OF THE HIGHWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11230, 27 November 1899, Page 3

OF THE HIGHWAY.

In the year 1762 a gentleman rifling to Hull was surprised by night, and a highwayman, wearing a mask and holding a pistol at the other's head, demanded his purse. The business was soon arranged, and after receiving his purse with tho 20 guineas it contained, the robber galloped down a sido road. The traveller was about seven miles from his destination, but as it was dark, and lie felt naturally alarmed, lie would not ride further, but returned to a roadside inn The Bell, kept by a Mr. James Brunell ' When he entered the kitchen to give ord«rs about his supper, ho told several persons what had happened to him, and added that whenover he went on a journey it was his habit to make a mark on even- gold coin he took with lum He had done so with he 20 guineas ho had just lost, and hoped, therefore, to be able to recognise them. ■When his supper was ready, he went to the coffee-room and had not been there long ere the landlord joined him. After the customary salutations had been exchanged, the following conversation took place: — "As I hear, sir," said Brunell, "you were robbed this evening, and not far from hero''" I es. "And all the gold pieces in the purso had & special mark on them?" "Yes; and I believe that fact will render It possible for me to detect tho robber." Very possible. I must ask you to tell me the oxact time when " 10 robber stopped you.' " It Was just beginning to grow dark." that confirms my suspicions." He then told tho traveller in confidence that lie nad a servant in his house on whom ho had long kept an eye. This man, John .Jennings by name, had recently had a great deal of money in his possession, although ho J. 0 landlord) did not know whero he got it from. In short, he suspected the fellow to strongly that ho had resolved to got rid of lum. On this day he had sent him out long before dark to get, cbango for a guinea, and ho only returned after the traveller had arrived, saying he could not procure change for {.10 guinea. As Jennings was quite drunk, he had him sent- off Jo bed, and intended to turn Aim out of tho house next morning. When Jennings gave him back the gold coin ho had not thought- of anything wrong, although ho noticed it was not tho same lie gave him to get changed, nor would ho have ■thought anything more of it, as Jennings so constantly had money ho declared to be his own in his pockets, had he not heard the travellers statement that all his guineas were marked. _ Innately, only a. minute before hearing this he paid awav tho guinea he received back from Jennings to a neighbour, but ho perfectly well remembered that the guinea was marked exactly as the traveller described. He might be deceived, and hoped that lie was; but his conscience, as an honest, man, commanded him to impart Ids suspicions to the traveller. Tho traveller thanked the landlord, and finally determined to creep into Jennings room and examine his pockets. This was done, Jennings being fast asleep, and hearing nothing, and from one of his pockets a purso was drawn containing 19 guineas. The traveller examined them, and declared them to bo his. having the marks lie put on them. Witnesses were fetched, and Jennings Was awakened, dragged from bed, and accused of highway robbery. 110 boldly denied it, but the proofs were too strong against him. Next- day lie was brought before a magistrate and committed for trial. The evidence Was so strong against him that his friends recommended him to plead guilty, and im-! plore the mercy of the Court, but he declined the advice, and pleaded " Not guilty!" The evidence was most conclusive, as wc have, seen. Brunell swore that ho had received the coin from Jennings, and the prosecutor had no hesitation in swearing to tho mark on it. The judge summed up, and the jury I brought in a verdict of guilty. John Jennings uttered in a loud tono his innocence to the Court, and even in the prison, as well as on the scaffold, when lie was executed, at Hull, his last words were: "I die a murdered man." , Twelve months later a traveller was robbed in Brunell s house, and it was proved that tho landlord himself was the criminal. He was tried, found guilty, and executed, but made a full confession of a long list of crimes which for years past ho had committed, but always escaped through the good character ho had maintained. Ho it was who robbed the traveller that Jennings had suffered death for. His confession ran as follows: — "After robbing the traveller and taking his purse, 119 reached his house before him by a cross road. When lie met the traveller in the coffee-room and heard his story, lie was petrified. lie had given someone present one of the gold coins, and did not dare to ask it back. He then went up to Jonnings. placed the money in his pocket, and with all its circumstances made poor Jennings the victim. He then piled up evidence against him, and was only too successful in getting him executed. Discovery aril ruin gave himself afterwards what ho justly deserved for his act.