The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-04-02
CURIOUS TRAGEDY IN REAL LIFE.
CONSEQUENCES OF A VERDICT REM
DERED UPON ClRCUMST STANTlAL
EVIDENCE.

u T. Is t u OfON CIffCUMS AN lAl
| EVIDENCE.
A correspondent Of the Louisville
Courior-Journal writing from Double
Springs, Ala, narrates the following
sGrange story in real lite.
In 1874 George w. Pendleton and his
wife, Mrs. Octavia PendletOn, were re.
siding at the little village in Brazoria
about thrce years. They wero well
fixed financially, owning q largo area
of fine grazing lands adjacent to their
home ard several thousand head of
cattle. They were Of congenial tom
peraments and lived happily together,
and to increase their happiness there
had como to them q bright boy.
In the same village lived Guy Hin.
| ton, who was also the possessor OF con-
siderable wealth. Mr.. Hinton was =
sturdy, pushing fellow, and man
greatly esteemed by all Of his neigh
bors, but he was unhappily married.
Mr.. Pendleton's house and told Pom
dleton that he was going to Velasco,
about twenty miles distant, and asked
If he would not go with him. Pendle-
ton replied that no had no business in
VelascO, bnt he wanted to sec q Mr.
Holt, who lived on Bastrop Bayou,
about half way between Liverpool and
Velaaco, and that he would go that far
Tho two friends started Oft together
and Mrs. Pendloton says that the mo-
ment her husband mounted his horse
she was seized with a strange and awful
fOrebOding, and that she could hardly
restrain herself from begging her hus-
band not to GO.
MIR. Pendlcton returned homo late
that afternoon, tired out with his long
ride. At the supper table he told his
wife that Mr.. Hinton had cOnfidcd to
him that he had left his home for good ::
that he and his wife could not get along
together, and rather than live in a
constant broil he had decided to leave
her what property he had and seek
fortune and happiness in some other
country. PendletOn said that he had
tried to dissuade Hinton from leaving
his wife, but without avail. The latter
said that as yet he and his wifo had no
children, and as it was clear they could
not live together in peace, he thought
1T was wise to separate before offsprings
OF their unhappy union should arrive
to cOmplicate matters. PendletOn also
told his wife that Hinton had left his
wife all he possessed, except a few dol
lars, and that to help him out he (Pen.
dleton) had bought his watch.
Mr.. and Mrs. Pcndlcton thought it
wise to say nothing about Hinton's do
parture to any Of the neigh bors, Us
they did not want Mrs. Hinton to think
them in any manner instrumental in her
husbands having left her.
Two weeks later, while eating break
fast one morning, there came o knock
at the front'door. Mr.. Pcndlcton arose
from the table to answer the summons
anG on opening tho door was confronted
by deputy sheriff, who stepped for
ward and slipped a pair Of handouts on
his wrists. Pendleton was, OF course,
surprised, and asked the officer what it
meant.
"You are charged with the murder
OF Guy Hinton," Captain Bennett re-
piled. His body has been found in a
skirt OF woods on Bastrop Bayou
against you. | would advise you not to
talk until you consult a lawyer"
Pendleton was dumbfoundcd, not 50
much at the charge against him, for
he thought he could easily clear him
self, as he was at tho news of Hinton's
death. The unfortunate man, how
ever, had no conception OF the array of
circumstantial evidence he was com
PEELED to face.
On preliminary examination it was
shown that the body Of q man had been
found in the woods sltirting Bastrop
Bayou with bullet through his head
and that the body, although somewhat
decompOsed, had been identified rs
Hinton's; that Pendletou and Hinton
had left Liverpool together one morn
ing some two weeks before; that Hin
ton when he left home he wore lis gold
watch; that a couple OF boys out hunt
ing that afternoon had seen Pendlcton
and Hinton standing under tree talk
ing; that after the boys had passed ont
OF sight they had heard n gun or pistol
fired in the direction they had seen the
two men; that Pendleton had returned
to Liverpool that evening wearing
Hinton's gold watch; that Hinton had
never since been seen alive, and that
the body had been found under the
very tree whore he and PcndlctOn were
seen by the boys.
The law in Texas seals tho defend
ants lips. He cannot testify in his own
behalf, and having no way to disprOve
the case tho State had made against
him Pendleton was committed to jail
without bail.
On final trial he was convicted and
scnte need to the pcnitcptiary for life.
Mrs. PendIetOn was present vt the
trial, and, strange to say, after hear
ing the testimony, believed her hus-
band guilty, but says now she cannot
see how she ever could have believed
it, since she knew him to be brave and
honest.
About two years after that Mrs. Pen
dlcton secured a divorce, and was mar
ried to q Mr.. Dcvit Shol tly after mar
riage to Dewitt she sold all the property
formerly owned by Pendlcton, which
had been awarded to her by the divorce
court, and removed with her husband
to Atlanta. Ga.
pendlcton had been in the penitcn-
tiary about two and half years whom
q letter bearing his address and q South
American postmark arrived at the I,iv-
erpool postoflice. 1t was forwarded to
the pententiary authorities at Hunts
willie, and on being opened was found
to be from Guy Hinton, the man for
killing whom Pcndleton was serving
out Il life sentence. Pendleton immc.
diatcly wrote Hinton OF the strait he
was in. Hinton on receiving this let.
ter took passage for Galveston, and IN
due time arrived in Brazoria County.
OF course the Governor pardoned
Pcndlcton as soon as tho facts were