The St. Johns herald., 1889-04-11
UNEARTHING A CRIME.
An Old Lawyers Remarkable
 Story Of a Double Murder.
Indisputable C.rcum ;tant'al Evidence - How an Innocent Man Was Cleared of an Awful Crime-ConfessiOn of
 the Guilty One.

Several old lawyers were sitting together the other day in Brooklyn court room relating "reminiscences of their practice. One of the stories told, as given in the Brooklyn Citizen, i3 worth repeating:
 "Sone time ago, when 1 was down in Georgia,n said an elderly lawyer, Ia case came to my knowledge which presents many curious features, hr. Cameron, gentleman of means, resided with hls daughter Helen ill the ncighborhood of Columbus, in that State His wife had been dead some years, and his only domes- tics were an elderly negress named Han nah and her son, a lad of eighteen, known as Jim. Two young men named Byson ana Miller used to pay attentions to Helen, and it was not known that she had ever favored one more than the other Mir. Cameron one morning rode over to friends house, tax ing Jim with him. He was to remain over night and return the next morning carly On reaching home accordingly, between eight and nine o'clock, he found all quiet around the house. The front door was open. but neither Helen nor Hannah was seen. Mir Cameron went tO lis daughters room and knocked. but there was no re- sponse. Finding that the door was not fastened, he went into the room. His daughter was lylng in bed, dead. bottle, which had evidently contained chloroform, was standing on a chair by the bedside. A towel almost covered tho dead girls face. The premises were searched, but nothing could be seen of Hannah.
 1.-The authorities were notified and a group of men who were examining the grounds around the house came across the dead body of Q negro. The negro had been shot in the side, the ball having penetrated Q vital part. The body was discovered not over a hundred yards from the dwelling, lying in an orchard near a rustic seat. In short time the secret of Hannah's absence was explained About 9:30 o'clock the pre- yious evening she went to the house of neighbor. She told friend that MT. Cam eron was away and only Miss Helen at home, and that as some gentleman, she didn't know who, had called to visit the young lady, she thought she would venture away for few minutes to have chat After staying perhaps fifteen minutes she left. In short time her friends heard a noise at the door, and, on opening 1t, found Hannah lying outside, apparently dead. They carried her into the house, and she had continued unconscious ever since may as well say that doctor was procured who pronounced Hannah to be suffering from brain fever. That turned out to be the case; the uufortu gate woman remained in helpless condition, physically and men tally, for several weeks.
 .sAs a bottle of chloroforrn was found neal Helen, so a revolver was found in the righ hand of the negro, and the inference m eaei case was suicide. It was remarkable double tragedy, but as there was not Jo of evidence pointing to violence on the par of a third person, the only conclusion to o' reached was that Helen and the negro ha' taken their own lives. Attho end at week however, Mir. Byson appeared on tho spot He said that he had been visiting at Atlant' and knew nothing of the double tragedy un iii his return Then he said he had III III possession a letter winch might throw som iioht on the death of Miss Cameron. He dc posed that at about a quarter to ten o'clocI on the evening of the day on which Mir. Cam eron left home he took walk toward Una rentleman's residence As he reached tn crossroad, not far distant, he saw by tn moonlight a man approaching from tn direction of the house, and recognl2e Miller. Byson hid himself, and observe Miller as he passed throw something owe the hedge. When Miller was far enouS away Rvson looked over the hedge and say a small, white object lying upon inc grls; He climbed gate near by and l0und Una the object was q piece of crumpled paper which on being opened proved to nc a le'te' He struck a match and saw that the ictte wa1 from Miss Cameron, inviting M4ler