Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-07-10
cIRcuMsrANrrAL EVIDENCE.
4 Case Showing How Easy 1t Would Have
Been to Convict the Wrong Man.

ny hanging OF winch he had been wit
ness, when John 7. McDonough, who
is SO well known by Albanians that he
needs no further introduction,
remarked:
Il have seen Just one hanging in my
life, and 1 issued the warrant for the
arrest of the man saw hung. 1t was
rather remarkable case, and it taught
me always to look upon purely circum.
stantial evidence as not very good"
How is that? Let us hear the case.n
said one of the party.
We'll, it was like this. It was in
1872; was quite young then, and had
lust been elected Police Justice in Dun.
kirk. One morning German whom ]
knew came to me, bringing with him
Polander, and said
This man tells very strange
story; either he is crazy or else MUIR
der has been committed over in James
town.
Naturally, / was interested at once,
and questioned the German. The Pole
could not speak English, but he spoke
dialect of German, and had made his
story Ineligible to the German. The
Poles story, as interpreted to me, was
about like this:
"He had been working for man
named NARROW, weli-known brewer
in jamestown who stood we'll in the
community. Some days previous an
acquaintance of his named Bachman,
had been stopping with him at Marlow's
house. Marlow and Bachman had gone
about town together considerably and
had become quite well acquainted, APP
parently, in so short time. One even
ing NARROW asked the Pole whether
Bachman had money about him. The
Pole replied that he thought he had.
He thought Marlow's question queer
one at the time, but soon forgot it until
subsequent events recalled it to his
mind.
"The next day the Pole was working
about Marlow's place, as usual, when
Marlow aud Bachman came up from
the village together, Bachman carried
parcel. When they reached the house
they went into the cellar together, and
remained there long time. Then the
Pole heard what sounded to him like
shot. Soon afterward Marlow came out
Of the cellar alone. About that time
some one drove up with wagon to get
barrel of beer. Instead of sending
the Pole into the cellar for it, as he
usually did, Marlow went himself to
fetch it. When he reappeared with it
the Pole noticed spot Of blood on it
and another on Marlow's clothing.
Then he began to think that something
awful had been done. After the GUS
toner had driven away with his beer,
NARROW ordered the Pole to hitch up
team and drive to the woods after load
of wood. This order added to the
Poles suspicious, for there was no par
ioular need of going for wood at that
time. However, he went.
when he returned, one of the first
things he noticed was that there had
been fire in the furnace under the
brewing kettle. The embers were still
smouldering. There was another
strange circumstance. No brewing had
been done. There was quantity of
water in-the kettle which had become
heated, but that was all. The Pole,
who, though he could not speak English
could think and reason quite fuently in
Polish, began to put together all he had
heard and seen that seemed to him un-
accountable and strange, at least; and
drew from it conclusion that was as
yet vague, but suggested something
horrible
"Then the Pole went into the cellar
into which Marlow and Bachman had
gone together earlier in the day. After
looking about for awhile, he saw lying
upon the floor q parcel which he recog-
nized as the one which Bachman had
carried when he came with MARROW.
Near it were spots of blood upon the
floor and on the barrels that stood about.
The Pole had seen enough. He rushed
from the cellar, and resumed his usual
work, meanwhile thinking over what
best to do. To his employer he gave
no hint that he knew as much as he
did.
"The next morning the Pole asked
NARROW to allow him to take a day off.
He said it was holiday among his
people and he wanted to visit some of
consent, and the Pole started off. In
stead Of visiting his friends he took the
first train to Dunkirk and sought for
some one to tell his story. For long
time he was unsuccessful, as no one
could understand him. Finally he
found the German, who brought him to
me.
"Well, you may believe that the story
impressed me. 1t was told in
straightforward manner, and there was
nothing about the man to indicate men.
tai arrangement. Still hesitated to
issue warrant, for Marlow, as 1 said,
was citizen of good standing, and it
seemed impossible that he could have
committed such crime | went to an
old Judge, to whom I frequently APP
piled for advice, and laid the matter
before him. He listened with great in
terest. Issue the warrant, he said. 1
took the necessary affidavits, filled out
the warrant, and gave it to an officer,
with instructions to go to jamestown
with it. When we reached the depot
where the tram was ready and about to
start, we learned that Marlow's brother
in-law, who lived at Dunkirk, was al
ready aboard. Evidently he had got
wind of what was going on, and was
going to warn Marlow We had him
taken from the train and detained,
while the officer went on. To make
sure, we telegraphed to the jamestown
authorities to arrest Marlow for mur-
der. In short time we received an
answer in the form of question: DO
you mean Marlow, the brewer?' said
the dispatch. Yes, Marlow, the brew
er, we replied.
When our officer reached jamestown.
Marlow was under arrest nominally.
The whole affair was regarded as n
Joke, however. Marlow's friends cbaffad