of the in
tent. if of the deed covert act). The MUIR
der had been perpetrated by MIR. Hayes
own footman, who, knowing that his mas
ter had large amount of money with him,
determined upon his death and robbery.
Going to his room, therefore he had stabbed
him, riAed his saddle-bags, and made his
way in safety to his own apartment only
as it must have been ten seconds before the
innkeeper himself arrived upon the tragic
scene But, strange to relate, Bradford
left a confession, which had been kept Sc
cret, that, although innocent Of the muir
der, he had stolen to the room of his guest
with the mind of effecting his death. He
had heard Hayes boast of his money at sup
per, had deliberately planned to kill and
rob him, and was stricken with amazement
when he found that the deed had already
been done. He had been anticipated by
but few minutes in the execution Of his
murderous design.
In Edinburgh, in the year 172l, lived
William Shaw, an upholsterer, with an
only daughter named Catharine. The girl
was to be married to one John Lawson, a
ieweler, toward whom her father bore all
the hearty, honest aversion known as
"Scotch hate" John had been wild lad,
too fond of E'hot Scotches" and the lasses,
but was entirely devoted to one lass since
his engagement to Catharine Shaw. Old
Shaw had sworn that Lawson should never
enter his family, and with violence forbade
him to come near the house. There was
the son of friend of the family, named
Robertson, however, whom the father urged
his daughter to marry The girls lot was
hard enough, what with her love for Law
son and the harsh treatment meted out to
her in order to bring about her consent to
wed her parents choice. This state OF
affairs had existed for some weeks, when
one evening Shaw returned home in wrath,
and peremptorily ordered Catharine to ac-
cept of young Robertson without further
delay, and prepare for marriage at an early
day. The girl angrily refused to comply,
preferring death to the alternative of sac
rrifcing happiness. The quarrel had waxed
SO violent that it was overheard by several
neighbors, and when Shaw left the room
one named Morrison heard him shut and
lock the door and go down stairs to the
street. All was still in Shaw's rooms after
this for awhile, but soon the sound of low
groans fell upon Morrison's startled ear.
In terror he ran to the neighbors, giving
the alarm, and telling them of the previous
furious alteration. A crowd assembled
about the upholsterer's door, and Catha-
rine's voice was distinctly heard to murmer:
"Cruel father, you are the cause of my
death. You have killed me
The door was then broken in by con-
stable who had been summoned, and Cath
arine Shaw was discovered lying upon the
floor bathed in blood and with bloody
knife beside her, and died without another
word. At this critical instant Shaw him
self came up the stairs and into the room.
All eyes were fixed upon him. He trem-
bled when he beheld the horror at his feet,
grew deadly pale and seemed as if about to
faint. His guilty CONSERVATION was ap-
parent.
'sTo prison with the murderer Off with
him to jaili' shouted the threatening
throng, and William Shaw was hurried
before magistrate and at once committed
to cell, charged with the slaying of his
child. At the trial all was plain enough
The quarrel, the ill-feeling, the broken
words of Catharine (''barbarity, brutalitys
death l'') overheard by Morrison and the