Morris tribune., 1899-07-15
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE

| A party of gentlemen were one Qay
discussing cireumstantial evidence.
1T is said to be the strongest evil
dence in the world remarked one.
"That is what could never clearly
understand" said another. How any
thing that is not directly proved can
be stronger than that which is direct
~ proved"
why, direct evidence" joined in the
third. the testimony of an individual
that he was present and saw the occur
| renee"
"Well, can there be anything strong
er than that?" was the query.
Yes. for the direct witness may
either be mistaken, or he may falsify;
whereas a combination of circumstan-
ces, converging from different points
tc unite directly upon one central fact,
Will generally make that fact stronger
than any mere assertion of any one or
two individuals"
and yet this circumstantial evil
dence may be all wrong by starting
from false premises, observed a
fourth speaker.
That is also true assented the
first There have been cases where
the most overwhelming evidence. SUI
fcient to convict beyond a doubt, has
| been all wrong by reason of mistaken
Identity"
81 can vouch for the truth of that"
| now spoke up one who had been most
ly a silent listener thus far, for | was
once myself placed in position where,
if l had been caught at the time, l
should certainly have been convicted
Of a murder Of which l was as innocent
as any one here"
At this announcement the others all
expressed a strong desire to have him
relate his story, which he finally did
in the following graphic manner:
A number of years ago, when l was
quite young man, and was travelling
for commercial house in the east, my
business led me through a section OF
the western country where Transporter
tion by public conveyance was not al
ways to be had; and one night / stop
ped at village inn, which CHANGED to
be crowded. because Of a cattle fair
which was being held in the vicinity.
A foot-peddler, who carried large
amount of valuable jewelry, also stop
ped at the same inn. and we were both
assigned to the same room and bed for
the night.
After retiring to our apartment
which was very small one, and locat-
ed in the attic, but which, were glad to
find, we could have exclusively to our
selves-we naturally fell into CONVEX
sation about our different affairs, and
as sometimes happens, took a strong
liking to each other.
AS we had both resolved to set for
ward the next morning for a place
some ten miles distant, over a road
which led through long, lonely wood,
we also agreed to keep company with
each other that far.
The time of which I speak was pc
riod of small local banks-nearly every
place of any size having one or more,
and nearly every bank setting up Tor
itself without regard to any other.
sometimes with small capital, and
sometimes without any, and flooding
the country with notes, which while
passing current in it's immediate vicin-
ity, were often at very heavy dis
count at any considerable distance
from home, and not unfrequently be-
came entirely worthless, through the
failure of said banks, within few
weeks or months after being issued
Now it happened that l had on
hand some five hundred dollars of one
of these doubtful banks, which l had
taken in settlement of a claim against
a party who was considered anything
but first-class; and as my route was
leading me directly away from that vi
cinity l was anxious to rid myself Of
this money for anything that would
insure me even half Of it's face value at
a distance; and, as my pedling friend
had announced his intention of going
in that direction, I offered to invest
this amount in his jewelry if he would
take the rather dubious notes in pay
ment
To be brief, we struck a bargain that
night, and | took a sufficient number
of his articles to make up the stated
sum.
This I mention by way of prelimi-
nary, in order to show how / came into
possession of a good deal Of jewelry,
which had recently belonged to the
pedler, and which would have made
strong link in the chain of convincing
evidence against me.
Well, we set off in the morning on
Dur journey, as previously agreed upon,
being seen to depart together by sever
al villagers.
An hour later while passing through
the wood and conversing pleasantly to-
gether, was suddenly startled by the
report of a firearm; and at the same
moment the pedler uttered loud ex-
'clamation, staggered toward me, and
was caught in my arms-the blood
gushing from wound in his breast
and considerably soiling my clothes
He never spoke after that, but sank
down and died almost instantly.