Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-09-27
THE C0L0NEL'S TALE.


car tell you "a good story
We protested that We were never less
tired, and could sit up till morning if nee
essary. So the Colonel hogan:
My father, as you know, was parson,
but he took orders late in the bar, aud the
events which am going to tell you he, him
self told me as having come directly under
his eye when he was baTrister.
1T was at the Monmouth Assizes in Is
that a case was tried which became the
talk of the neighbsrhood and country for
years after Ny father was sitting in the
court of the assistant Judge, when u note
was brought from 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 rob
bed by men disguised and masked the far
mer murdered and his servants shockingly
i'll treated Among other things which
were stolen were two old fashioned silver
brooches, curiously inlaid with malachite
-heirlooms of the family; and, although
search was made, and the des-
cription 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 thro' house
in Bristol, noticed dissipated- looking sail
or lying on pallet and resting his head on
a small bundle. He was asked what it
contained, and was told 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
malachite. Struck by their curious beauty,
and wondering how such wretehed look
ing fellow could have become possessed of
them, he suddenly remembered the adver-
tisement and description of the stolen arti-
cles.
How did you come by thesef" he in
quired.
"The sailor replied: BY chance.-When
came ashore some time ago, with plenty
of money in my pocket, ! met an old sea-
man who was down on his nck, and he of
fered to sell me these things, which had
belonged to his mother. | was pretty flush
and gave him a good price for them, al
though they were useless to me. And
that's all there is about it.
THE police officer still dissatifed, took
him into custody. He was sent to Mon
mouth Jail, the brooches were identified,
and he was committed for trial at assizes
on the charge of theft and murder. "And"
continued the Colonel, impressively, "as
my father entered the court this man was
being placed in the dock
Tall beyond the then average height of
man, and gaunt, with an unkempt beard
and evil, yellow eye. and though evident
ly suffering from Imprisonment, he yet
presented powerful and imposing front
The trial had begun and he had just been
asked the usual question: Are you guilty
or not guiltyP' and he answered in a hollow
voieei 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 | must explain the inter
rupion.
"a few days before quiet, gentlemanly
man, a Captain Forsyth, of His Majesty's
navy, had arrived at the chief hotel of the
town on fishing excursion; but the wealth
er had been so adverse that he was obliged
to look elsewhere for amusement. Turn
ing to the 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, Cap
tain Forsyth sent his card to the Judge, who
gladly allowed him, as was then the Gus
tom, seat on the bench.
'"The case proceeded; witnesses were
called to identify the brooches, the SER
wants swore to the figure of the prisoner as
that of the murderer; no wit
nesses were called for his 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 opin-
ion that the man was guilty
Directly the word was uttered, the
prisoner, who had been leaning as if for
support against the side of the dock, raised
to his full height, stretched ont both
his arms above his head, and looking up,
exclaimed in a broken voice, not guilty,
not guilty
''The Judge then asked him, as was US
ual, 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 and man | am
innocent of this crime. l never set eyes
on the murdered man; | did no murder.
OH captain, captain'-in his vehemence he
addressed the Judge as if he We're his Off
cer-1 am as innocent of this crime as the
babe unborn He paused, then suddenly,
in a voice choking with feeling, he ex-
claimed: 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 astoniShment ran around the
court; the feeling of awe that had held the
audience changed to one of amazement.
:" Point him out to me-, said the Judge.
The man who can save me- replied
the prisoner, sits there beside you,' point
ing to the astonished Captain Forsyth.
'The Judge turned to Captain Forsyth
and said: This man appears to know you.
Is it the caseg"
Certainly not he replied, much sur
prised. 4 never saw him before in my
life"
% 'Oh, Captain broke out the prisoner,
you needn't start, I know you, Captain
Forsyth. You are never going to swear
away an innocent mans life like thatG
ut is curious, my man. the Captain re-
piled, that you know my name; but l re
peat that 1 never saw you before in my
life
What! Not know John Williams of
the Neptune2 The coxswain of the Cap
tain's cutterl'
Eyes, l know John Williams; but you're
not he; John Williams was the smartest
man that ever served under me, and never
likely to stand where you are now
Captain, replied the prisoner, L tell
you l am John Williams. A long illness, a
hard bout of drinking, and this cursed i'm
prisonment have made me what l am. And
| will prove it if you will only listen
"The sensation caused by this dialogue
was immense. The Judge and members of