Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-09-02

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his way to Hull, but that be had been SC
frightened as to make it impossible for
him TO continue his journey. A high.
wayman had robbed him of purse con-
tanning twenty guineas. The thief g
face las usual in those days. was con.
cealed by mask; and there was but one
f, chance of bringing him to justice. 1t
was the travellers custom to place pri-
vate mark on every gold piece that he
lcarried with him on journey; and the
stolen gunieas might possibly be traced
In that way.
The landlord Zone Mr.. BrunelD attend
ed on his guest at supper. His wife had
only that moment told him of the rob-
berry; and he had q circumstance to
mention which might lead to the discov-
cry of the thief. In the first place, how
ever, he wished to ask at what time the
crime had been committed. The trav-
eler answered that he had been robbed
late in the evening, just as it was be
ginning to get dark. On hearing this,
Mr.. Burnell looked very muchidistressed.
81 have got waiter here, named Jen-
nings," be said; "a man superior to his
station in life-good manners and a fair
education-in fact, general favorite.
But, for some time past, have observed
that he has been rather free with his
money in betting, and that habits of
drinking have grown on bin. l am
afraid he is not worthy of the good
opinion entertained of him by myself
and by other persons. This evening, l
sent him out to get some small silver for
me, giving him a guinea to change. He
came back intoxicated, telling me change
was not to be had. ordered him to bed
and then happened to look at the
guinea he bad brought back. Unfortu.
nately l had not, at that time, heard of
the robbery and paid the guinea away
with some other money, in settlement of
tradesman's account. But this | am
sure-tbere.w a mark on the guinea
which Jennings gave back me. 1t is, of
course, possible that there might have
been mark (Which escaped my notice.
on the guinea which l took out of my
purse when sent for change"
"Or," the traveller suggested, sit may
have been one of my stolen guineas,
given back in mistake. by this drunken
waiter of yours, instead of the guinea
handed to him by yourself. Do you think
he is asleep?"
"Sure to be asleep. sir-in his condi-
ton"
DO you object, Mr.. 3runell. after
what you have told me, to setting this
matter at rest by searching the mans
clothes?"
The landlord hesitated. at seems
hard on Jennings" he said, "if we prove
to have been suspicious of him without a
cause. Can you speak positively, sir. to
the mark which you put on your money 7
The traveller declared that he could
swear to his mark. Mr.. Brunell yielded.
The two went up together to the wait
er's room.
Jennings was fast asleep. At the very
outset of the search, they found the sto
len bag of money in his pocket. The
euineas-nineteen in number-had a
mark on each of them, and that mark
the traveller identified. After this dis
covery, there was but one course to
take. The walters protestations of in
nOcence, when they woke him and ac-
cused him of the robbery, were words
fatty contTadicted by facts. He was
charged before a magistrate with the
theft of the money, and. as matter of
course, was committed for trial.
The circumstances were so strongly
against him that his own friends recon-
mended Jennings to plead guilty, and
appeal to the mercy of the court. He
refused to follow their advice, and he
was bravely encouraged to persist in
that decision by the poor girl. who be-
lieved in his innocence with her whole
heart. At that dreadful crisis in her
life, she secured the best legal assistance,
and took from her little dowry the mon
ey that paid the expenses.
At the next assiZes the case was tried.
The proceedings before the judge were
a reptition (at great length and with
more solempity) of the proceedings be
fore the magistrate. No skill in cross
examination could shake the statements
of the witnesses. The evidence was
made absolutely complete by the ap-
pearance of the tradesman to whom Mr..
Brunell had paid the marken guinea.
The coin $50 marked) was a curiosity
the man had kept it, and he now produ-
ced it in court.
The Judge summed up; finding LITERAL
ally nothing that he could say, as an
honest man, in favor of the prisoner.
The jury returned verdict of guilty,
after consultation which was mere
matter of form. Clearer circumstantial
evidence of guilt had never been prOdu-
ced, in the opinion of every person-but
one-who was present at the trial. The
sentence on Jennings for highway rob-
berry was, by the law of those days, death
on the scaffold.
Friends were fonnd to help Esther in
the last effort that the faithful creature
could now make-the attempt to obtain
a Communication of the sentence. She
was admitted to an interview with the
home Secretary, and her petition was
presented to the King. Here, again, the
indisputable evidence forbade the eXer>
else eff mercy. Esther's betrothed hus-
band was hanged at Hull. His last
words declared his innocence-with the
rope round his neck.
Before year had passed, the one poor
consolation that she could hope for, in
this world, found Esther in her misery.
The proof that Jennings had died mar
tyr to the fallibility of human justice
was made public by the confession of
the guilty man.
Another criminal trial took place at
lD0 dSolLcS. uC VI oil luu was
found guilty of having stolen the prop
erty of person staying in his house. 1t
was stated in evidence that this was not
his first offense. He had been babitual-
ly robber On the highway, and his
name was Brunell.
The wretch confessed that he was the
masked highwayman who had stolen the
bag of guineas. Riding, by a nearer
way than was known to a traveller, he
had reached the iun first There he
found person in trade waiting by ap-
pointment for the settlement of bill
Not having enough Money of his own
about him to pay the whole amount,
Burnel made use of one of the stolen
guieas, and had only heard the traveller
declare that his money was marked af-
ter the tradesman had left the house.
To ask for the return of the fatal guinea
was more than he dared to attempt. But
one other alternative presented ITSELF