Year: 1873

To certain questions put to Hannah
by the defendants counsel, she stated
that she was but little acquainted with
a young man named Paddeford she had
seen him knew who was meant-but
had not seen him for two or three weeks
prior to the murder. She hadn't seen
him since, either.


Then the defense of Joel was entered
on, with an earnestness creditable to
his able counsel


Seven witnesses were produced to
prove the girl a liar. To commence with,
it was shown that she was seen in Paddle
ford's company at nine O'Clock on the
night Of the deacon's absence from
home. A trunk of hers had been left
by Paddeford at the stage-office, whence
he proposed to take passage for Water
loo early the next morning after the
death of Dillaway, but which he forgot
to call for, and which, being broken
open, was found to contain all the money
Dillaway was supposed to have had with
him at the time of the murder; the
notes on the Irasburgh Bank had been
identified by the cashier who paid them
to him on that very day. In his valise
was also some trinkets, and some light
articles of wearing appearl known to
have belonged both to Hannah and to
Paddeford.


A farmer came forward and swore that
he saw the prisoner twelve miles away
from Groutville at half-past ten o'clock
on the night designated, where he had
evidently lost his way, and that he di-
rected him back toward the village.


1t was shown to the satisfaction of the
court and jury that Joel's horse was in
capable of travelling over seven miles an
hour, at best, and, when the dead man
was discovered by the neighbors, the
body was cold. This was at about half
past twelve at night


The counsel made their pleas, the
prisoner was permitted to make his
own statement to the jury, and u verdict
was given within half an hour after
wards.


:" Not guilty = replied the foreman,
clearly, in response to the clerks call.
And, fifteen minutes afterwards, Dea-
con Joel and his wife were in each others
arms, the Government attorney having
not prosecuted the Indictment against
her.


Hannah Goodale was instantly seized
and taken before a magistrate, now
charged with being an accessory to the
murder In her desperate fright she
confessed to having periured herself be-
fore the court, and that she placed the
pocket-book and papers in the deacon's
coat pocket after he came into the house
That though she did not see Dillaway
killed, she knew that Paddeford went
up to his room. She saw him come
down again, heard the scuffie, and was
aware that he had got the mans money.
Within fortnight, Paddeford was
arrested, tried and convicted, and even
tually both himself and his guilty associ
ate, the wretched Hannah, were impris
oned for life.


The deacon returned to his dwelling
again, and the sympathy of the public
deservedly turned in his favor at once.
But he was disheartened, and he could
not bear to remain at the old place after
the dreadful scene that had occurred
there. Soon after he came back in tri-
umph at his honorable acquittal he had
an offer for the estate, which he accepted,
and, with his wife, he departed for one
of the southern counties of Massachu-
sets, where he lived afterwards happily
and contentedly, though he never con-
sented to receive another boarder into
his family, and Mrs. Joel contrived
thenceforth to get along agreeably in
her householdmatters without ever again
hiring female domestic.