The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-07-20
fGriginal.i

was not sufficient to save him from
the force of circumstances Tho chain
of events that ruined him began with
one OF the most trifiing Importance.
but that was not known till long after
ward.
Bechford and his wife had no chill
dren, therefore they adopted found
ling, whom they called Edgar. When
Edgar was twelve years old Mrs. Beck
ford died. After her death her hus-
band chung to Edgar, of whom lie was
very fond. keeping the boy With him
without eyes permitting him to so
about or mlngle sufficiently with 9TH
ers of his own age. If Edgar was dis
satisfied he did not show it. and people
said what pleasant arrangement for
both. The man had companion, the
boy home
When Edgar was eighteen he sudden
~ disappeared. Becbford waited pa
tiently for him to reappear, but he did
not. People talked sub rosa that the
boy must have been badly treated and
had run away. Some intilnated that
making away With him.
Then one day a lawyer appeared
who had traced the founding to Beck
ford's house and was looking for him
to place in his hands a legacy Ed
CARS father had died and on his death
bed had confessed that he had aban-
doned his son, but, dying. left him all
q 10
isfied at the story Beckford told as to
the boys disappearance and after ellie
iting information from the neighbors
made up his mand that Beckford had
murdered his adopted son. Finally he
had Bedford arrested for the crime.
Beckford was q nervous man and on
the trial contradicted himself so often
that the jury believed him guilty. The
police ransacked the house for evidence
against him and among the boys cloth
ing found some articles on which there
were stains. A chemist analysed the
stains and pronounced them human
blood. This was not sufficient evidence
to convict Beckford, but it was toe
much to warrant his acquittal. The
sent to the state penitentiary for TWEEN
ty years.
His lawyer told him that he should
have been acquitted and proposed to
move for new trial, but Beckford was
discouraged.
After awhile the heirs-at-law of the
property Which had been left to Edgar
ro+ ~,
ing Edgar dead. Then their attorneys
began proceedings to secure the estate
for them.
One day young man in sailor dress
appeared at the house in which Beck
ford had lived He said he was Edgar,
and when they told him that his father
Icy adoption had been sent to prison
for his murder he was greatly distress
cd. He desired at once to secure his
release and was told to consult the law
yer who had defended him.
But a new complication had arisen.
If the sailor was Edgar the heirs-at-
law to the property would not possess
it. The consequence was they be-
stirred themselves to gather proof that
Il
Of murder is not in a proper frame of
mind to gather evidence of his limo
cence the faculties of one about to be
deprived of money that he has counted
on are certainly sharpened to gather
evidence in his own behalf. The conse-
Quence was that the heirs-at-law con-
WINGED a jury that Edgar was a pre-
tn 10 TO Yorie
on and was confined in the penitentiary
with Bedford. Then the heirs-at-law
continued their efforts to get posses
sion of the property.
Edgar managed to see and talk with
Rockford telling him that he had be-
come FESTIVE at being kept so close and
had been infatuated with q desire to
go to sea. He knew that Bedford
would not consent, SO after resisting
temptation as long as possible he had
determined to go without so much as
| saying "goodby." He explained the
blood on his clothing by saying that
| in cutting the models of ships-a IA
vorite pastime with him-he had fire.
quently cut himself.
Here were two men, both entirely in
nocent of the crime for which they
We're convicted, in state prison.
One day Bedford bethought himself
that his wife had always kept the
clothes in which the founding had
been dressed when taken from the asy-
lum in an old trunk. Thinking they
might help matters, he wrote his at
torney to go to where he had left his
household goods, open the trunk and
examine the baby clothes. The attor-
ney did SO and found shift marked
3. e. S. Mrs. Beckford had pinned to
it description of the babe, mentioning
a red diamond shaped spot under the
left shoulder blade. When Beckford
| told Edgar this he showed the spot
The heir by will to the property was
Benjamin Edward Sanford
Here was proof enough The claim
ant was what he claimed to be, and
since he was the man supposed to have
been murdered Rockford was innocent
One would suppose that with this
evidence at hand a few days at most
ID