Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-09-02
A JOKE ON JUSTICE
Case Always Used as Argument
Aoainst circumstantia Evidsnce.

daylight and darkness, in sunshine
and storm, the poor husk Of that un-
fortunate man swung and creaked.
Such a spectacle was not uncommon
two hundred years ago, but usually
the victim had friends or sympa-
thizers, who gave the passing tribute
Of a tear. William Shaw, however.
was an object of general execration,
and passers-by shook their fists at
his swaying form, and said his fate
was too good for him. Parents took
their children to see that shrivelled
relic Of humanity, for no moral lessons
could be too violent In those days,
and cautioned them to mark and re-
member the punishment Of a man
who slew his own daughter, as bon
ME a lass as there was in Edinboro
town.
Then one day a clergyman and
several officers Of the law, followed
by many citizens, went to the way
side gibbet and tenderly took down
all that was left Of William Shaw.
The remains were borne to the con-
secrated ground Of a church ceme-
terry and there buried with all pious
forms. The minister made a talk
that melted all the hearers to tears,
and representatives of the law plant
ed flag on the grave when the dirt
had been filled In.
For justice had made terrible
blunder. and was doing what she
could to remedy things. It wasn't
much, and William Shaw was too
dead to appreciate it.
Shaw was quiet, Industrious,
God-fearing man, who occupied one
side of a double house in Edinburg,
his daughter Catherine, being his
housekeeper. She was a beautiful
girl. who had many suitors. and,
with a perversity that has distinguish
ed many beautiful girls since the
world was new, she chose as her
favorite a man who was unworthy
He was found holding his wassail
with reckless companions; he looked
upon honest toll as a nuisance, and
his criminal exploits Catherine had
winning smiles, for this undesirable
citizen, but she had nothing but
frowns for a certain Aleck Graham,
who wanted to marry her so bad that
his bosom ached. ....-
Aleck was all a young man should
be. He worked like Sam Hill and
saved his money, and already owned
considerable property. He had no bad
habits and he was handsome and
agreeable. Many a damsel longed to
be his bride, but he yearned for Cath
crime, and Catherine yearned for her
black sheep. a .n
1t was not strange that William
Shaw was grieved and aggravated.
Any safe and sane parent would be in
censed over such a condition Of af-
fairs. Many and many a time he talk
ed to Catherine, pleading anu argu-
ing with her, trying to induce her to
appreciate the merits Of Graham, and
to turn the other man down. Neither
is 1t strange If he lost his temper
once in a while. when the girl stub
bornly protested that she'd marry
the man of her choice or die an old
maid. -.
The other side Of the double house
was occupied by man named Morri-
son, and 1t seems clear that Mr.. Nor
rison had long nose and longer ears,
for when the trouble came upon Shaw,
Morrison could repeat from memory
entire dialogues he had heard with
his ear to the keyhole.
One evening father and daughter
had longer discussion than was usual,
and Morrison was Johnny on the
spot, listened to every word. He heard
the girl say: Cruel father, thou
art the cause Of my death" Then
Shaw left the room and went into
the street, and when he was gone,
Morrison heard the girl groaning. as
though in great pain. He didn't
know just what had happened, but
he thought something was seriously
wrong, so he notified the authorities.
ard presently several officers arrived
and entered the Shaw abode. Cath
crime was lying on the floor in a
pool Of blood, a knife by her side.
She was too far gone to speak, and
when the officious Morrison asked
her If her father had stabbed her
she nodded her head and expired.
Just then Shaw returned, and when
the arm, and he certainly had been
cut on the arm, but in all probable
ity he made the wound himself, as
an afterthought, when he left the
house. When a policeman gets a
theory firmly fastened in his mind, he
can make anything dovetail with it.
All the evidence was against Shaw,
and although he told straightfor-
ward story, in his patient sorrowful
way, nobody believed him. He was
considered a monster, and had he
been allowed to appear in public he
would have been torn to pieces. He
said that he talked with his daughter
on the absorbing theme of her love
| affairs until they both lost their tenn
pers, and he had left the house feeling
that such recrimination was useless.
1t was true that his daughter spoke
the words attributed to her by Nor
rison. but he paid no attention to
them. thinking they had no signif-
canoe. When he left the house the
girl was alive and we'll, and had TAX
en- a pen and a piece Of paper as
though to do some writing.
His trial was brief, and he was con-
victed and sentenced to death, the
learned Judge enlarging greatly upon
the enormity Of his crime. So one
cold November morning in 1921, he
stepped upon the scaffold at Leith
Walk, and after saying he was in
nocent of bloodshed, was duly ex-
ecuted, and his body was left in
chains to the winds and the ravens.