The Monroe journal. [volume] (Monroe, N.C.) 189?-1965, 1921-08-23
MAN SENTENCED 10 HANG
LATER FOUND INNOCENT
Anl NoW IA Hi TJWu They say NJ
oie Eisg. IT,, Eyer Been GCnyiet-
ed ga 1iyunIstangial ESidenee
\ TRAMP WIS rHr MURDERER

ttsafla- Ms I'M VI 4.tf--att-fs
When supposedly dead L.an
walks cut ~ TIE valley 81 Geafa and
takes his old station .n He. T. tur-
hulant uphesyal 81 excitement .n thai
particular locality is aaly quoted ~
Father Time Aud SINE oH,y has
thrown a veil over tn tliaslee o.
tn isteful li.e Of John Taswel, Who
died in a small South Carolina town
during the Civil War. sass IT, Ga2r-
lore News.
The story is true in every part. aAt-
ing been r. lated Ia A. y. 8o-ar, Neck
.enhuig hotel cleit. hy a friend who
received il from reliable source. II
was Ia one aftern0oa ore tbs bis
open fireplace in tn -l, that the
narrator cast spell CEtr q small
group of tra,, 'ers With lis STANCE
story.
A. the tai, -oss, John Taswell vas
a young man ~ 80. a We'll esteemed
citizen in a small SCa'h Carolina
town in 1921 when lis Misunder-
standing with William Yates began.
Yates was a pIosP' fous farmer. An
insignificant dispute ere long result
I'd in o. rupture. TIE two men be-
came enemies. The whole town knew
il. aud trouble was sen>ed.
One day il came When Taswell and
Yates met on the outskirts OF town.
several saw The fight. The men were
separated before serious harm was
done, and with a few hot words taeY
went their ways.
That ni.ht Yates was found MUIR
dered In his room. Ills head was
crushed i'm. He had evidently been
killed as he sat ct a snail table at
the centre of the floor. The crime was
eruesome, and ,he town demanded
justiea. All eyes Were turned en- J"AA
Taswell.
Sentence ia Hang
He was tried. found sailjg and SEN
fenced 70 De hanged. In the early
dawn he was taken 70 the count!
seat where a scaifold had been erect
ed. Tie hanging was not 10 b" pup
lie. only the sheriff. eXecutiorer and 4
repre- sentative citizen belnS present
"Taswell," whisper, q the sheriff at
The ,caf.old. Il do not believe you
are 1uilty. have always been your
friend. and so have these other TWO
men. Run while you can. REGARDLESS
OF duty, We will give YOU chance.
And John Taswell headed west
That day a black casket bearing his
name was buried, and he was con-
sidered dead to an the twoa. Justice
had been done. and the countryside
was satisfied. Forsetfulness 81 Inc
whole affair came within year o.
so. go,
John Taswcll settled in the middle
west. secretly his wife and snall
son joined him. With changed name
he mixed with the citizens Oh q
thriving western town and became q
nam Of influence. II made none.
and became known for miles AROUND
as nan of square dealins and ugil'-
eous principles.
Twenty years had passed When
fate wrought one of the miracles
which have made men say that train
Is stranger than fiction. In the tush
Of late summer afternoon a priest
who lived next door 10 John Taswell
"A tramp has been shot down tht
street. He Is dying. and | have beeH
called to administer his last rights
Come and 20 with me-
\ small crowd was grouped arouhe
the dying man when they arrived
With a face hidden by dirty bearC
ne looked IN al the priest and, W.T.!
the agony Of pain, groaned;
Tramp Makes Confession
II have confession want t
make. 1t has troubled me for twtAt
wears. | killed a man and stood p,
while another paid the penalty y Il
lliam Yates was his name. ! lived Il
tla same town in South Carolina Wit
him 90 years ago. | passed lale'
house one night and saw him count
ling a large pile Of money in the an
llamp light. was poor and reaso
left me. obtained entrance thlouS
window at his back with lead Pup
I'm my hands. 1t took one blow. An ei
envy OF Yates was hanged for u
crime. May the Lord forgive me'
In utter establishment John TasWe
listened to his words. Before Dc
wildered crowd he made the tram
sien a confession. Then he took hI
family and set out for South Carolini
With excitement. the citizens OF IN
small South Carolina town, VINO !,
membered the tragedy, stood by Will
John Taswell himself dug down mi
the grave where his dead body Wa
supposed to lie. The long black cas-
lh was still intact. Before the eye
3. his townspeople he removed III
rartly decayed lid. The sunliaht ie
upon a row bic -tay rocks ly!nS u
side.
And they say no one else wa
ever convicted of Il tume N thi
town on circumstantial evidence
ADDED Mr. Boyer
LIVING Up TO HIS REPUTAFI0