The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24
WHEN COURTS HAVE ERRED.
MEN CONVICTED OF MURDER ON
CIRCUMsTANTIAL EVIDENCE.

suffered Death for the Acts of Sui
of Justice in England and America.
From the New York Press.
Circumstantial evidence and the posi-
bHitv of wrongful conviction thereon are
tonics never lacking in interest among
lawyers
That the courts often are justified in &C
cepting circumstantial evidence as conclu-
sive there can be no doubt; neither can
there be any doubt that convictions on
such evidence have been obtained against
Innocent persons over and over again.
one of the most remarkable of wrong
mi convictions came to light in sBoone
county, Missouri. in 1893. Seven years
earlier George Watkins, with his young
wife. removed from Kansas to Missouri,
settling as tenants on a plantation owned
nv Andrew Hedgepeth. Hedgepeth re-
manned on the plantation and soon fell in
1--we with Mrs. Watkins, who encouraged
his attentions openly. Desperate jealousy
took possession of Watkins and several
ouarrels over the woman occurred be-
tween the two men, One day, having
matched up their differences, apparently,
watkins and Hedgepeth went to the cOun-
" seat together in a wagon Hedgepeth
returned alone, saying he did not know
what had become of Watkins. A few be-
ueved Hedgepeth's story, but most of his
neighbors secuted it, especially as Wat
Inns oyercoat in the pocket of which were
his g,oves. pipe and wallet, was found in
the wagon. where Watkins had left it.
worse vet there was a bloody Ratchet in
the wagon.
wrongfuIIy Hanged for Murder.
Hedgepeth's arrest and trial for murder
followed He seemed nervous and unstrung
while the chain of circunstantial evidence
u,as being forged against him, but in
sisted upon being sworn. On the stand
he admitted frequent quarrels with Wat
i,ioe about the latter's wife, and also said
that they had quarreled over her on the
don, they went to the county seat. But
he averred, with seeming sincerity, that
he had not harmed Watkins, who had de-
CARED his purpose to leave the country
rather than endure the existing situation.
II is probable that Hedgepeth would have
beer declared guilty, any way, but prob
ability was rendered certainty when Mrs.
Watkins went on the stand. For, in mt
of apparent remorse, she swore that she
and Hedgepeth had conspired to murder
watkins. and she apparently believed
knowledge of the crime in detail Being
convicted, Hedgepeth appealed and got a
new trial which resulted in a second con-
vi,uon. In due time he was hanged, and
soon after ward Mrs. Watkins died OF real
reinorse Six months later the lawyer who
had defended Hedgepeth found Watkins
alive and well among friends in his old
Kansas home, where he had been living
quietly ever since the day he went to mar
ket with Hedgepeth-
Convicted of killing a Suicide.
Scarcely less remarkable, though it did
not eliminate in an execution, was the
case of John D. Cochran of Illinois, who
was convicted in the Wabash County
Court of numbering John Buchenberger.
Buchenberger went from Evansville to
Mount Carmel on Oct. IL, 1855 On the
18th he bought a revolver Next day, haV-
ing been seen with Cochran meanwhile,
he was found dying under a lumber shed,
his revolver near by, with one empty cart
ridge achamber. Cochran was arrested,
and tissue of circumstantiai evidence,
furnished mostly by Charles Reese, who
had served a term for DEMONSTRATING, was
woven about the prisoner. The trial at
tracted attention throughout the Middle
West Cochrans defense being complete
denial His attorney sought to prove that
Buckenberger committed suicide, but
could not prove 1t. and Cochran, being
OalNlNlON was sent " NiAC HSiNNNN4Ne -
life.
In 1892 it was learned that on the day
after Buchenbergers death his wife, liv-
ing at Evansville, had received letter
written by him on the day before the sup
posed murder saying that he was about
to depart from the world of mortais to
dwell with his Heavenly Father, adding
that his body would be found exactly
where it was found. Singularly enough,
though no pains were taken to conceal the
existence of this letter, Cochran's counsel
never heard of it. When Cochran's friends
learned about it they lost no time in lay
ing the case before Gov. Fifer and he par
doned the imprisoned man without delay
Daughters Revenge.
Several years ago William Shaw. a we'll
to-do citizen of Leith, England, was charg
ed with killing his unmarried daughter.
At the trial only circumstancial evidence
was produced 1t seemed conclusive to
the jury, however, the testimony being
that father and daughter had heen heard
10 quarrel violently over her receiving the
attentions of a young man for whom
Shew had an aversion. No one was pres
ent in the room when the quarrel occur
red. but high talk was heard, the words
cruelty" "barbarlty' and Death being
plainly audible. After the quarrel Shaw
went out of the room, slamming the door
violently A few hours later groans were
the girl was found bleeding to death from
stab wounds. The bailiff asked her if Ter
father had been the cause of her death,
whereupon she nodded her head feebly and
died Just then the father returned in
high state of excitement and with blood
on one of his sleeves. OF course he was
convicted and hanged, but before his body
had been cut down a note signed by his
daughter was found. 1t announced her
Intention of committing suicide, reeited the
circumstances of the quarrel and closed
with the sentence: My inhuman father is
the cause of my death" II was too late
then to remedy the jury's excusable blum
der. but the records say that "a pair of
coors' was waved over Shaw's grave in
token of his innocence.
Religious Difference.
singular case of erroneous conviction
on circumstantia evidence was that of
James Baxwell. a merchant of Gibraltar,
IN 1871. Baxwell was a Catholic, and he
mad pretty 17-year-old daughter of the
.,f at "A