A Story of Crime.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 204, 1 September 1904, Page 2

A Story of Crime.

James Harris was a Yorkshire innkeeper, whoso servant (a man nauiod Morginnj sworo that he saw him choke his guest, a blacksmith, who had slept the night at the inn. Morgan declared that he witnessed the crime, watching through a chink of the bedroom do o r. There was no sign of violence on the dead man, and Harris, swearing that he would prosecute Morgan for perjury, would have keen released had not another witness unexpectedly upj)eared in the there, true enough, was a sum of servant, also in Harris' employ—the sweetheart, it proved, of Morgan She declared that after the death of (he blacksmith she saw tho master go early to the f oo t 0 t a tree, and there bury money. A search was made at tho spot ndicatcd, and there, true enough, was s sum of £3O. Harris gave a confused account of liaWng deposited it there for safety, but wus convicted of the murder and duly hanged. A twelvemonth had not elapsed before there was a quarrel .between Morgan and the girl, and then a wicked story came to light. Morgan had been struck by Harris, his master. ](eiit on vengeance, he seized upon the sudden death in the house of the blacksmith as his chance, and concocted i* tee tale in tho hopo of revenge. But tho money at the foot of the tree '? Tho sweethearts had discovered the hoard when it amounted to only £5, and left it there until it should reach a sum sullicknt f o r them to steal and make good their escape. At the threat of prosecution for perjury the woman decided to sacriflco ttio money and her master's life, and so spoke of it to the magistrates as if it were the property of tho blacksmith. As a matter of fait, 'it was found that the dpath of tho latter hi><| been natural, and that he had novor possessed £5 at ono time i» his life. The two conspirators were cast into prison, but died of fever before they could b» brought to trial,