Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-06-15

GFS OF Ills OWL uEc II EuSdI was uiS-
satisfied he did not show it, and people
said what a pleasant arrangement for
both. The man had a companion, the
boy home.
When Edgar was eighteen he sudden
ly disappeared. Beckford waited pa
tientIy 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 intimated that
BeckfOrd must have had Il motive for
making away with him.
Then one day n lawyer appeared
who had traced the founding to Beck
fOrd's house and was looking for him
to place in his hands q 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
he possessed. The lawyer was not sat
isfied ut 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 Beckford arrested for the crime
Beckford was a 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. \ chemist analysed the
stains and pronounced them human
blood. This was not sufficient evidence
to convict BeckfOrd, but it was too
much to warrant his acquittal. The
result was compromise. He was
sent TO the state penitentiary for TWEEN
ty years.
His lawyer told him that he should
have been acquitted and proposed to
move for n new trial, but Beckford was
discouraged.
After awhile the heirs-at-law of the
property which had been left to Edgar
got an order from the court pronounc-
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. lie said he was Edgar,
and when they told him that his father
by adoption had been sent to prison
for his murder he was greatly distress
ed. He desired at once to secure his
release and was told to consult the law
yer who had defended him.
But new complication had arisen.
If the sailor was Edgar the heirs-at-
law to the property would not possess
il. The consequence was they be-
stirred themselves to gather proof that
he was not Edgar. If man accused
of murder is not in Il proper frame OF
mind to gather evidence of his InnO-
no 70 Of oil 70 no
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 jury that Edgar was Il pre-
tender. He, too. was sent to state priS-
on and was confined in the pcnitentiary
with Beckford. Then the heirs-at-law
continued their efforts to get posses
sion of the property.
Edgar managed 10 see and talk with
BeckfOrd. telling him that lie had be-
come FESTIVE at being kept so close and
had been infatuated with n desire to
go to sea. He knew that Beckford
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
vorlte pastime with him-he had fire.
Quently cut himself.
Here were two men, both entirely in
nocent OF the crime for which they
were convicted, in state prison.
One day Rockford 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 10 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
b. f. s. Mrs. Beckford had pinned to
it a description of the babe. mentioning
red diamond shaped spot under the
left shoulder blade When Rockford
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 BeckfOrd was innocent
One would suppose that with this
w luehCe AT Hdhu rev Gays AT most
would be sufficient TO release Beckford.
But his attorney was obliged to first
prove that his adopted son was living
This took time, but when he had proved
II he had also proved that Edgar was
Benjamin Edward SanfopSand the le-
gal heir to q fortune Then the govern
or was appealed to for pardon % be-
half Of Il man who was innocent. but
legally convicted. This was soon ac-
complished. and Beckford was freed.
In time Edgar got his property and.
turning il over to his benefactOr to
manage, went 10 work in a shipyard
GH6 became q great shipbuilder.
ALEX r. SHERMAN.