The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-11-14
CIRCUMsTANTIAL EVIDENCE
BY f. E. BROCK.

| PCASOL4S WIN olO AuIlS VI Oh IWISS
punished. Connected as I have been
with one of the criminal c0ul Js Of Eng
land, l have had many opportunities
of witnessing On how slight an evidence
a man may lose his life.
AT that dark period in this country's
history when death by hanging was
the penalty for forgery, sheep stealing
and other minor Offences, many men
must have lost their lives merely
through a curious chain of circumstan-
ces, through their own imprudence, or
some times, l am sorry to say, through
the malice, envy, or self5hness of
others.
When l was q young man-fOr now
L am fast hurrying to an old mans
grave-a cas came under my own Oh
servatiOn for the truth Of which l can
vouch, and which will show how easy
it is for mankind to be misled, prone
as they are to jump at conclusions.
In the western part of England lived
a family of large fortune and landed
property, which was entitled, that ia,
secured to a certain succession Of heirs.
The present heir to the property, at the
time of which I write was young man
Of about twenty-five years of age. l
shall not give his correct name, but
will call him Edward LangdOn. He
had a cousin, Arthur Langdon, who, in
the event Of the former dying without
an heir, would succeed to the property.
These two men were extremely fond of
each other, and had been constant
companions since their childhood.
They had always been as brothers to
each other, and were never COutented
when apart.
Arthur had of late contracted debts
of which he was ashamed to tell his
father, and which Edward had, with
his usual generosity, li~quidated, The
latter vas extremely fond of roaming
over the country, with his cousin as his
only companion, and ct the time Of the
events which [ an about to relate had
started on one Of these excursions, and
were intending to stop awhile on the
banks OF the pretty river lamar,
While wandering through the woods
on horseback Edward was attacked by
a sudden dizziness and violent head
ache, for which he thought blood let
ting would be the only remedy. He,
therefore, called upon Arthur to per
form that service for him, who demur-
red, fearing lest, in his ignorance, he
might Go more harm than good. But
his cousin was resolute, and at last he
consented, ard after opening the vein
with his knife and allowing the blood
to u for a few seconds, bound up the
wound with an extra handkerchief Of
his own. Edward then feeling better,
they rode on till they came to an inn
on the bank of the river. Here they
stopped, avowing their intention of re-
manning for a week or two.
When night came they retired to the
same chamber, and Arthur, tired and
sleepy, was soon in bed, and quickly
dropped off into a sound slumber. He
did not awake until after daylight, and
en- opening his eyes found himself alone
and the bed covered with blood. al
most at the same moment that ne made
this discovery, and while he was trying
to collect his scattered ideas, the door
opened and a servant thrust in his
head. He gave Ono glance at the blood
stained couch with its solitary occupant
and then retreated, but soon returned
with the landlord and a gaping crowd,
who Immediately made Arthur their
prisoner. The servant had found spots
of blood at the river bank, and had
traced them back to the door of the
young mems apartment, where he had
entered as | have narrated, and found
what he concluded must be evidence
of a foul murder. Arthur was kept by
the landlord until the arrival Of the
proper authorities, when he was deliv-
cred into their keeping, and by them
lodged in the common county jail.
Everything was against poor Arthur,
who, amidst his own grief at the loss
Of his beloved cousin, for he could not
doubt that he was dead, and his horror
at being suspected as his murderer,
was nearly distracted. At the trial the
proofs were overwhelming; the bloody
bed, the stained handkerchief with
Arthur's name upon it, the knife which
was found in his pocket with the same
stains on the blade, and his embarrass-
ment when the servant opened the
door, all these seemed to point conclu-
sively to him as the murderer. Then,
TOO tho foct that he MnS In debit u Ed