Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-02-02
Ey Llwf nee L sic.
See%eeee%ee~%s sesoss>>Sses

he took supper, and passed the great
or portion Of the evening with them.
discussing the weather. business and
politics, and in the course Of the con.
versatiun Mr.. Haywood made known
the fact that he then had on his per-
son the sum OF $1,000 III cash. The
evening passed pie asanty, and about
9 o'clock Mr.. He! wood excused HIM
self ard retired.
About half.past 10 his two friends
also retired, occupying a double
bodded room on the second floor.
Shortly after midnight one of them
was aroused by quick, stitled cry,
which so alarmed him that he woke
his con- nanion. 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
roCEl frCm which it proceeded. the
door Of which was aiar and on look
ing in they saw a person weltering in
his blood on the bed, and another man
standing over him with a dark lam
tern in orc hand, and, a knife, drip
ping with blood in the other. To their
great horror they recognized the muir
dyred man as their companion Of the
evening. while the man with the MUIR
dsrOus weapon was their host.
They instantly seized and dsarmed
him, and CHARGED him with the crime.
He denied it stoutlv, said that he too
had been aroused BY thu st uggle and
the grOans, and had entered the room
in order to afford his guest any aid
it might he 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 We're Of no avail.
and the man was handed over to the
authorities. and lodged in Jail to
await trial. In due time his trial
the above facts. he was convicted. and
in due time executed.
Mr.. FINLEY asserted his innocence
throughout, and reiterated it from the
gallows. in a speech to tn 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: Pear Sir-En,
closed is a sealed envelor, which de-
sire YOU to TAX possession Of and not
break the seal until Charles FINLEY,
my son by nv first wife land my only
surviving relative), who is now in
feebe health. is no more Then open
the package. and let the contents be
made public. 1t is my earnest wish
that you accent the trust, and see that
my object is attained. To provide for
the possibility of your death before
that OF my son, 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
those given you.
SAMUEL FINLEY"
When it became known that such a
paper had been left. everybody
thought it contained a confession Of
guilt, and for a time there was the
keenest curiosity felt in it's contents.
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 oHeCu-
ton. Charles FINLEY died and the long
lookedfor document was published in
the county paper. 1t is too long to
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 traveller who had stopped
never suspected.
On the night of Mr. Heywood's
death he had entered the room for
the purpose Of robbery. and perhaps
murder, but was not little surprised
and shocked to find that his intended
his pockets rihed 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 real .
murderer was.
He stated, in conclusion. that he was
impellcd to this confession by de-
sire to have the real truth known. by .
a sense of duty he owed to society. .
which he had outraged, and to God, .
whom he had so greatly offended. but
did not wish to make it public until .
his only surviving relative should be .
exposure.
But the curious chapter in this .
crime was not yet complete. A few
years after the publication of this
statement. a man kno"n as Thomas
Chambers died in the Massachusetts, .
state prison. Before his death he .
confessed to the chaplain that his real
name was George Martin. and that he
was the murderer of Mr.. Haywood
for which Mr., FINLEY had suffered
death.
He stated that he had occupied a
room on the same floor as his victim,
and having heard him state to his
companions that he had consider
able sum Of money. he determined to
get possession OF II.
He entered the room, and was
searching for the money when Mr.