Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-07-18
THE BLIND WITNESS.

Eyes; l have been in many re-
markable criminal trials. Probably
the most remarkable was the Cor
ton murder case. The murder it.
self was, so far as motive and the
mode in which 1t was perpetrated are
concerned, of q character common
enough, unhappily, in our criminal
COMMISSIONING girl shot by her re-
jected lover, mad with Jealousy. But
what gave to this particular case its
exceptional character was the agency
by which the murderer was brought
to Justice in very curious and most
unexpected manner"
We we're in the chambers Of my
friend Mr.. Grimshaw. q. C.-the en-
inent criminal lawyer-in the Tenn
Pile; and over cigar, after luncheon,
my host was giving me some remin-
iscences of his long and brilliant
career at the bar.
"Gorton is small village, about
twenty miles from Barchester, the
well known manufacturing town in
the Midlands, continued Mr.. Grim
shaw. Zone September evening
some fifteen years ago. the normal
peace and quietude OF the place was
disturbed by the news that the dead
body of young lady had been found
in Burton Grove, a short distance
outside the village, under circum-
stances which left no doubt that she
had been murdered The police Of
the village had received information
of the crime from blind man-one
of those wandering musicians who
perambulate the country from viii
lage to village, led by dog.
His story was that he had walked
from st. Olaves-a village about
seven miles from Gorton-that after
noon, and as the evening was sultry,
he decided to save the I'D. he would
be charged for a nights lodging in
Gorton by sleeping in Burton Grove.
The grove is "a thick plantation Of
trees and shrubs, midway between
the mile of road which connects the
railway station with the village, and
as it lay at an angle Of the road, n
footpath through it afforded short
cut from one point to the other.
THE blind man further stated
that, as he lay under the shelter of a
bush, few yards from the footpath,
with his dog close beside him, tired
after his tramp, and composing him
self to sleep, he heard footsteps COM
ing along the pathway, apparently
going toward the village, and the
voices Of man and woman, as ii
they were having an angry alterca-
ton. A few minutes after the parties
passed where he lay concealed from
view, he heard a shot, then a wom-
ans shrill, agonizing scream, fol-
lowed by another shot. He scrambled
to his feet, terror stricken, his dog
barking. and shouted, What is
that's? No answer was given to his
outcry, but he heard the trampling
of the underground, as il someone
was rushing wildly from the spot.
The blind man Immediately proceed
ed to Gorton, and gave information
Of what he had heard to the police,
who, when they arrived at the grove,
found the body OF young lady
named Emily Dicey, with two bullet
wounds in her head and close at hand
a discharged revolver.
Miss Dicey was the only child OF a
shopkeeper Of considerable business
at Barchester. 1t appeared that a
very ardent attachment existed be-
tween her and u young man named
Griffiths Turner, clerk in her IA
Tiers employment; that her parents
were opposed to a marriage, that they
had done everything to try to break
off the match, but were unsuccessful,
and that finally they dispensed with
the services Of Turner and sent their
daughter to her aunt at Gorton.
ION the body of the unfortunate
young lady was found brief note
from Turner, written in Barchester,
which stated that on the evening oil
the 9th of September (the evening Of
the murder) he would run down to
Gorton to see her. Perhaps he ad.
ded, mysteriously, it will be the las,
time we shall see each other
He paid his promised visit to Cor.
ton that evening, and, indeed, had
been seensby two or three Of the viii
layers with Miss Dicey in the Grove.
A warrant was issued for Turner'S
arrest, but when the police went tc
his lodgings at Barchester next morn
ing to take him into custody it was
found that he had left for Liverpool
en- route for Canada. This. of course
increased the suspicion. A Telegram
to the authorities at Liverpool Sc
cured his apprehension that evening
on board one OF the outward bound
transatlantic steamships. He wa,
brought back to Barchester, and afte
the usual magisterial investigation
was held for trial ut the ensuing win
ter assizes.
II was retained for the defense
The evidence against him, though al
together circumstantial, was verl
strong.
s'The ticket collector at Gortol
railway station swore that Turner re
turned to Barchester by the 8. -
train from Gorton-halfan hour ate
the time OF The murder; while tn
girls father stated that his daughter
had promised that, although she wa
unalterably attached to Turner, sh
would not marry him without he
parents blessing.
I'm this latter development OF tn
case was to be found. in the view Q
the Crown, the motive OF the murder
Turner had convinced himself the