Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-08-26

| Olllce anu tlc COuNtISullJu
turned into q discussion of
the value of circumstantial
evidence The sporting man couldn't
see how ON the evidence given against
dentist in q famous case then on
trial, any sane person could have voted
for his acquittal of the murder, and
said strong things about what he
would have done to the jurymen who
differed with him had be been In the
| Jury room at the recent trial. Most
of the others were inclined to agree
with him.
"Gentlemen," said the drummer
from the South, who had been shift
ing uneasily in his chair during these
remarks without having had a chance
to break into the discussion, II should
have agreed with you about six
months ago, in fact, before my last
trip South; but now, should l ever
have the power, never would 1 con-
demn any human being to death on
circumstantial evidence alone"
There seemed TO be story coming
and the other men waited.
"On my last trip" said the drum
mer II passed through the western
part of Kentucky and there 1 heard
this story, which forever has destroyed
my faith in uncorroborated circum-
stantial evidence. 1t was down in
Barren County. l was struck by the
appearance of a fine old mansion.
They told me down there that it had
belonged to a wealthy and aristocrat-
ic family named Hamilton, now eX-
tinct, and then l heard of the crime
which for years put the Hamiltons
under cloud Of disgrace.
Somewhere about 1926, when the
family held their heads as high as
any folk in Western Kentucky, John
Hamilton, the young head OF the
house, took to Louisiana n drove of
mules for the Southern market. In
New Orleans he was stricken with
yellow fever and lay for weeks at the
point of death. At the hospital in
which he was confined was certain
DR.. Sanderson. The doctor took a
fancy to young Hamilton and pulled
him through the fever.
Hamilton on his part seemed TO
take an equal liking to Sanderson.
They were thrown much together and
a warm friendship sprang up be-
tween them. Sanderson had money
and when the time came for Hamilton
to leave the hospital, the Kentuckian
invited his friend to return with him
md try a venture in the slave market
In Kentucky. Sanderson was only too
willing. He resigned his post in the
hospital and the TWO men started out
together on horseback through the
then almost untraveled wilderness be-
tween Louisiana and the Blue Grass
| State.
They arrived safely at the, Hamil-
ton homestead and Sanderson was
Hospitality entertained for two weeks.
He had brought with him $4,000 for
investment in slave dealing, and he
was anxious to go on further to a
part of Kentucky where it could be
readily invested. The $4,000 was in
bonds Of the Louisiana State Bank.
One summer morning the doctor took
his departure for the slave market at
Glasgow, and young Hamilton rode
with him for mile or two to get him
on his way and wish him good luck.
Hamilton returned in an hour or
two and went about his work. SSv-
eral days passed and nothing was
heard Of the doctor. Then one morn
ing, the horse on which he had ridden
away from the Hamilton homestead
was found riderless in the road Il few
miles outside Of Glasgow. The sad
die was stained with blood. In the
grass by the roadside not far away
there was picked up brass bawelled
flint-lock pistol, 1t was recognized as
belonging to Hamilton. The lock was
broken and a fragment of it was
missing.
Further search revealed in a shall
low hole only about 800 feet from
where the pistol was found decaying
body which was readily identified as
Dr. sanderson's. The $4,000 worth
of bonds which he had carried away
with him We're missing.
Now all this was discovered before
Hamilton was informed that his friend
was dead. AS soon as the body was
found, he was placed under arrest ac-
cuSed of the murder. One of the first
things he did was to produce from
the lining of his hat the $4,000 worth
OF Louisiana State bonds which DR..
Sanderson had brought to Kentucky
He did SO, protesting that the doctor
had given them to him in exchange for
cash and that he was innocent of the
murder, but nobody believed him.
Then pair Of blood-stained over