Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-04-05
AN
AN
UNSUSPECTEO CRIMINAL
BY Lawrence L slie.

cltlzen being the victim.
A man named Walter Haywood. a
wealthy merchant from an adjoining
county, had occasion to visit Rock
ingham, and put up at a public house
called THE Adams" kept by Samuel
Tinley. At this house Mr.. Haywood
met couple of old friends, with whom
he took supper, and passed the great
er portion of the evening with them,
discussing the weather, business and
politics, and in the course of the con-
versation Mr. Haywood made known
the fact that he then had on his per-
son the sum of $1,000 in cash. The
evening passed pleasantly, and about
o'clock Mr.. Haywood excused him
self and retired.
About half-past 10 his two friends
also retired, occupying a double
bedded room on the second floor.
Shortly after midnight one of them
was aroused by quick, stihed cry,
which so alarmed him that he woke
his companion. They listened, and
could distinctly hear the means of
some one evidently in great distress,
and quietly following in the direction
OF the sound. they soon found the
room from which it proceeded, the
door of which was aiar, and on look
ing in they saw person weltering in
his blood on the bed, and another man
standing over him with dark Ian
tern in one hand, and a knife. drip
ping with blood in the other. To their
great horror they recognized the mur-
dered man as their companion of the
evening, while the man with the muir
derous weapon was their host.
They instantly seized and disarmed
him, and charged him with the crime
He denied it stoutly. said that he too
had been aroused by the struggle and
the groans. and had entered the room
in order to afford his guest any aid
it might be in his power to extend.
On entering, he said he found the
bloody knife lying upon the threshold,
and had picked it up, as it lay directly
under his feet.
These assertions were of no avail,
and the man was handed over to the
authorities, and lodged in Jail to
await trial. In due time his trial
came off. and on the presentation of
the above facts, he was convicted. and
in due time executed.
Mr.. Tinley asserted his innocence
throughout, and reiterated it from the
gallows, in a speech to the multitude
gathered to witness his execution.
Notwithstanding this, he was gener-
ally believed guilty, and his punish
ment regarded as just.
After his death letter was found
In his cell. addressed to the attending
clergyman, which read as follows:
"Rev, Henry Lowry: Dear Sir-En-
closed is a sealed envelop, which | de-
sire you to take possession Of and not
break the seal until Charles Tinley,
my son by my first wife (and my only
surviving relative), who is now in
feeble health. is no more. Then open
the package, and let the contents be
made public. 1t is my earnest wish
that you accept the trust, and see that
my object is attained. To provide for
the possibility of your death before
that of my son, l suggest that you
leave directions in your will to have
the package, in case of your death
handed over to the judge of the coun-
/ ty court. with instructions similar to
1 those given you.
SAMUEL TINLEY."
When it became known that such q
/ paper had been left, everybody
/ thought it contained confession of
| guilt, and for time there was the
/ keenest curiosity felt in its contents.
I OF course. it was not gratified, and
/ in a few years the crime, the murder
er. and the mysterious document were
all forgotten.
Six years after his fathers eXecu-
tion, Charles Tinley died, and the long
looked-for document was published in
the county paper. 1t is too long to
I insert here. but it was to The effect
that of the actual murder Of Mr.. Hey
| wood he was entirely innocent; he
confessed, however, that he was never
theless murderer. Years before he
had killed a traveller who had stopped
at his house. but whose death was
never suspected.
On the night of Mr.. Haywood s
death he had entered the room for
the purpose {, robbery. and perhaps
murder, but was not little surprised
and shocked to find that his intended
victim had already been killed. and
his pockets rifled. His statement made
at the trial he declared to be true in
every particular, of course with the
above qualification. He likewise de
MED all knowledge. or even the
slightest suspicion, as to who the rea
murderer was.
He stated, in conclusion, that ne was
impelled to this confession by a de
sire to have the real truth known. BY
sense of duty he owed to society