Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1910-02-18
An 4 Odd CASE,
~ EVELYN NiTWoRTH.
copyright, lses by American Press Asaso.


~ the summer of 1912 IN New.
hnEland coast town John Barnes and
Avis Brad bury stood on beach one
night talking In an excited undertone
Burnes was speaking s:
~ tell you, Avis, they're going to
murder me. was told that your ed.
Their stated at the tavern that our mar.
riage should never take place, and
your brother Dick said he was going
to shoot me on sight. Z
y Their threats don't mean anything
John, or they would not have made
them thus publicly. They know you
have no means and are opposed to you
on that account. But that's all. They
VIII never raise finger to hurt you
and when we are once married they
will drop their object z
This dialogue was heard BY one who
was lying on the sands screened from
the couple by some sagebushes. John
oBurnes was not seen nor heard of BY
any one In the town. including his
sWeetheart, the next day or the next
Had he gone away he would certainly
have communicated with Avis, but she
was as ignorant OF his whereabouts as
the others. Steven Bradbury, her Ia,
ther. and Richard, her brother, having
threatened him. were looked upon
with suspicion.
Then one day boy brought in
Johns coat from a neigh boring town.
It was found on dune torn almost to
shreds and covered with spots Of
blood. s5 ~
The two Bradburys were arrested
and thrown Into prison charged with
the murder of John Burnes. There
was plenty Of evidence against them
of a circumstantial nature. They had
threatened Burnes openly, and the man
who had heard the dialogue between
John and Avis was ready to testify
that John feared for his life at their
hands. But since there was no direct
evidence. since it was NOT even known.
positively that Burnes was dead, the
authorities wisely resolved to wait.
Meanwhile the father and son Ian.
guished in prison. Avis felt assured
that they were innocent; that her
lover had met with foul play at the
hands Of some one else. But who
could have had motive to murder
him was mystery to her.
1t was seven months before the ac.i
.cused were brought to trial. Their
appearance in the dock did not stand
tn their favor. Neither seemed to
have much hope of an acquittal. The
father showed more courage than the
son courage that was naturally at
tributed to a determination to brazen
out the sin. Richard seemed entirely
broken down. The father listened
eagerly to the evidence; the son seemed
lost In dependence. Whether this
came from sense Of guilt or from
having lived SO long contempt ating his
probable end on the scaffold no one
of course knew IS
\ The trial was OF short duration, there
being no evidence on either side more,
than has been given here. Avis bore
up brayeiy, encouraging them with her
presence In court but 1t Is doubtful II
her sympathy was not rather an In
jury than a benefit for every one
thought the father and brother the
more detestable In contrast with SO
fine girl. The jury were out g long
while. Then they returned and said
they could not agree. The Judge, who
Ia his charge had virtually shown them
that there was a clear case against the
accused men, sent them hack. In three
hours the jury returned q verdict OF
guilty. 958l2
When d few weeks later Richard
Bradbury under the influence OF bis
spiritual adviser confessed that he and
his father had followed Burnes, muir
dered him and sunk his body ont at
sea the splendor Of the jury system
was pronounced upon by every one
Burnes had been killed, and no one
but the Bradburys could have killed
him. This was plain to the jury, who
had had the courage to act upon Y
though supported only BY circumstan
tial evidence.
All this was very satisfactory to thu
good people Of that part Of New Eng
| land, and the only regret they had wal
that Avis, having suffered the loss q
her lover, must now lose in such Z
/ horrible way her father and brother
who, she fondly persuaded herself
] were innocent. Indeed, she chung Il
this belief even after her brother hat
confessed.
Then q strange thing happe ned. Al
American ship came into port from
Liverpool. and the arst man to com
4 ashore was John Bnrnes. y3s
on the night he had left his sweet
heart he set out Tor neighborini
town. a British ship was lying In tn
offing, and as he walked In the moon
/ light he heard the sound Of oars.
boat came ashore near him. Its cres
Jumped out on to the beach and iai'
violent hands on him. He was q stou
fellow and broke ~ ay. was caught q
i dune and after 81 desperate struggl
4 horne to the boat and afterward to th
4 British ship. He had been captured b
d press gang
Il 70 AZ royscoursea OF 81 tfzeflH nlaeinR th