Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-07-07
CIRCUMsTANTIAL EVIDENCE.

oonsin farmer named Throop, who was 9
widower, with daughter fifteen years old
The EGn had q good reputation, and his
daughtsr was great favorite in the neigh.
borhood. Fer some time previous to the
occurrence which caused his arrest ThrooI
had not heen on good terms with g farmer
named McE;!liams, living about q mile
away, ca account Of damage committed hy
cattle belonging tc The latter. There had
been n law suit, and the two mon had once
come 20 blows, end Tnroop had said IN The
pregerce Of witu osses that lie would like 10
nut bullet into McWilliams. O0e day
nbcus uoon the cattle broke into the field
again, ard :ho daughter notified her father.
Throop wss terribly earaged, and, rs he
started to drive them ont, lie took his rifle
scug. The back crd Of the field bordered
Ell Il wood, AID t2e s:augat8T saw Ecr !ath.
er tlisaprear smoGg the trees after the Iun-
uirc cattle. Soon thereafter ste heard 6
sho,, AID was alarmed foi fear that her
father had carried ou. his threat.
Il ehou, l.alf aG &ouf Throop cane hcmc,
,ale aud ag;tated, put up his guu, and sat
down 70 his di2ncg without word. The
girl was crying, bat DO didn't soem TO no,
t;ce il. After the meal WIS eaten he hitch
OF. up Il horse 10 the buggy and drove away
aaying that BE: might not be back be.
fore sundoHn. He returned ct O'Clock,
and the daughter noticed that he was in
much better humor. Neither referred TO
tie eilair Of the cattle, and the evening
passed OF pleasantly. Two days later
Throop, meanwhile pursuing his lahors
around home, was approached by tie sheriff
and arrested. Ths farmer was at supper
whe1 the officer entered, and 1t was after
ward put IN evidence that Jhrnop turned
deadly pale before the errand Of the officer
was made known. when told to consider
hi,lselfa prisoner nc asked what was the
charge and the sheriff replied
''r0g the murder of Henry McWilliama
His body was found in the waods this after.
noon"
Throop was terribly agitatGd, but pro-
tested his innocence, saying that he bad
act seen tic Glan FOR week. hs he was
takon away be whispered to his child, who
YVES clingDg to him:
Say nothing Of my chasing the cattle
out"
This was overheard by the sheriff, and at
the proper time this was used TO the prison
ers confusion The daughter was convinced
of Der fathers guilt from the first The
blunderipg sheriff did not take away tho
rifle, and he had no sooner departed than
the girl inspected it, 10 find that it had been
recently discharged. In hopes to exculpste
her father she set about and cleaned and
loaded the gun In the course Of few
hou:s she was put under restraint and in
terrogated. Believing that anything she
T.. Il
act on her father, she determined on silence
and not one word could be got from her as
to the events of the past three days. Throop
vigorously de1ied the killing, but was OBJ
stinately silent to ell other questions. The
prosecution then began 10 work up its case
Of circuEstaayial evidence, aud was fortu.
nate from the start. A person came forward
who saw Throop leave his house, qua in
hrmed that they heard the report of rifle.
Several people had heard Throop make
threats. The cleaning of the rifle vas
charged TO Throop, and made to look ugly
against him. The silence of himself and
daughter was proof sufficient to most peo.
pie that he was guilty Of murder.
Court was in session aud the accused was
speedily brought to trial. To his lawyer he
divulged the episode of pursuing the cattle.
and he admitted firing al heifer and miss
ing her. The shot went over and entered o
beech tree. He gave his solemn word that
he did net SEQ McWiliiams that day.
When he left the house after dinner it was
with The intention of going to the town sew.
eral miles away 80 consult 9 lawyer in re-
gard tc new suit. BE did not find the
lawyer in his Office, and on his way home
he got to thinking the matter over, and
made up his mind he had been too hasty all
along. He even had had some thought of
going to his neighbor and holding out the
hand of reconciliation, but he was restrain
ed by the lateness of the hour. This feeling
accounts for his changed conduct when he
came home.
The lawyer went to the woods and found
the beech tree aud dug out the bullet. He
also foucd that toe lawyer whom Thgoop
went to see Was out at the hour specified.
It was strange, however, that while scores
of men in tho town knew Throop, no one
could oc found who remembered having
seen him On tnat occasion.
Mrs. McWilliams affirmed that her hus-
band had left the house with lis rife 10
hunt squirrels in the woods, and she had
never seen him alive again. He had been
shot through the head. What had become
Of his rifle? The prosecution intended to
charge Throop with hiding it. The defense
bad no theory about it, though they might
ask Why the body had not been hidden IS
we'll. Any theory of suicide was out of the
question in the face of circumstances.
The case was called with strong preju.
dice against the prisoner. The prosecution
put in all its evidence, circumstantisl and
otherwise, and it seemed to every oaa c!ea,
case. Before the defense opened All event
oncllrred which had most imnortanl bear.