The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-11-03

| OuuCdJiOu-lu IhCV, RcHeThl idNOIlle.
But, for some time past, l have observed
that he has been rather free with his
money in betting, and that habits Of
| drinking have grown on him l am
afraid he is not worthy of the good
opinion entertained of him by myself and
by other persons. This evening | sent
him out to get some small silver for me,
! giving him guinea to change He came
back intoxicated, telling me that change
was not to be had. / ordered him to
bed, and then happened to look at the
guinea which he had brought back I'm
fortunately, had not at that time heard
of the robbery, and / paid the guinea
away with some other money, in settle
mcnt of tradesman's account. But this
| am sure of, there was mark on the
guinea which Jennings gave back to me.
1t is, of course, possible that there might
have been a mark (which escaped my
notice. on the guinea which took out
of my purse when / sent for change"
cor, " the traveller suggested, 'it may
have been one OF my stolen guneas,
given back by mistake, by this drunken
waiter OF yours, instead of the guinea
handed to him by yourself. Do you
think he is asleeo?"
Sure to be asleep, sir--in his con-
dition."
'Do you object, Mr.. Brunell, after
what you have told me, to setting this
matter at rest by searching the mans
clothesln
The. landlord hesitated cit seems
hard On jennings" he said, ''if we
prove to have been suspicious of him
without cause. Can you speak posi-
lively, sir to the mark which you put
on your moneys"
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 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 discovery
there was but one course to take. The
walters protestations of innocence when
they woke him and accused him of the
robbery we're words fatty contradicted by
facts. He was charged before magis-
trate 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 recon-
mended Jennings to plead guilty, and
to 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 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 a
repetition Cat great length and with more
solemnity) of the proceedings before the
Magistrate. No skill in cross -eXamina-
tiOn 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 paid the marked guinea. The coin
$50 marked) 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 a verdict of guilty, after con-
sultation which was a 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
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
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-
BILE Evidence forbade the exercise OF
mercy. Esther's 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 a
martyr to the fallibility Of human justice
was made public by the confession of the
guilty man.
Another criminal trial took place al
the assizes. The landlord of an inn was
found guilty of having stolen the prop.
erty of person staying in his house. II
was stated in evidence that this was not
his first offense. He had been habitually
a 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 10y appointment
for the settlement OF bill. Not having
enough money of his own about him e
pay the whole amount, Brunell had made
use Of one Of the stolen guineas, and had
only heard the traveller declare that hi'
money was marked after the tradesmar
had left the house. To ask for the re
turn of the fatal 0uinpa was more thar