The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-03-05
HIS DEAD BODY LAY ON THE GRASS.


ing and work with him in his fields for
half month. While we were chatting
neighboring farmer named Saunders
came up and halted for five minutes,
and two others passed on the highway
and saluted Holborne with a good
evening. 1t was 10 o'clock before
went to the barn, and, being tired and
sleepy, was soon in dreamland.. How
long had slept when I was awakened
by the sound of voices In anger l could
not say, but l heard what seemed to be
quarrel between HOlborne and anoth-
er man. The voice of the other was
high pitched and had catch In it. 1t
was not stammer, but sort of gasp,
as If catching his breath. / was not
fully aroused, nor did the quarrel con-
tinue long.
1t was just sunrise next morning
when l woke up and turned out. The
house was only about five rods away,
and after looking about to see If Hol-
borne were in sight moved along to
the house. His dead body lay on the
grass before the open door. He had
been struck on the head with a club
and killed by single blow. was
upset by the discovery, as you may
believe. After touching his face and
finding it cold started off on the run
for the nearest farmhouse, half mile
away. The farmer was milking his
COW and his wife preparing breakfast,
but they returned with me at once, and
other neighbors were called, and boy
was sent off to the nearest police sta
ton. / told my story to the people,
and all believed it, as why should
they not when Saunders was among
them? And yet when the police came
their very first move was to arrest me
as the murderer. A tramp had pass
ed the night in the barn. OF course
the tramp had murdered the farmer.
If you agree that the police were
asses, you will agree that the others
were fools. No sooner was l charged
with the murder than all turned
against me- Saunders suddenly re-
membered that our conversation was
heated as he came up. The two who
passed by thought they heard me use
threatening language. A farmer whom
had not seen at all the evening before
claimed to have come near enough to
the house to have heard me ask Hol-
borne for the loan of f2. was an
gered, but not frightened. asked
the police to investigate my bed on
the straw, and they found it still
warm. l asked them to look through
the house, and they found nothing dis
turbed. l asked them to note that the
body was cold, and the doctor who
was summoned said that life had been
extinct for seven or eight hours. Was
1t to be believed that had killed Hol-
borne at 10 or II o'clock and then, in
stead of plundering the house and
making off, gone to bed, slept all night
and been the first to raise an alarm in
the morning? And yet was marched
off to jail, and within three days there
wasn't person in the county who
doubted my guilt.
was examined by a magistrate who
said / would no doubt get my just de-
serts, and the police made no move
whatever to find any other party.
Even the jailer and turkeys chuckled
over the hanging that must result. /
told of having heard the quarrel, but
they said lied. l told of the arrange
ments made to go to work for Holborne
In the morning, but they smiled in de-
rision.
was almost ready for the assizes
and the hanging when person whose
identity l do not know to this day and
who must have been moved by a spirit
of fairness sent me a lawyer and gave
that lawyer money to work with. Pres
to change! Why, a born fool could
have picked up the threads Of the case
and cleared me. Within six hours aft
err had told the lawyer Of the quarrel
and the man with the catch in his voice
they had the murderer spotted. His
name was Jamison, and the quarrel
was over the lease of the farm, and the
club with which he had delivered the
blow, having lost his temper, but not
meaning to kill, was found In his
house. More than that, he broke down
and made a full confession, and when
the assizes came on he stood in the
dock in my place. Nevertheless in set
ting me at liberty the judge did It
grudglngly and with warning that
my crimes must sooner or later find me
out, and / was scarcely clear Of the
courtroom when the Inundated and
chagrined police overhauled me and
said:
II Is Just possible that you did not