New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-05
A TRAGEDY OF EVIDENCE.
. STORY TOLD BY wILKIE COLLINS

ssaxed tea. Bristol trader arrived In the haf-
nor of Boston, having one passenger ON board
This nerson was young Enghshwoman, named
rsther Calvert, daughter of shopkeeper at
cbeUenham and niece Of the captain OF the
ship. 49,. Io. 5o,,,r,,ro from Eng
land Esther had suffered from an aflicuOn-
aassnciated with a deplorable public event
~bich had shaken her attachment to her ma
&c land Free, at a later period, to choose
Cor herself she resolved on leaving England
90 soon as employment could he found lor hei
n another country. After a. weary interval
~ eyrectatiOn, the sca-captain had oDtalneo
v situation for his niece as hOusekceper In the
"o,n;lv of Mrs. Anderkin-a widow lady living
Z" Fs,ber had been well practised in domestic
ur.;,s during the long illness OF her mother
yntr1liecnt. modest and swect-tempcred shS
m became favorite with Mrs. Anderkln and
thc members of Der young family. Inc chil-
J,,n found but one fault with the new mouse
Ieencr She dressed invariably IN dismal olack
I'D n was impossible TO prevail upon her TO
&c The cause IL was known that snc was
- g. ornban. and she had acknowledged that no
,niat;onS of hers had recently died-and Sci
che resisted in wearing mourning; some sIcd,
crIel had evidently oNershadoweu inc lle VI
he gentle English housekeeper.
nn The dav before he sailed on his homcWafu
-o,,ace the sea-captain called to take leave OF
his nicce-and then asked if he could also pay
bls respects to Mrs. Anderkln. nc was III
formed that the lady of the house h IA sOny
ont. but that the govcrneSs would I'VE haPIH
~ receive him At the interview, when iol
Lived they talked of Esther, and agTeed So
LII IN heir good opinion of her that he cap,
,an paid a long visit. The go. mess mac
persuaded him to tell the story oil his niece
IN B", he insisted on one condition g., g,
..If We had been in England, he said,
.bonId have kept the matter secret l2r Llc
sake Of the family. Here IN america ES' ll,,r
is a strangcr-herc She VIII s'Nm AZ a. ~ home me-
Tnt mind ono thing ! trust TO your honoI
90 take no one into your c0niidence-cNc'pl"'E
ONLY the mistress Of the house. ..o--ol
More than one hundred years nave PISS SeJ
since these words were spoken. ES'noi '"'
story may he harmleSsly told now. od Io5,,
In the wear 1862 young man hd1rcu 49,
Jennings cmul0ycd as a waiter at OrkSnir
Inn. astonshed his master by announce ~ ia
be was engaged to nc mari1eu' anu oi,ar,n,-
nurposcd retiring from service on ncN1 qual.uI
tun TIr,ber jnouiry showed that the young
..c'non,s namc was Esther Calvert. and thai
Jennings was greatly her inferior III SoOldI
rark Her fathers consent TO me mdIildEV
depended on her lover succcsS III ;'lj??rna
the world Friends with money were lhchIeN
- trusi Jennings and TO help HIM 10 star. Il
Ir.;rnss of his own, if Miss Cai]cris father
would do something for the young people Oh
his side He made no objection ana INC MAJ
,,ooc cnra cement was sanctioned accordingly
limo evening. when the last days OF Jcn-
,ings's service were drawing to an end, q
gentleman on horseback stopped al the Inn.
IL a state OF great agitation he lniormcd lht
IandladX that he was on his way TO Hull pu
tbat he had been so frightened rs 10 make II
impoSs BILE for him 10 continue his Journey
a biohwavrnan had robbed him of purse con
taining twenty guincas. The thleiS lace as
usual in hose days was concealed ny iLidsh
and there was but one chance Oh onhEn3 NM
to Justice. II was the travellers, custom 10
Mace 4 private mark on every COLO piece 'h"1
he carried with him on a Journey ana th'
stolen guincas might possibly be traced III 'hdl
wav IL, .41J On
Ms Guest Al supper His wife had only that
moment told hin Of the robbery; ana he hai
n circumstance TO mcnOon Whlch uhEhO icdu
T. the discovery of the thel. In me llrs'
Uloce however he wished to ask NJ what time
ihc crime had been committed. The traveuef
answered that he had been robbed late IN the
evening inst as il was beginning to get dark
On hearing this Mr. Brunel looked very much
distressed.
- have cot waiter here named Jennings
he said a man superior 10 ms station IN He
good manners and "A fair educauon-ln fact
q General fayolte But for some little time
rast | have OF served that be has been rather
free with his money in betting, and That haOlls
of drinking have grown on him. / am AFRAID
be is not worthy Of the good opinion enter
taincd of him by myself and by other persons;
This evening ! sent him out TO get some small
silver for me, giving HIM guinea TO chanse.
H.. came back intoxicated, telling me lhdu
change was not 70 bc had ! ordered him to
Leland then happened to look at the guinea
which he had brought back. Unfortunately
| had not at that time heard OF the robbery
and ! paid the guinea away with some Olher
money IN settlement Of tradesman account.
but this am sure Of-there was mark on tnc
guinea which Jennings gave back to me.
h IS. Of course possible that there might have
been \ mark which escaped my notice. on
the guinea which took out Of my purse when
/ sent for change
Gov" the traveller suggested, it may have
been ono of my stolen gulneas given back 10y
mistake by this drunken waiter Of yours III
stead Of the guinea handed to him by your
self Do you think he is asleep ?"
Surc to he asleep Sr-ln his condition.
81 Do you object Mr. BTunell. after what YOU
have told me, to setting this matter at rest by
searching the mans clothes
The landlord hesitated d" 1t seems hard on
Jennings" he said, " if we prove TO have been
suspicious Of him without cause. Can you
speak positively. sir, to the mark which you
put on your money -
The traveller declared that he could swear
TO MS mark Mr. Bruncll Welded. The two
went up together 10 he walters room.
Jennings was fast asleep. At the very out
set Of the search they found the stolen bag Of
money in his pocket. The guineas-nineteen
In number-had a mark on each one Of them,
and that mark the traveller identified. After
this ScOVery there was but one course 10 take
The walters prOtPstatiOns Of innocence when
they woke him and accused him Of the rob
lery were words fatty contradicted by facts
He was charged before a magistrate with the
theft Of the money and. as d matter Of course
was committed for trial
The circumstances were so strongly against
him that his own friends recommended Jen-
n'ngs 70 plead guilty and appeal TO the mercy
Of the court. he refused TO follow their advice
and he was bravey encouraged to persist in
that decision by the poor girl, who believed
In his innocence with her whole heart At that
dreadful crisis in her life she secured the best
legal aSsis' ancc, and took from her little dOwry
the money that paid the expenses
At the next assizes the case was tried The
proceedings before the Judge were a repetition
fas 81