Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 April 1894 — TOPICS OF THESE TIMES. [ARTICLE]

TOPICS OF THESE TIMES.

TRUTH VS. FICTION. I That truth is stranger than the wildest flights of inventive genius has often been said. Many cases, actual occurrences, bearing within their array of facts all the elements of romance, have transpired in this country—mysteries developed but never solved. One Of the strangest stories of this character came from Deer Lodge, Mont., recently. It is complete in all its details. Murder, conviction on circumstantial evidence, a king term of imprisonment for the unfortunate man, the return of the supposed victim, the release of the innocent man from a living death? Many years ago John A. Shea, then a lad, was bound out to Charles M. Clayton. Clayton used the boy roughly, and Shea at last ran away. Fearful of bei ig returned to Clayton, he successfully covered his tracks —no trace of him could be found. Clayton’s neighbors, knowing of his harshness with the boy, began to investigate. Their inquiries led to his arrest. He was tried, and, being unable to tell what had become of the boy, or to produce any evidence whatever as to his whereabouts, was convicted and sentenced to fourteen years at hard labor in the penitentiary. This was seven years ago. Shea in the meantime had traveled a long distance. He drifted from place to place, at last bringing up at Pierre, S. D. In all his wanderings he had never heard from Clayton—nor cared to. In a casual conversation with a chance acquaintance the subject of circumstantial evidence was discussed, and for the first time he heard of the great misfortune that had befallen his old master. Shea at once left for Deer Lodge, Mont., to prove Clayton’s innocence and set him free.