The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-09-28

This friends, wherever they might be,
would not be likely to appear at the in
quest, which, in the case of stranger,
friendless and penniless, as they would
make him seem to be, would not proba-
bly, be one of very close scrutiny.
At all events, in their then state OF
mind, the temptation was too great to be
resisted. The damning impulse was up
on them. They drugged the liquor with
q subtle poison, and Peter, having forti-
| fed, or rather blinded, himself with an
other drink, staggered up to the door
| without light, that his face might not
be seen-and presented it through the
| slightly-opened door, in the dark: He
turned away. The door was closed and
| locked. The william descended to his
sister. And that night-who shall tell
the hour of death Pa murder was COM
mitted.
In the morning, as soon as they could
muster up resolution, they burst in the
door, and quickly concealed the fatal
glass, which had done its work but too
well and searched the clothes and the
valise of the dead man. But to their
dismay, they found but few dollars, no
papers, and naught beside save several
articles of clothing. Hastily replacing
all but a portion the money, and giving
one quick, remorseful glance at the hui
| man boing whose precious life they had
taken in vain, they now gave the alarm
lin their haste and fear forgetting to
| efface the name of John Travis from the
| book.
| The results were natural. The author
tiles placed Mrs. Leerwell and her broth
er under arrest. An inquest was held,
and post-mortem examination. The
prisoners admitted that the mans name
was John Travis; but denied all guilt !;
and as the physicians who had examined
| the body pronounced the stomach free
from signs of poison, the verdict was,
| that the man "died by the visitation of
God" The prisoners We're set free, and
the body committed to the grave.
On the day after the burial, the week
ly papers of the town We're published
there were no dailies-and the circum-
stances attending the death Of John
Travis, as far as known, were then first
published.
! There We're lingering suspicious against
the keepers of the inn but there was
nothing yet elected which could impli-
cate them, or prove guilt upon any one.
The grief and horror Of Henry and
Annie Hemens may be imagined, when
the fatal announcement met their eyes.
They fastened home, and thence to War
wick, to learn what further particulars
there might be; but Henry, his mind
made wary by suspicion, at first, kept
away from the inn. He resolved to en-
ter it when he could do so unobserved
by the hostess and her brother, look at
the registered maine, anu see il indeed II
was in the handwriting of his friend
He watched his opportunity, obtained
it when the suspected parties were tenn
porarily absent, turned the leaf, and
there saw the beloved, the too we'll
known characters and with sigh, he
departed, unobserved, as he had come.
sit is his handwriting, Annie! John
Travis, our beloved Travis, is no morew
he whispered "and in my conviction
he was murdered for his money. l have
| fixed upon plan to detect tile guilty
ones, and | will tell you when we go
/ home.7
On the day following, Mrs. Leerwell
Was called upon by a stranger, who pre-
sented her with q letter, which ran as
/ follows:
DEAR MADAM:-Mynameis Arthur
! PeerWef; and, without wishing to joke
apon g subject which has been a lifelong
modification to me, though | may op-
peer lre8 enough, yet | must inform you
that | am both deafand dumb. Though
| can hear no better than if ! was dead,
Il would have been q partial consolation
10 me if could speak, and thus be re-
iieved e4 he constant trouble have, in
being obliged 20 communicates all ny
thoughts III writing. But alasi I can
neitne5 peek or hear. The loudest roll
81 th1zstzer never pierced my ears the
slia liaAle never passed nay lips
t}gaf and dumb OH. matlami as Won