Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 July 1858 — Remarkable Case of Circumstantial Evidence. [ARTICLE]

Remarkable Case of Circumstantial Evidence.

A case of considerable interest has occurred in Monroe county, Arkansas, which shows how strong'a chain of circumstances can arise against ain innocent person. Two men named Passmore and Lewis had rafts contiguous to each other, in White river. An oar escaped from the raft of Passmore, •and lodged in the neighborhood of that of Lewis, who secured it, and the former had the latter arrested-.for stealing it, but he was acquitted. Very naturally Lewis gave vent to .me hard words against Passmore. The latter did not resent them, but vowed his intention to give Lewis l‘a hot bed in lie 11 before three days.!” A short time after, Passmore was seen going in a canoe tlnvurds Lewis’ raft, armed wkh a double-barrelled shot gun and bowie knife. When about sufficient time had elapsed for. Passmore to reach Lewis’ raft, two discharges of a gun were heard. Next flay, Lewis was to deliver his raft at a mill in Clarendon, close by, hut as he did not do so, Jsuspeeions of something wrong were excited; and a number of persons went to where the raft had been, but it was gone, snd no traces of anybody connected with it could he found, Some weeks alter this period, a man going up the river found, in some drift wood, a body whose size and dress answered a description of Lew is’. The body had in it buejk-shot holes and stabs. Passmore was arrested and held in heavy hail. Shortly afterithis . the steamer Sa?n, Hale arrived at Clarendon, and the pilot. Bateman ,a’nd the cajjtain, Dougherty,, ieared Passmore ot nil suspicion by te.-tilving that they had seen Lewis at Napoleon three weeks after and that the boat had paid him money that had beCn owiaf him. Passmore’was! of course discharged..