The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-25
THE COLONEL'S TALE.

i4ilIiNi SAbtAlB UP AOA nan hSoAi
think can tell you a good story"
We protested we were never less tired,
and could sit up till morning if necessary.
So the Colonel began:
''My father, as you know, was a 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 barrisUer.
1T was at the Monmouth assizes, in IS,
that a case was tried which became the talk
of the neighborhood and country for years
after My father was sitting in the court
of the assistant Judge, when a note was
brought him from friend in the adjoining
court, asking him to come and hear a 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 oldfashioned silver
brooches, curiously inlaid with malachite,
heirlooms of the family; and, although I'M
RENTING search was made, and the de
scription 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
common lodging house IN Bristol, noticed a
dissipated-lOoking sailor lying on pallet
and resting his head on a 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 things to fall out were two brooches
made of silver and malachite Struck by
their curious beauty, and wondering how
such a wretched-loOkin fellow could have
become possessed of them, he suddenly re-
membered the advertisement and descrip-
ton of the stolen articles
"'How did you come by these? he in
quired.
1.-THE sailor replied:
"'By chance. When | came ashore some
time ago, with plenty of money in my
pocket, | met an old seaman who was down
on his luck, and he offered to sell me these
things, which had belonged to his mother.
1 was pretty flush, and gave him a good
price for them, although they were useless
to me. And that's all about it..
THE police officer, still dissatisfied took
him into custody. He was sent to Mon
mouth jail, the brooches were identified,
and he was committed for trial at the as
size on the charge of theft and murder
And" continued the Colonel, impressively,
las 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 an evil, yellow eye, and though evident
ly suffering 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 not guiltyp and had an
swered in hollow voice: Not guilty, my
lord when the entrance of one of the court
officials with gentleman stopped the pro-
ceedings for while And here l must ex-
plain this interruption.
"a few days before quiet, gentlemanly
man, a Capt. Forsyth, of his majesty's
navy, had arrived at the chief hotel of the
town on a fishing excursion; but the
weather had been 80 adverse that he was
obliged to look elsewhere for amusement
Turning to the landlord for information, he
was told of this trial as exciting considera-
bic interest, and SO it came to pass that,
as the prisoner took his place at the bar,
Capt Forsyth sent his card to the Judge,
who gladly allowed him, as was then the
custom, a seat on the bench.
The case proceeded; witnesses were
called to identify the brooches, the servants
swore to the figure 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 expectation of the crowded
court the foreman announced their opinion
that the man was Guilty
Directly this word was uttered, the pris-
soner, who had been leaning as if for sup
port against the side of the dock, raised
himself to his full height, stretched out
both his hands over his head, and, looking
up, exclaimed in a broken voice, Not
guilty. not guilty
The Judge then asked him, as was
usual, if he had anything to say before SEN
tence should be pronounced, and the pris-
oner cried hoarsely:
"'Not guilty, my lord, not guilty; before
heaven aud man, am innocent of this
crime. ] never set my eyes on the murder
ed man: did no murder. Oh captain,
captain'-in his vehemence he addressed the
Judge as if he were his officer-I am as in
nocent of this crime as the babe unborn.
He paused, then suddenly, in voice chok-
ing with feeling, he 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
ga buzz of astonishment ran round the
court; the feeling of awe that had held
the audience changed into one of amaze
ment.
"sPoint him out, said the Judge.
"'The man who can save me, replied the
prisoner sits there beside you, pointing to
The astonished Capt. Forsyth.
"The Judge turned to Capt. Forsyth and
said: -.
"'This man appears to know you. Is it
Certainly not he replied, much sur
prised: L never saw him before in my life.
ooh, Captain broke in the prisoner /;
ives. YOU needn't start | know you, Capt.
FORSYTH. You are never going to swear
away an innocent mans life like thatp
siIt is curious, my man. the Captain
replied. that you know my name; but l
REPEAT that l never saw you before in my
sWbatl Not know John Williams of
the Neptune! The coxswain of the captains
cutterp ,,
",Yes, know John Williams; but you
ora not he. John Williams was tho
sn,artest man that ever served under me,
and never likely to stand where you are
now ~
"'Captain,' repeated the prisoner, i tell
Won / am John Williams. A long illness,
hard bout of drinking and this cursed i'm.
prisonment have made me what am And
| will prove it, captain, ! will prove 1t II
Won will only listen
"The sensation CAUSED by this dialogue
WAS Immense The Judge, the members OF
the bar aud the spectators we're equally as.
tnnished AT the curious turn tho affair had
men. and. though believing the man 70 be
sniitv of a desperate deceit " save his
I,fe. were eagerly awaiting what should