Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-10-01

what you have told me, to setting this
matter at rest by searching the mans
clothesin
The landlord hesitated. 'Tt seems
hard on jennings" he said, eff we
prove to have been suspicious of him
without q cause. Can you speak posi-
lively, sir, to the mark which you put
on your money!
The traveller declared that he could
swear to his mark. Mr.. Brunell yielded.
The two went up together to the walters
room.
Jennings was fast asleep. At the very
outset ofthe search they found the stolen
bag of money in his pocket. The guineas
nineteen in number-had q mark on
each one Of them, and that mark the
traveller identified. After this discovery
there was but one course to take. The
walters protestations of innocence when
they woke him and accused him of the
robbery were words fatty contradicted by
facts. He was charged before magis-
trate with the theft of the money, and,
as matter of course, was committed for
trial.
Tho circumstances were so strongly
against him that his own friends recon
mended Jennings to plead guilty, and
to appeal to the mercy of the court. He
refused to follow the T advice, and he
was bravely encouraged to persist in that
decision by the poor girs, who believed
in his innocence with her whole heart.
At that dreadful crisis in her life she Sc
cured the best legal assistance, and took
from her little dowry the money that
paid the expenses.
At the next assizes the case was tried.
The proceeding before the Judge was
repetition Cat great length and with more
solemnity) Of the proceedings before the
Magistrate. No skill in croSs-examina-
ton could shake the direct statements of
the witnesses. The evidence was made
absolutely complete, by the appearance
OF the tradesman to whom Mr. Brunell
had pad the marked guinea. The coin
$50 MARKEDLY was curiosity; the man
had kept it, and he now produced it III
court.
The Judge summed up, finding literally
nsthing that he could say, as an honest
man, in favor of the prisoner. The Jury
returned verdict of guilty, after a con-
sultation which was mere matter of
form. Clearer circumstantial evidence
of guilt had never been produced, in the
opinion of every person-but onc-who
was present at the trial The sentence on
Jennings for highway robbery was, by
the law of those days, death on the scat
fold.
Friends were found 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 indisputa-
bic evidence forbade the exercise of
mercy Esther's betrothed husband was
his innocence-with the rope around his
neck
Before year had passed, the one poor
consolat on that she could hope for, in
this world, found Esther in her misery.
Tho proof that jennings had died a
martyr to the fallbiity of human justice
was made public by the confession of the
guilty man.
Another criminal trial took place at
the assizes. The landlord of an inn 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 habitually
q 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 nearer way
than was known to the traveller, he had
reached the inn first There he found a
person in trade waiting by appointment
for the settlement of bill. Not having
enough money of his own about him to
pay the whole amount, Brunell had made
use OF one of the stolen guineas, and had
only heard the traveller declare that his
money was marked after the tradesman
had left the house. To ask for the re-
turn of the fatal guinea was more than
he, dared to sttempt. But one other
alternative presented itself. The merci-
less villain insured his own safety by
the sacrifice of an innocent man.
After the time when the sea captain
had paid his visit at Mrs. Anderkin's
house, Esther's position became subject
to certain changes. One little dome tic
privilege followed another 50 gradually
and SO modestly that the housekeeper
fond herself loved and honored mem
Der of the family, without being able to
tra"e by what succession o. events she
had risen to The new place that she occu,
pied. The secret conhded to the two
ladies had been strictly preserved; Esther
never even suspected that they knew
the deplorable story of her lovers death.
Her life, alter what she had suffered, was
not prolonged to a great age. She died
peacefully unconsc GUS of the terrors
of death Her last words were spoken
with a smile. She oked at the loving
friends assembled around her bed, and
said to them: "My dear oneis waiting fol