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Article THE WHITE APRON. ← Page 3 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The White Apron.
with an empty saddle , more especially when there appeared evident symptoms of violence having been used towards its rider . No time was lost : the course they knew their employer must have come was searched , but without avail ; no trace was discovered , and his ultimate fate remained a complete mystery . The conclusion which was drawn upon the subject was almost
universal ; indeed , to so great an extent , that John Owen was arrested on the supposition that he had made away with Thomas Waring ; but he strenuously denied the imputation , and all knowledge of the deed . The only witness that had any credit given to him was a shepherd of the name of Jonas Cort , and his testimony went to this effect . He was
crossing a wood , situated about half way between the inn and the farm of Waring , about one o ' clock in the morning , and fancied he heard two persons quarrelling , and that a scuffle took place between them ; he also heard , as he believed , the tread of horses' feet in the bushes , but was so alarmed at the circumstance , and the lateness of the hour , that he did not attempt to discover the cause , but hastened home to his
cottage . On the part of Owen it was argued and proved that he did not leave the inn until a considerable portion of time had intervened after the departure of Waring ; that he had arrived at his home at a proper period considering the distance he performed . And what tended
to remove the direct proof from him was this : it was well known that the property which Waring had about his person at the time he left the inn was considerable ; he had many bills and other vouchers of consequence , but these had never been presented or made use of , and consequently no robbery had been effected . Under the circumstances above stated , Owen was discharged , and it remained for time to unravel
the mist in whicli the fate of Waring was shrouded . A considerable period elapsed after this event , ancl the disappearance or murder of Waring began to be dismissed from the minds of the country ; and upon the return of the quarterly county fair , the character of John Owen was so far re-established that he was in attendance upon the markets ; and when the business of the day was concluded , he retired , with the other farmers , to the inn we have before alluded to :
here he ancl his unfortunate neighbour had met on that day three months . His peculiar behaviour here showed that he was labouring under a diseased and very troubled mind : he drank and swore deeply , and with a view of daunting the possibility of any remarks whicli might be made or cast upon him , he apparently tried to brave each individual in the company , and by his dauntless and ferocious disposition certainly
cowed those expressions which would probably have been made use of by the friends of Thomas Waring . In the midst of one of those general choruses which generally form a part of the evening ' s entertainment of a public inn , a stranger entered
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The White Apron.
with an empty saddle , more especially when there appeared evident symptoms of violence having been used towards its rider . No time was lost : the course they knew their employer must have come was searched , but without avail ; no trace was discovered , and his ultimate fate remained a complete mystery . The conclusion which was drawn upon the subject was almost
universal ; indeed , to so great an extent , that John Owen was arrested on the supposition that he had made away with Thomas Waring ; but he strenuously denied the imputation , and all knowledge of the deed . The only witness that had any credit given to him was a shepherd of the name of Jonas Cort , and his testimony went to this effect . He was
crossing a wood , situated about half way between the inn and the farm of Waring , about one o ' clock in the morning , and fancied he heard two persons quarrelling , and that a scuffle took place between them ; he also heard , as he believed , the tread of horses' feet in the bushes , but was so alarmed at the circumstance , and the lateness of the hour , that he did not attempt to discover the cause , but hastened home to his
cottage . On the part of Owen it was argued and proved that he did not leave the inn until a considerable portion of time had intervened after the departure of Waring ; that he had arrived at his home at a proper period considering the distance he performed . And what tended
to remove the direct proof from him was this : it was well known that the property which Waring had about his person at the time he left the inn was considerable ; he had many bills and other vouchers of consequence , but these had never been presented or made use of , and consequently no robbery had been effected . Under the circumstances above stated , Owen was discharged , and it remained for time to unravel
the mist in whicli the fate of Waring was shrouded . A considerable period elapsed after this event , ancl the disappearance or murder of Waring began to be dismissed from the minds of the country ; and upon the return of the quarterly county fair , the character of John Owen was so far re-established that he was in attendance upon the markets ; and when the business of the day was concluded , he retired , with the other farmers , to the inn we have before alluded to :
here he ancl his unfortunate neighbour had met on that day three months . His peculiar behaviour here showed that he was labouring under a diseased and very troubled mind : he drank and swore deeply , and with a view of daunting the possibility of any remarks whicli might be made or cast upon him , he apparently tried to brave each individual in the company , and by his dauntless and ferocious disposition certainly
cowed those expressions which would probably have been made use of by the friends of Thomas Waring . In the midst of one of those general choruses which generally form a part of the evening ' s entertainment of a public inn , a stranger entered