The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-11-12
WRONGLY SENTENCED.
An Innocent Man Set Free AT
ter Five Years Confne-
A Story That Shows How Misleading Cir
cumstantial Evidence May Be-The
Danger of Entirely Relying
sFs..e- on Such Testimony.

Inc nafuSnlpS ana wrongs Intilcted
BY convictions upon circumstantial evi-
dence and mistaken identity are well
illustrated in case which came under
my notice and with which l had some
thing to do, which shows its uncertain
ty and the danger Of relying entirely
upon such testimony however clear
and convincing remarked Matthew
Adams, bailiff of the Colorado Supreme
Court. to a press representative Con-
s tinning, he said
I'm 1878 there was man by the
name of Mills arrested in Portland. Me !,
! for arson. and delivered by the officer
making the arrest into my custody as
Sheriff of the county. He was charged
with setting fire to the dwelling in
which he then resided, belonging to one
Haley Mills was earnest and eloquent
in his denial of any knowlede of the
origin of,the fire He was well and
favorably known as law abiding and
industrious citizen. enjoying the conf
dence OF the community. and his
HC9RHDUIHs W0f6 sIOdtdI TO sD5lEGI 4II0
guilty of capital crime.
His protestationsspf innocence were
of no avail, and, upon examination, the
police magistrate found probable cause
and he was held without bail. to await
the action. of the grand Jury Some
weeks elapsed before his indictment and
time of trial, and had frequent con-
versations with him relating to the cir
cumstanees of the fire. His modest,
quiet manner and gentlemanly deport-
ment while under my charge, and his
apparently honest and strai ightforward
Statement asserting his entire ignorance
OF the crime, excited my sympathy in
his behalf, and became convinced that
he was innocent, and that the real Grim
NAL was still at large and unknown to
the officers.
Nothing occurred which threw anv
new light upon the>crime and the com
munity generally came to believe in his
guilt The grand jury returned an in
dictment for arson against him, setting
fre to a dwelling house in the night
time, with intent to burn the same, for
which the punishment under the laws
OF that State was death.
He was put upon his trial under the
Indictment He was defended by emf
nent and able counsel. and the trial Jury
was composed of upright and intelli-
gent citizens, some of whom knew him
we'll
Ills trial consumed seven days, and
during the whole time he sat with calm,
pale face, watching its progress with
aDDarnnt ipAiff,opapoo u;o
and lovely daughter-his only child :
met him every morning as he was
brought from the jail to the courtroom,
ana they both sat by his side through
al the hours of each day, showing a
.aesotlon and loving soGcitude that was
pathetic He was 4 proud man and one
could see that he keenly felt the humili-
a1on and stigma of the occasion, but
ne was a brave man, and faced the
saarge with. an 'untiincEling confidence
.ase tasa: ne would be finally acquitted The
sheny and argument of the counsel
@@ coneludedi the oral charge of the
retired. ''''s - ''A0 'l'0 jury
Dnrlngg their deliberation upon the
W ,refuet which would restore him to
~ eAAC UOSOlu Vi his 1dmlly or
" s9.,, q solitary cell and final execution.
ih ,.us was apparently uumoved. When
= sae Jury finally brough in their verdict
sul.y the unfortunate man seemed
s,s ahneu ior moment. and his wife was
III; overcome that the officers were
tseu 10 remove her. while his dauoh-
ka VIA loving devotion, remained l,y
- - aaehef side. her hand in his. TRYING
@. y eaeer and comfort him. An appeal
ia %as taken .aken to the Supreme Court. bend
e.s. s Ma'eh Mills was remandei to the
mas assody Of the jailer. to await the iudg.
re. enl Of the appellate court Upon re.
;asa.e, ssm.she supreme Court affirmed the
- ass sl#@a = Js@sas-
con.. Nosaing now remained for the trial
teras ,s 70 40 but to pass the dread SEN
eon.s @nse' Mills was again brought int,
Ssss ss..and and was sentenced to one wears
hay baty Imprisonment and then to be
s1a aaged by the neck until he be dead
so.r J may God have mercy on vanr
fbe % Mers the final words that fell from
kaall p OF the presiding Judge, like
hope. 0Oa ee'ue lnnea mans last
became my duty under the man.