The Van Buren press., 1895-12-21

| heart seemed heavier when we started
On that voyage than the ship, cargo,
| passengers and all.
The Monico was considered fast ves-
sci at that time. She generally took
just over seven days to do the passage,
and we we're due in New York on the
Wednesday evening before Rupert's
execution.
! Everything went well till the Monday
afternoon, when one of the steerage
| passengers, man of the name of
Charles Cappermole, fell down hatch
way, breaking his back and receiving
internal injuries. from which the doe
tor said he was bound to die within
four or five hours. 1t was very sad, of
course, but couldn't be helped, and
although anything of the sort puts q
gloom over the ship, was too much
engrossed in my own trouble to think
isc.: is.ssc!: But :st j:::sst e sn ss.
(d;3O o'eloclS) the captain came to me.
"Sparton," he said, you were telling
me about the trouble your sisters
fiance had got into. It's a most ex-
traordinary thing. but this man, Cap.
permole. has been telling the doctor
tale about his having shot his fathers
landlord in Yorkshire and that he be-
lieves this accident is Judgment ON
him. | have seen him, and he says the
name of the mnn he murdered was
Rowling, which is the name you men
toned. | think, and If you will come
with n1e to the hospital, where the poor
wretch is lying, you can hear his yarn
for yourself"
| was thunder-struek. got the
third officer to ta1e my place for a short
time, and hurried Off to the siee of the
injured man.
His statement was somewhat ram
bling, but with the help of a clergyman,
Who was passenger, we reduced it TO
writing in a tangible shape, and 1t
was about something like this:
II, Charles Gappermole, lately resid-
ing at Martens Hole, near Doncaster,
Yorkshire. but now passenger on
board the steamship Monico Capt.
Marnerl in mid-Atlantic, having met
with an accident by falling down a
hatehway. and being, as l well know,
within short time of death, do make
this solemn statement and declare the
same to be true, SO help me God.
81 ann aafarm laborer, and until re-
Gently was living with my father and
mother mt Martens Hole, where my
father rented small farm under Mr..
| Jonathan Rowling. The same farm has
been i'll the possession of my father
all his life, and of his father before him,
Land it was our whole living.
Mr.. Jonathan Rowling hada disagree
ment with my father last year but one,
| Just before Miehaelmas, about some
hedges which he insisted my father
Should renew. but which had always
been replanted before that time at the
expense of the landlord. My father re-
| fused 10 replant them at his own ex.
pense, and MIR. Rowling gave him notice
TO quit. which expired at Miehaelmas
last, and ne subsequently turned my
parents and myself out of the farm
IN the middle of winter.
my mother was in a very feeble an6
delicate state of health, and the evic
ton CAUSED her death, and my father
/ being broken-hearted and ruined, was
compelled to go into the workhouse
II determined to emigrate to Amer
lea, and, with the assistance of a benev'
olent society, | obtained my passage
money and outfit and enough cash IL
my pocket to prevent my being turned
back as a pauper on landing in the
United States. | booked my passage on
the steamship Monico, but before start
ing on the voyage | saw my father in
the workhouse. His misfortunes had
so shattered him that he WAS dying
and, eXasperated and filled with indig'
nation, determined to be avenged or
MIR. Rowling, who had been the cause
of my mothers and my fathers deaths
and my ruin and emigration.
81 had bought a revolver to take with
me, and, tramping to Doncaster, | laid
in wait for Mr.. Rowling on the evening
of Thursday, the Gath of May last.
| knew that it was his habit to walk
through the plantation, which ndjoins
lane called Dank's lane, every night
between eight and nine o'eiock-his
purpose being to see if any rabbit
snares had been laid by poachers-and
| hid myself behind some bushes in
this plantation, close to the path.
presently heard footsteps, and directly
afterward | saw Mr.. Rowling wall,
along close beside where | was hiding
AS soon as he got past me | stood vi
and aiming the revolver at him, shot
him in the back. He lifted up his arms
and, with great cry, fell face forward
dead t
ut was nearly dark sand erept out
of the plantation into the lane withou
anyone seeing me. walked that nigh
10 Wakefield, along by-roads wei
known to me, and from thence, on fol
lowing days, to Huddersfield, Ashton
Manchester, Newton and Liverpool
from which port was to take passage
to New York.
''In Liverpool l heard the murder
spoken of for the first time, and, to my
surprise, | found that MIR. Rupert Row
ling tMr. Rowling's nephew) was
charged with it. | never thought fol
n moment that they could find hin
guilty of the murder he had not com
mitted, and | took no steps to let this
truth be known. When l afterwar6
learned that he was convicted OF the
murder and sentenced to death. l knew
/ ought to go back and own the deed
and save him, but l could not bring
myself TO do so, and / went on board
the Monieo, we'll knowing was leav.