Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-03-13

times for stealing. I had punished him
on this day. When I returned to the
store in the evening l went up TO his
room TO have talk with him. He was
1mpudent, and I struck him blow and
broke his neck. then carried the body
TO the river and flung it in, and the rea-
son you didn't find it was because it
foated away with the current. I am
very sorry. I had no malice and no
thought of hurting him. l struck the
blow on the impulse of the moment"
When he came to trial plea of mot
guilty" was. of course. entered, but his
lawyer made little or no effect, and he
was pronounced guilty and got sentence
of fifteen years. After it was over pub
lie opinion whipped about,a it generally
does, and every person felt sorry for the
| man. He went to prison, saying that it
was just punishment, and it was year
One morning Bob Isle walked into town
as cool as you please, and when he had
satisfied us that he was no ghost he told
his story as follows:
On the night of the murder he had
hardly got to bed when he had nose
bleed. He was down stairs to look for
water when his uncle came in and
opened the safe and removed the money.
He did not see Bob at all, but after
hanging around for a spell left by the
back door, falling out of it as he went.
In this way he got the dust on his coat,
and at the same time let go of some of
the money. Bob realized that it was
robbery and suspecting that it was put
up job to get him sent to prison, he de-
termined to run away. He took two or
three dollars left in the money drawer,
bundled up something to eat, and when
morning came was miles away. For up
ward of year he had been running on a
steamboat. One day he had heard two
passengers talking of the case, and when
he discovered that he was supposed to
| have been murdered he at once started
for prison to clear his uncle. Stowe was
in State Prison, as you know. When
told that the boy had returned alive and
we'll, he was all broken up. When Bob
was taken to the prison his uncle had
nothing to say.
Well, as a matter Of course, steps were
taken to secure Sto-~e's pardon, and it
was soon granted. Then came the question
of trying him for the robbery, but various
delays occurred, and his lawyers adj
vanced various technical objections, and
the case finally petered out. He disap-
peared, going to Australia, and it was
two or three years later when the final
particulars came to light. He had been
hoatding his cash for three or four years,
calculating to skip out. He had robbed
the safe and buried the money in his eel
lar, and he fully intended to accuse Bob
of the crime. He suspected that Bob had
run away, and therefore accused himself
of the alleged murder to cover up the
other crime. After he had skipped,
leaving his family without a dollar, a
great many of his dishonest transactions
came to light, and it became plain to
everybody that he was a rascal in dis
guise.
While I do not deny, as told you
at the outset, that a man entirely inno-
cent Of a certain crime may be sent to
prison as guilty of it, it can scarcely hap
pen if he is an honest man and above
suspicion. His conduct must be against
HIM as an innocent man. Circumstances
such as being seen near the place of
crime, betraying guilt when accosted,
being unable to make satisfactory an
swers, etc.-go long ways where direct
proof is lacking, and think am safe III
saying that the man who has been found
innocent of the crime for which he was
hung or sent to prison was guilty of some
thing else of a serious nature which he
was seeking to hide at the time.-Nes0
York Sun.