The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-02-24

ever, seems to have disbelieyed this
story. He pretended to have been In
communication with Freake and to
have ascertained from him that the
story was false. Thereupon Vain
wright changed his ground and stated
that Harriet had gone away with an
other person and that he had implica-
ted Freake falsely.
During the trial curious story
came 10 light. 1t appeared that one
individual had had suspicious OF his
own and that he came nearer to the
truth than any OF the rest. In octo-
Der, 1874, while Wainwright still occu-
I pied bis premises for business pur-
poses, though its ownership had passed
to another, the new manager possessed
a dog which was in a state Of constant
restlessness while in the workshop.
He was forever scratching at the
boards OF the flooring just above the
place where the grave had been dug.
1t was supposed that he was after rats,
but Wainwright seems to have become
suspicious and one day the dog sud-
denly disappeared. The manager and
his wife went out enc evening and
left the animal with Wainwright On
their return he stated that he had run
away; but 1t was presumably made
away with, for 1t was never seen again
thereafter.
Slowly. piece by piece, a web Of cir
cumstantial evidence was woven
around the accused man. 1t was proved
that he had purchased quantity of
chloride Of lime on September 10, 1874,
the day before the murder was sup.
posed 10 have occurred. as well as an
ak and spade. Neighbors swore that
they had heard pistol reports on the
next evening, apparently proceeding
from Wainwright's premises. A man
working in an adjoining shed stated
that he had heard them distinctly.
They were fired in rapid succession as
from d revolver, and there was no
pause for reloadlng such as would
have occurred had the weapon used
been q pistol. A revolver was found
among the effects OF the accused man.
A few hairs were iuund adhering to
the spade discovered in the workshop
and these were microscopically exam
ined. They we're round to correspond
exactly with the hair of the victim.
Wainwright when arrested for the
crime showed great self-possession. All
through the trial he maintained de.
meanor OF innocence. His guilt was
proved, however, to the satisfaction of
the jury, who brought in q verdict OF
guilty. When the judge in accordance
with the customary procedure asked
him whether he had anything TO say
before sentence was passed, he stood
up in the dock and declared in strong
and emphatic tones:
81 will only say, standing, as I do
now, upon the brink Of eternity, that |
swear / am not the murderer Of the re
mains found in my possession. swear
that Ihave never fired pistol in my
lie. Iswear also that did not bury
the initiated remains. nor did / eX'
hume them.%
In this denial he persisted TO the
last, Just before the execution he con.
fessed that he deserved his fate, but
he would not admit that he was guilty
-
of murder.
Was Wainwright really guilty?
The result Of this trial aroused CON
siderable comment as to the relative
merits Of the English and the French
judicial systems. A French Judge woult
have probed the matter TO the bottom.
He would have asked Wainwright for
what purpose he purchased the chlor;
LAST OF THE MONITOR CREW
ID