El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-17
CIRCUMSTANTIAL
" EVIDENCE
It Was All Right In
Theory, but Didn't Work In Practic<

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Two sailors, johnson and Marfit, met
at Portsmouth, England, for the first
time in many years. They had formerly
sailed together and were great friends.
Johnson, who had recently been paid off
after long ocean voyage, had in his
possession a considerable sum of money
in a leather bag. They went together
to an inn in Portsmouth, near the wa
ter, much frequented by seafaring men.
The room which they occupied opened
on gallery at the side of the building,
reached by an alley leading from the
street. When they retired for the night,
they were sober, though they had drunk
glass or two of grog just before.
The next morning when the potboy
went to call them he saw spots of blood
on the stairs and by the door leading
from the alley to the gallery, and, being
alarmed, turned back and informed the
landlord The landlord, who was a eau
tious man, sent for a constable, and the
two went to the room occupied by the
two sailors. The spots of blood were dis
tinctly visible. On trying the door they
found it open and entered the room.
There were more spots of blood upon
the floor. The hand basin was half full
of bloody water, and on the washstand
lay large knife such as sailors carried.
which was stained with blood. Turning
to the bed, they saw blood on the pill
lows and the sheets, and only one of the
sailors in bed. He was fast asleep, or,
they supposed, pretended to be, and
they had some difficulty in arousing him.
Finally he started up and, as he gazed
around, manifested signs of alarm.
What have you done with your
mate?' the landlord asked.
HWhy isn't he horo 2' tho man .SEod
Get up and Dress said the constable
~ oure my prisoner"
The man seemed perfectly astounded.
and began a rambling, incoherent story.
Better not talk" the landlord said.
It'll be time enough when you go be-
fore the justice to answer a charge of
murder"
Marft) asked, still apparently confused
and alarmed.
you know best" was the answer.
Marht arose and dressed, protesting
all the time and talking wildly and unin-
telligibly. The constable searched the
bed. Under the pillow on which Mar
fits head had rested was a leather bag
containing money. The landlord identi
fed the bag, having seen it in Johnson 5
possession. Marft was subsequently held
and indicted for the murder of Johnson.
He admitted that the bloody knife was
his and made statement of very re-
nature which was not credited |
either by the magistrate who committed |
him or the judge and jury before whom
he was tried. He was convicted and |
hanged, protesting his innocence to the |
last. This was the account which Mar |
fit gave, copied from the ancient record |
almost verbatim:
Il got into bed first and lay next to |
the wall. Just before johnson lay down |
he said:
".Mar6t, 1 don't fancy this window
here without a catch to it. Somebody |
might get into the room and rob US.
Take my bag and put it under your pill
low, for a thief would then have to reach
over me to get at it, and that might
awaken me-
HE handed me the bag, and 1 put
It under my pillow. 1 fell asleep and
was aroused by johnson getting out of
bed. L said, What's upT and he said,
Ny nose is bleeding and I can't stop
Try cold water 1 said, and 1 heard
him soon after splashing the water
After time he said:
1t won't stop. It's bleeding as bad
Is ever
g Take my knife-it's on the chair
and put the cold blade on the back of
your neck. They say that'n stop nose
bleed sometimes
"In a minute or two he said: It's no
lse- The bleeding won't STOP
''Then 1 heard him dressing, and
asked him what he was going to do.
:" I'm going to take a walk in the cool
lir,' he said. Perhaps that may stop it.
That's a good idea l said. Go
Town on the pier where you'll catch the
,reeze.'
''Then 1 heard him go out. and that is
Ill 1 know about it,
The theory of the prosecution was that
darft had stabbed Johnson in his sleep {
md carried the body in the dead of night
lown to the pier and thrown it into the
water and that the tide had carried it out =
o sea. Drops of blood were found ut
intervals along the alley to the street,
md a black silk handkerchief, such as
ailors then wore, all bloody and torn. 1
vas found on the pier near steps leading
o boat landing. q
The sequel of this came to light more
han a year after the last sentence of the
aw was executed on Marfit England =
t the time was engaged in a foreign
var, and one day johnson, alive and =
earty, landed from frigate which had
ust anchored off Portsmouth. The first
lace he went to was the inn at which I
e and his friend had stopped, as already !
arrated. Inquiry disclosed the dread
ul fate of Marfit, whost story, johnson -
vowed, was true in every particular.
when 1 reached the pier" Johnson
aid, 81 was suddenly pounced upon by
ress gang from one of the men-of-war. q
made a struggle for it, and the kerr
hief round my neck was ripped off. =
yas taken in a boat to a man-of-war in
he offing. and in a few days she sailed
Dr. the West Indies as convoy to n feetI
f sailing vessels. When 1 landed yes
II Il Srht f,,,ll
farft if 1 could and get my money, as
knew he was honest and would take
are of it for me."-Exchange.