The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-01-15
Old Time
Detective Work
BY EVERETT P. CLARKE

old seldom take case, and then only
one that promises to interest me. My
leisure time l spend in study. And
what do you suppose is the subject of
my studies? l will tell you. I am
searching the past when there were
no detectives that l may learn how
criminals were traced.
l have found succession Of condi-
tiOns, beginning with confession by
torture-tO this may be added confes.
sion by influence Of the clergy-and
ending with our present highly per-
fected- detective system. regret to
say that there still exists one relic of
the practice Of obtaining confessions
by influence of the clergy. refer to
securing them by means of the third
degree"
A curious instance Of confession
have found in record Of the latter
part of the eighteenth century.
During the year 1870 an alteration
occurred between James Thorpe and
Pardon Winston in Bradford. small
town In Massachusetts. Robert Thorpe,
q brother Of James. came on to the
scene while the fight was In progress
and struck Winston on the head with
a piece Of wood, knocking him sense.
less. However, he revived in a few
minutes, and the brothers, who had
been friends Of Winston, frightened
lest he had been killed, assisted him
to his home, expressing great regret at
the occurrence.
Winston did not seem any the worse
for the blow he had received and re-
mained in Bradford some time after
the scuffie. But one day he was miss
ed, and, when months passed and he
did not show up, among the various
causes for bis disappearance that were
suggested was one that the quarrel be-
tween him and the Thorpe brothers
had been renewed and the missing
man had come to his death through
their instrumentality.
However, since there was nothing
but inference In the matter. the sus-
piciOn died down. Several years
after WinstOn's disappearance Abner
Twitchell, citizen of Bradford
dreamed one night that the ghost of
Winston had appeared to him and said
that the Thorpe brothers had killed
him, burned his body and buried the
residue under a beech tree, the only
tree standing In the back yard of his
home. Twitche!l gave the civil au-
thorities an account of his dream.
At this point in my narrative it Is
well to remember the conditions Of
that period. The belief in witchcraft
that had reaped SO many victims had
died out among educated persons, but
still prevailed among the lower class
es. Today u belief in revelation by
dreams, though not what 1t was then,
is not entirely extinct.
The Thorpe brothers were arrested,
the ground about the roots Of the
beech tree was dug up, and some but
tons and the metal parts Of a pair Of
suspenders were found. This evidence
was considered SO strong that the
Thorpe brothers were urged to con-
fess In order that justice should be
meted out to each In accordance with
what he deserved. James, under the
incessant pleadings of his spiritual ad-
wiser. finally gave way and confessed
that he had been the murderer. But
later Robert confessed that he, too,
had taken part in the killing and had
done the principal part in getting rid
of the body.
Now, II we consider the evidence in
this case as it would be regarded to-
day there is nothing in 1t. First, we
would not accept the dream as of any
value whatever; second, the articles
found under the beech tree might
have been thrown out in the yard or
burned with other refuse under the
tree and become mingled with the soil;
third, we have numerous confessions
In murder cases that are not true.
But In those days, when the people
We're emerging from n period wherein
an organized court of justice would
convict a woman OF vomiting crooked
pins and sailing on the water In a
sieve, the evidence against the Thorpe
brothers, backed by the confession of
both, was considered quite sufficient
to hang them, They We're tried. con
victed and sentenced.
One day man rode into Bradford
and while sitting around the tavern
stove was told that the next day there
would be hanging In the town and
he had better remain over and see It.
On mention of the name of Winston be
said that hs had seen half witted
man In Hadley Of that name. A friend
Of the Thorpe boys was present. and he
went to the Judge with the story, ask
Ing for a stay Of the execution In or.
der that the matter might be investi
gated.
A constable was sent to Hadley and
returned with the man for whose mur
der the prisoners were to have been
hanged. The brothers we're released
and received an ovation, the towns
people really rejoicing that they had