Shot By Spring Gun

How the Crimes of an English Peace Justice Were Exposed.

Trap Set by a Farmer Explains a Mystery and Reveals a Remarkable Case of Double Life. 

A remarkable case of double life was recently disclosed in England by the tragic death of Graham Carston, a justice of the peace, country gentleman and man of wealth- that is how his townsmen regarded him during life. After his death he was discovered to have been a burglar without conscience, a highwayman, a petty thief and a thorough scoundrel.

His death revealed his past life. One night a meeting of the local authorities in his town was being held to consider ways and means of celebrating a national event. Mr. Carston had been expected to attend, but quite unexpectedly he failed to put in an appearance.

On account of the numerous raids which had been made on property in the neighborhood J. J. Gregson, the owner of a mill, had put a spring gun at the entrance to his establishment arranged so that any one attempting to enter would bring the charge of buckshot on him. While he was at the meeting his son heard the explosion of a gun. Running to the mill entrance, he found that some one had endeavored to enter and had been shot. It was impossible during the night to follow the trail left, and search was abandoned until morning.

About 10 o'clock Mr. Carston's housekeeper was astonished to see the master of the household come dragging himself to the door, with his clothes covered with blood and his left arm hanging limp at his side.

"I have been shot by some scoundrel," he gasped. "Help me to bed and call a physician."

When the doctor came Carston made some explanation and the wound was dressed. An hour later Carston was found dead in his bed. He had torn away the bindings and had bled to death.

The town was shocked the next morning to learn that two crimes bad been committed. Some one had endeavored to enter the Gregson mill and some one had shot Mr. Carston. The constable was urged to spare no pains in finding the perpetrators.

The trail of blood leading from the mill entrance could be followed to the highway, where it stopped. The physicians examining Mr. Carston's body found that the wound bad been inflicted by buckshot. It was found that there were blood marks in the rig which was standing in the Carston stables. The constable took some of the buckshot to Gregson, who exclaimed that he loaded his spring gun with such shot.

An idea occurred to Gregson and the constable at the same time, but it was too ridiculous for serious consideration at first. Gradually, as no other solution could be found, it was thought worth while to make an investigation along the line thus suggested.

When a search was made of Carston's premises it was found that these half hearted suspicions were only too well founded. Evidence was found also showing conclusively that Carston had perpetrated the misdeeds which had puzzled the authorities for fourteen years.

In the barn a number of sacks bearing the Gregson imprint were found and also a number from another mill with which Carston never dealt. The man owned nine cows and two horses, which would account for the large quantity of grain be needed. There no longer remained any doubt that he had used theft to obtain it.

A search of the house revealed still further evidence. A whole boxful of clothing bearing the tags of a local tailor whose shop had been robbed a half dozen times was found. Articles from other establishments which had been robbed were brought to light, and the last discovery was that of a complete set of burglar's tools, including a dark lantern, a window glass cutter, a fine saw for cutting bars, a rope ladder and three revolvers.

With more thorough investigation into the crimes which had been committed in the neighborhood it was discovered that an innocent man had been made to pay the penalty for one of Carston's misdeeds. A farmer living near the town had awakened one night to find a burglar in his room pointing a revolver at his head. The thief took $2,500 and made his escape. Suspicion fell on a man in the outskirts of the town who was sentenced and died a convict for the crime. There was evidence in the house to prove that the real burglar had boon the gentlemanly thug whose past was thus exposed.

In another case a jeweler had been robbed. The circumstances pointed to a man of extraordinary agility. He had jumped a great distance from the ground, catching himself on an iron bar, and had squeezed through a narrow opening.

The man understood himself. Among the belongings which were found after his death was a curiously worded document in which he analyzed his dual nature and commented freely on his terrible ruling passion, which he could foretell would result in a violent ending for him some day.

Of himself he wrote:

"Any man will admit that he feels most of the criminal instincts working within him at times. I have been a victim to morbid craving for plotting and executing robberies. I had the money to pay for anything I needed or wanted, but I took more pleasure in getting things in other ways, by using my wits. Of course I know that all the time I sit on a volcano and that at any time I may be discovered."