Morning journal and courier., 1894-06-12

tail' is solid, but for sunshine 1t Is made Of rays closely pressed together. There is very particular point to be observed here. The moment the ray taiP Is seen similar staiP Is to be observed at cer- tain stars, and is not to be seen If there Is to bs no sunshine next day.
 "Prcgnostic for rain-Rays ont from the sides and bottom of the light (csn- de flame shsds). The rain will be !n pro- portion to the rsys.
 "Proenostic for hszs or fog-Hszs has the white flame, and the fog has the same shade toned down nearly ss the candle flame. Cloudy and dulr Is indicated by the pressure of the atmosphere.
 "Prognostic for thunder-A very small name, but bright SC silver, with the slight est touch of a mauve tone.
 "Prognostic for wind-The reflection sround this light, and in proportion, will be the wind or storm.
 "The prognostic for hest-A hszy fur around the light. The light must be about a hundred yards distant from you"
 TEN YEARS AN INNOCENT MAN. So Much Of a Life Sentence Served,
 and the Supposed Murdered Wan
 Alive.
 tFrom the Minneapolis TribuueI
 ST. PAUL, May 26 An astonIshiug case of innocent suffering through long years of lonely Imprisonment in the cells of American penitentiariss has come to light and concerns & former resident of this city. John Van Niumsn has been an innocent man all these ten long years dur ing which he has been serving in the Jack son, Mich, State prison for the murder of his brother in-law, John Crow, who for merly was @ resident of this city.
 On May 25.1SS5. John Crow left his home at Van Vert, O., to 90 into the lp-- Der camps of northern Michigan. He was rugged man in perfect health. Travel ing northward with him was his brother in-ls r, John Van Nimmsn, who had gone down into Ohio from Mecosta county, Mich. The two were good friends. The latter was married and had a family. IL was expected that they would earn enough In the Michigan pineriss to enable them to eustain their families for year, and they started out full of hope. They did not have money with which to pay their fare, So they worked their pAsssgs. Finally the twain reached Big Rapids, Mich, about one hundred aud seventy miles north of the Indiana state line. Here they decided to stay for several days, but when the time came for going Van Nimman backed out, and no amount of cosSing could in duce him to go on. It is said thst he act ed somewhat strangely, but nothing was thought of It.
 A day or two sfterward Crow was mise ing. No one could tell what had bfcome of hime, and least of all could Van Nim- msn, although he il said to have insistt that Crow had left him to go on his jour ney further north. The fact that Van Nimmsn conld not tell where Crow had started for, or upon what road he had be- gun the northwaTd journey, drew suspi- cion toward him. Soon after the skeleton of a man was found in a morass by the side of the railroad track, and 1t was be- lisved that the dead man was John Crow. Suspicion against Van Nlmman became stronger and stronger and 1t resulted in his arrest upon the charge of murder I Marks upon the skeleton showed that the | man hsd met a violent death. Van Nim man protested his innocenca, but could | not find Crow. His protests;ions were not | credited, and after ar exciting trial he wss found guilty upon purely oircumstaniial I evtdence and was sentenced to prison for | life. The fact that there Is no capital pun ishment law In Michigan saved Van Nim- mans neck.
 Meanwhile Crow wss going further and | further from the scene of the horrible dTa- ma which was sendIug his innocent friend | to prison for life. Crow did not read the | newspapers and knew nothing of the | facts. Lesss of all he did not for Q mo- | ment dream that he WAS looked upon as the victim of foul murder. He travelled | further and further from Big Rspids, snd | finally went over into Canada, where he | worked iu tbe lumber csmpa. From there Il he Tambled of weet and was a cowboy Il and @ miner. Firing of this he came 10 Minnesota and took up 8 resdeEcs in St. | Paul. where be worked at various trades. | He resided In this city for three years, and finally feeling desire to zee old ecent he | left for his home in Ohio, but stopped | over in Chicago, where hs put in a year, being there all through the Worlds fair. | From Chicago the walderer went to TeTTe | Haute, Ind. and later to Aunc!e.
 A few days ago Crow chsnced to pick | up a copy of a Detroit paper, snd one of | the first things which struck his gszs wac a telegram from Jackson, saying that prisoner In the penitentisry, who was serv- ing life sentence for a murder committed I in Big Rapids In 1885, was seeking par don. Tho article said that the mans vic | tim was brother in law of the murderer Il On reading tte article Crow nearly fell out | of hls seat. He was go uu uneTy=d at the | thought that his brother inlay had been | sent to prison that he was nearly prostrs ted. The next day he left immediately for the Capitol st Lansing, where he Is nov seeking after a pardon for his supposed murderer. Crow, during his wanderipgs | out west, amaseed quite sun of money, | and Is a well-sppesriDg man.
 Van Nimmsn's joy at the tidings was | pitiful, be hsd nearly given up hope of | ever becoming free man again.