Willmar tribune., 1910-03-16
AN ODD CASE,
By EVELYN WlrWoRTH.

INOpyTl6nts 4SVS. Oy American 1EeSS A6SO"
ciation.l
In the summer Of 1912 In a New
England coast town John Rurnes and
Avis Bradbury stood on a beach one
night talking In an excited undertone.
Burnes was speaking.
Il tell you. Avis. they're going to
murder me- was told that your fa-
ther 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"
"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
will never raise finger to hurt you.
and when we are once married they
will drop their objections"
This dialogue was heard by one who
was lying on the sands screened from
the couple by some sagebushes. John
Burnes 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 fa-
ther. and Richard. her brother. having
threatened him. were looked upon
with suspicion.
Then one day boy brought III
Johns coat from neighboring town.
1t was found on dune torn almost to
shreds and covered with spots Of
blood.
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 Kurnes openly. and the man
who had heard the dialogue between
John aud 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 &C.
cused were brought to trial. Their
appearance in the dock did not stand
in their favor. Neither seemed to
have much hope of an acQuittal. The
father showed more courage than the
soma 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 contemplating his
probable end OH the scaffold no one
Of course knew.
The trial was of short duration there
being no evidence on either side more
than has been given here Avis bore
up bravely. encouraging them with her
presence in court but it Is doubtful It
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 long
WHILE Then they returned and said
they could not agree. The judge. who
In his charge had virtually shown them
that there was a clear case against the
accused men. sent them back. In three
hours the jury returned verdict OF
guilty.
When a few weeks later Richard
Bradbury under the influence of his
spiritual adviser confessed that he and
his father had followed Burnes. mur'
dered him and sunk his body out 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. wlo
had had the courage to act upon ii
though supported only by circumstan'
tial evidence.
All this was very satisfactory to the
good people OF that part of New Eng
land. and the only regret they had was
that Avis. having suffered the loss OF
her lover. must now lose in such q
horrible way her father and brother,
who. she fondiy persuaded herself.
were innocent. Indeed. she clung to
this belief even after her brother had
| confessed.
Then a strange thing happened. All
American ship came into port from
Liverpool. and the first man to come
ashore was John Rurnes.
On the night he had left his sweet
heart he set out for neighborine
town. A British ship was lying In the
of1ing, and as he walked in the moon
light be heard the sound Of oars. A
boat came ashore near him. Its crew
jumped out on to the beach aud laid
violent hands on him. He was stout
fellow and broke away. was caught or
dune and after desperate struggle
borne to the boat and afterward to the
British ship. He had been captured by
press gang.
A .concourse of citizens. placing thu
man who had returned to life at theil
head. went to the Jail and demanded
the release Of the prisoners. They
were Immediately set at liberty. The1
all moved to the Bradburys' home
where. after witnessing the joyfu
meeting between the lovers and tht
released prisoners with Avis. they
brought forward parsOn and de
manded that the wedding take place
at once. The two men who had S(