Friday, August 21, 2015

A Grave Story For Freaky Friday...!

Sometimes truth actually wins out, but it may take many years to do so. This is one suc story, taken from the folks at Listverse.

Truth Wins Out

In 1859, Sam Slick made the first public note of an odd situation that had begun in 1821 in the village of Montgomery, England, which lasted about 100 years. In 1821, a man named John Newton was accused by two men, named Parker and Pearce, of attempting a highway robbery. On their word alone, Newton was found guilty and sentenced to death. Newton had only moved to the town two years previously and had few friends, but he was a diligent bailiff at the Oakfield manor house and had saved the owners from losing the estate to debt. He had also apparently attracted the attentions of the daughter of the household, though they were not publicly a couple. When asked if he had any reason why he should not be found guilty, Newton replied to the effect that he knew there was nothing he could say or do that would convince the court of his innocence or the falseness of the testimonies against him, so he would most certainly die. However, as proof of his innocence, Newton earnestly prayed to Heaven that for the length of at least one generation no grass should grow upon his grave.

Newton was indeed found guilty and was executed and buried in the Montgomery churchyard. The grave remained free of grass. When another author, S. Baring-Gould, visited the grave in 1903, he found it was still devoid of grass. As for the men who accused Newton, Parker’s ancestors had once owned Oakfield, and he hoped to gain it with Newton out of the way; Pearce had his eye on the daughter of the family and also wanted Newton out of the way. Parker became a dissolute drunkard, eventually dying in a blasting accident at a limeworks, and Pearce, realizing the woman would never have him, became despondent and wasted away.

The saddest part of a story like this is that no one actually wins. Only truth is gained for the family of those falsely convicted.

Coffee in the kitchen this morning. It's still too wet on the patio.

6 comments:

Chickenmom said...

Interesting story, Mr.Hermit - just had to look up S. Baring-Gould. Now that was a real character! We had rain lat night, too - I'll bring jelly donuts for all. And thanks for always finding interesting stories for us to read!

linda m said...

As they always say "honesty is the best policy". Truth always wins in the end. Great story! The nights are finally cooling down again around here. Since we've had rain the grass is growing. Darn now I have to mow it again. Have a great weekend.

JO said...

Good story. Seems they're is always evil lurking somewhere around the corner.

We had lots of thunder and high winds but the rain flew past this side of town, so now it is really humid again.

Rob said...

A sad story on so many levels... Could it happen today?

HermitJim said...

Hey Phyllis...
I just knew you woud find this story of interest. Jelly donuts always welcome in my kitchen.
Thanks for stopping by today!


Hey Linda...
Rain does wonders for the grass, that's for sure! I might be able to bail some of mine for hay pretty soon!
Thanks for coming over this morning!


Hey Jo...
Never too far away, it seems. The humidity sure has been bad this year, but then the weather has been really strange.
Thanks, sweetie, for dropping by today!


Hey Rob...
It probably happens all the time. We don't hear as much about it as we used to, though.
Thanks for sropping by today!

Dizzy-Dick said...

And the grass didn't grow for a generation. . . I need grass like that on my place.