Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1865-02-08

Ola JeHrey nut. AS soon as this was
known Stevens was down at the bar try
ing, suppose, to smother his memory in
deep potations of whiskey. Directly the
police commenced searching the river
discharged myself, and having obtained
my check. proceeded, or pretended, to
spend it after the usual up-country fash.
ion, which everybody knows, means stay
ing in the bar and shouting right off the
reel. This did not exactly do; | kept
myself sober as judge behind the scenes
prompted everything; through Mr.. 7
suggested every step that had hitherto
been taken, and now had only no wait
the result of the searching and dragging
the water-holes Those who know the
country know that it is no easy matter,
and that it occupies considerable time.
Sometimes only or could be searched
in day on others more. While this was
going on Stevens became almost resident
in the bar, seldom leaving it, but betray-
ing intense and childish curiosity as to
the result of the seacrh. Have they
found anything % or, haven't they found
anything yet?' or, well, should have
thought they would have found some
thing by this time" were expressions
that frequently fell from his lips. 1t was
think, the fourth day of search, and
Stevens had been drinking hard all the
time; on the afternoon of that day a
sack was found with human remains in it
at the bottom of hole and on the eve
; ming of that day drink and excitement
had rendered Stevens incapable of taking
care of himself, and he was conveyed to
the lookup as drunk and disorderly. |,
too, though perfectly sober, affected to
have been out on spree, and was locked
up in the same place with Stevens, and
my name entered on the list as drunk and
disorderly. never saw such change
in man as came over Stevens when h,
found | was with him. The effects O.
the drinks were passing away owing to the
excitement produced by the discovery o.
the remains; and no sooner was the loci
, turned on me than he c(asped me by th'
hand as the ''Groom that had always beer
so friendly" and began to cry like child
His thoughts were running on the mur
der, and | resolved to use the opportuni
!. ty. To make this right [ began say
, Stevens, do you know they found thu
, old mans body? 1t was in sack anc
was weighted with stones; and one o
the stones was your lapstone. The skull
is broken in 2 places, so that it is plair
he must have been murdered. You talke(
in your sleep just uow?" did |? wha
did | say?" "You said if they woulc
, let you off You would show them wher
his money was" (This he had said ii
his sleep.) Upon this he gave cenvul
sive shriek fell back upon he straw anC
>. exclaimed-"Yes,I killed old Jeffrey
. but don't peach on me they can only
= bring Inc up for being drunk and disor
derly, and III give you half the money
| say, groom. you won't peach, will you
Iii leave these parts. I've had too mucl
whiskcy. Let me sleep; III tell you ev
! erythug tomorrow; but don't peach. ant
I'LL make clean breast of it." Befor
morning broke he had confessed every
thing to me. had always been a goot
fellow, and he didn't mind telling me all
He had entered the old mans hut at mid
night, beat in his skull, put the body il
sack, and fool that he was, put in hi
lapstone along with other stones to max
it sink, and had hid his money under tn
|
mud floor fhis cottage The next morn
ing we were both brought before the mag
!, istrate of the district charged as aforesaid
On being asked what | had to say hand
@ cd him my authority to act as detective
% and requested to be placed in the witness
!. box, as had charge of murder to brin
n against Stevens who was there on the mino
| charge. In less time than it takes to tel
v this, had left the room, and to the SUI
IS prise of all especially the local police
o the well-known groom of F. was j
Is uniform bringing his charge against Ste,
ems, founded on his own confession, {
= numbering Jeffrey.