The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-11

lone OF the strangest cases OF errone-
Gus conviction OF which ever knew"
said the old lawyer. was that of Jona-
than Bradford. who was hanged in OK
ford, England. for the murder OF Christie
pher Hayes Bradford was an innkeeper
and very respectable man, too. one
evening Hayes, who was travelling to-
ward London. stopped at his inn and
while In conversation with two men at
supper, mentioned to them that he had
upon his person a large sum of money.
Late that night, after every one In the
inn had retired, the two men heard
groans from an adjoining room, as OF
one dying in pain. They both arose. light
ed candle and went softly TO the door Of
the next room. There was a light in the
room and the door was ajar. They enter
ed and saw upon the bed. weltering In his
blood. the body OF a man. Another man
stood over him with knife In one hand
and dark lantern in the other. The man
seemed as terrified as themselves, but his
terror carried with IL all the indications
OF guilt.
The two men soon discovered that the
murdered person was Christopher Hayes.
with whom they had talked at the supper
table the night before. and the man
standing over his was Bradford. the land
lord. They seized Bradford at once and
disarmed him OF his knife, which was COW
cred with blood Bradford assumed an air
of innocence, positively denied the crime
and asserted that he, too. had heard
the groans and got out OF bed. struck a
light. armed himself with a knife for his
defence and had but that minute entered
the room before them
This sort OF a defence was Of no avail.
II was proved at the trial that Bradford
had heard Hayes tell about having a
large amount OF money with him. 1t was
proved that Bradfonds knife exactly it-
ted the wound I'm the breast OF Hayes,
the knife and the right hand OF Bradford
were bloody, and with such apparent evil
dences OF guilt the jury convicted him,
and the judge, In sentencing him TO death.
said:
Mr.. Bradford. either you or myself
committed this murder
Bradford was hanged shortly after
ward, protesting upon the scaffold that
he was innocent. but he died disbelieved
by all
but Bradford was innocent after all
The murder was actually done by the
footman OF Mrs. Hayes. who Immediately
upon stabbng his master rifed his pock-
cts OF his money and gold watch and es-
capped back 10 his own room just before
Bradford entered. Eighteen months after
Bradford was hanged the footnan be-
came very I'll and upon his deathbed con-
fesed the murder and gave TO the officers
OF the law the watch and a part Of the
money he had stolen from his master.
But the strangest part OF this strange
case has yet TO be told. Bradford.
though Innocent of the murder. and In no
way connected with IL. was. nevertheless
murderer at heart. He had heard Mr.
Hayes say at supper that he had large
sum OF money with him, and he went 70
his bedroom with the dark lantern and
knife intending TO kill and rob him. But
when he reached there he was STRUCK
with amazement, when he turned back
the bedclothes, TO find the man already
sta bbed, bleeding and dying. In his agi
tation he dropped his knife upon thu
breast of the murdered man, and thu
the knife became bloody, and In picl<inl
IL up his hand was covered with blood
too, At this moment the two men en-
tered and caught him.
These circumstances Bradford con
fessed TO the clergyman who attended
him after his conviction, and the clergy
man afterward made them public. kan
sas City Star.