Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-10
THE COLONIES TALE.

It vas late-after midnight-and as we got
up from the whist table and gathered around
tn. fire Col Thornton said: 'If you men
srp not too tired and don't mind sitting up
for another half hour think / can tell you a
good story"
We protested that we were never less tired
and could sit up till morning if necessary.
30 the colonel began:
"My father, as you know, Yves parson,
but he took orders late in life, after having
been fifteen years at the bar, and the events
of which | am going TO tell you he himself
told me as having come directly under his
eye when he was barrister.
sit was at the Monmouth assizes in 1S-
that a case was tried which became the talk
of the neghborhood and country for years
after Ny father was sitting i'll the court OF
the assistant judge when note was brought
him from a friend in the adjoining court,
asking him to come and hear case Of more
than usual interest," the facts of which were
these:
..Some time before farmers house near
Monmouth had been broken into and robbed
by men disguised and masked, the farmer
murdered and his servant shockingly i'll
treated Among other things which were
stolen were two old fashioned silver brooches
curiouslv inlaid with nialachite, heirlooms of
the family, and although unremitting search
was made and the description of The lost
articles made widely known no trace of the
murderers could be found.
"a month or two after the murder, how
ever, police officer in going through a COM
mon lodging house iii Bristol noticed dis
Bipated looking sailor lying on a pallet and
resting his head on q small bundle. He
asked him what it contained, and was told
that it was only his kit The officer, not
satisfied, opened the bundle and almost the
first thing to fall out were two brooches
made of silver and nlalachite. Struck by
their curious beauty, and wondering how
such a wretched looking fellow could have
become possessed of them, he suddenly re-
membered the advertisement and descrip-
ton of the stolen articles
GLOW did you come by theseH he inquired.
s'rhe sailor replied: by chance. When /
came ashore some time ago, with plenty of
money in my pocket, | met on old seaman
who was down on his luck, and he offered to
sell me these things, which had belonged to
his mother. ] was pretty flush, and gave
him good price for them, although they
wero useless to me. And that's all about it
.Tke police officer, still dissatisfied, took
him into custody. He was sent to Monmouth
iail. the brooches were identified. and hs was
committed for trial At the assize on the charge
of theft and murder. And" continued the
colonel imprcssively, ''as my father entered
the court this man was being placed in the
dock
''Tall beyond the then average height of
men, and gaunt, with an unkempt beard and
evil. yellow eye, end though evidently suf-
fering from his long Imprisonment, he Yet
presented a powerful and imposing front.
The trial had begun and he had just been
asked the usual question: Are you guilty or
moi guilty Z and had answered N a hollow
voice: Not guilty, my lord when the en-
trance of one of the court officials with a
gentleman stopped the proceedings for a
while. And here l must explain this inter
ruption.
"A few days before a quiet, gentlemanly
man, Capt Forsyth of his majesty's navy,
had arrived at the chief hotel of the town OF
fishing excursion; but the weather had
>jbeen so adverse that he was obliged to look
elsewhere for amusement Turning TO tn.
landlord for information, he was told Of this
trial as exciting considerable interest, and SO
it came TO pass that, as the prisoner took his
place at the bar, Capt Forsyth sent his card
70 the Judge, who gladly allowed him, as was
then the custom, 4 seat on tho bench.
1.-The case proceeded; witnesses were called
to identify the brooches, the servants swore
to the figure OF the prisoner as resembling
that of the murderer; no witnesses were
called for the defense-no one defended him;
everything pointed to his guilt, and the jury
retired to their room. In few minutes they
returned. and amid the breathlesS expecta-
ton Of the crowded court, the, foreman an
nounced their opinion that the man was
Guilty
Directly this word was uttered the pris-
oner, who had been leaning as if for support
against the side of the dock, raised himself TO
bis full height, stretched out both his bands
above his head, and, looking up, exclaimed
in broken voice, Not guilty, not guilty
'sThe Judge then asked him, as was usual,
IL ne had anything TO say before sentence
should lie pronounced, and the prisoner cried
hoarsely: Not guilty, my lord, not guilty
before heaven and man l am innocent OF
this crime. | never set my eyes on the muir
6ered man; | did no murder. Oh! Captain,
Captain In his vehemence he addressed
the Judge as if be were his officer, Il am as
innocent Of this crime as the bate unborn.
NE paused, then suddenly, in q voice choking
with feeling. lie exclaimed: Yes, yes; only
one man can save me now; but he can do it,
swear what you may. The Lord be thanked,
that man is here
"A buzz of establishment ran round the
court; the feeling Of awe that had held the
audience changed to one Of amazement.
Point him out to me said the Judge,
1.-The man who can save me- replied the
prisoner, sits there beside YOU pointing TO
the sstonishcd Capt. Forsyth.
THE judge turned to Capt Forsyth and
said: This man appears to know you. Is it
the caseF
Certainly not be replied, much sur
prised: L never saw him before in my life
"'Oh, captain broke IN the prisoner; yes,
YOU aeedn't start, know you, Capt. Forsyth
You are never going TO swear away an in
,ocert ,rap's LIE like thati'
asst is curious, my man, the captair re-
piled, that you know my name but repeat
,that never saw you before in my life.
10 WHAT Not know John Williams, Of the
l Neptunel The coxswain of the captains cut
teri
"sYes, know John Williams; but You
are not he John Williams was the srrar,est
nan that ever served under me, and never
likely to stand where you are now
"'Captaia.' rspeated the prisoner. i tell