The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-10-01

JlVely, SIT, 10 tne marx Whloh you put
on your money ?"
The traveller declared that he could
swear to his mark Mr.. Brunell yield
ed. The two went up together to the
walters room.
Jennings was fast asleep. At the
very outset of the search they found
the stolen bag of money in his pocket.
The guineas--nineteen in number
had 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 awoke him and
accused him of the robbery were words
fatty contradicted by facts. He was
charged before Magistrate with the
theft of the money, and, as a matter
OF course, was committed for trial.
The circumstances were so strongly
against him that his own friends
recommended Jennings to plead guilty
and appeal to the mercy of the Court.
He refused to follow their advice and
he was Dravely 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
assistance, and took from her little
dowry the money that paid the ex-
penses.
At the next sssizes the case was
tried. The proceedings before the
Judge were a repetition (at great
length and with more solemnity) of
the proceedings before the Magistrate
No skill in cross-examination could
shake the direct statements of the wit.
nesses. The evidence was made abso.
lutely complete by the appearance of
the tradesman to whom Mr.. Brunell
had paid the marked guinea. The
coin $50 marke0 was curiosity the
man had kept it and he now produced
it in Court. The Judge summed up,
finding literally 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 produced in the opinion of
every person-but one-who was
present at the trial. The sentence on
Jeaunings for highway robbery was,
by the law of those days, death on the
scaffold.
Friends were found to help Esther
in the last effort that the faithful Great
ure could now make-the attempt to
obtain 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 for
bade the exercise of mercy. Esthers
betrothed husband was hanged at Hull.
His last words declared his innocence
with the rope around 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 martyr to the fallibility of hu-
man 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 property of
person staying in his house. 1t was
stated in evidence that this was not
his first offense. He had been habitu-
ally 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 the
traveller, he had reached the inn first.
There he found person in trade wait
ing 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 trades
man had left the house. To ask for
the return of the fatal guinea was
more than he dared to attempt. But
ore other alternative presented itself
The merciless 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 sub
ject to certain changes. One little
domestic privilege followed another, so
gradually and so modestly that the
honsekeeper found herself a loved and
honored member of the family, with
out being able to trace by what sue
cession of events she had risen to the
new place that she occupied. The Sc
cret confided to the two ladies had
been strictly preserved Esther never
even suspected that they knew the de-
plorable story of her lovers death. Her
life, after what she had suffered, was
not prolonged to a great age. She
died-peacefully unconscious of the
terrors of death. Her last words were
spoken with smile. She looked at
the loving friends assembled round
her bed, and said to them. 'My dear
one is waiting for me. Good-by."
Tna Uraam and l;nna. uolo,