The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-08-26
NO.. 81.
A Detectives Experience-secret Murder.


/ once arrested man, said Mr.. f., accus-
ed of killing his wife. Although 1 have al
ways been doubtful if his sentence was just
He came here stranger, silent and repel-
liant in his manner, making no acquaintance
and stunning society. He was foreigner,
too, speaking our language but imperfectly,
and relying solely for sympathy and conf
dcnce on the beautiful woman whose warm,
sunny loveliness seemed chilled by the cold.
rugged manner of her husband She was
very young, too, and those who knew them
best from seeing them most declared that her
glad differences were often frozcn-hcr child
ish laughter stilled-by a gloomy look or
stern command He seemed man at war
with mirth, and brooked no joy in his alien
ted sympathies. She feared him, too for
those who saw how the young creature glad
dencd when the sunlight flung its beauty
around her, when the flowers bloomcd in
her way. or nature answered back her smiles,
saw, too, her furtivc glanecs to see if he no.
ted the transient joy she felt, and saw her
saddened at the frown she met.
One night the people in the house at which
they stald heard her scream in terror, but
the mans gloomy nature had made them fear
to enter his room unless invited, and several
minutes elapsed before they attempted to as
certain the cause of alarm. When, at last
a servant opened the door, the young wife
Law dead on the floor, stabbed to the heart
The man was gone. Mr.. |. and myself were
sent for at once, and came Immediately. The
window fronting the street was open-a leap
of nearly twenty feet to the banquette-but
through this it was certain the man escaped.
The knife that still pierced her heart was a
Spanish dagger, and usuallyslay upon the
mantle Its sheath was thrown upon the
floor It looked as if it had been snatched
up in sudden passion to do deed of blood.
It was late at night and the woman had been
aroused from sleep. Her long gown was
stained red with blood, and chung to the
beautiful frame like winding sheet. But
the face shown ashen in the gas light with
fear There was horror in the stony out
lines and the parted lips seemed open for
ery of despair, shuddered as looked at
the spectacle. So young SO lovely, SO full of
witching graces, one could hardly think be-
ing so beautiful could die Only the day be-
fore had seen her. with eyes flashing like
the sunlight a form of beauty, and laughter
riprling like the song of waters on the lips
looking, indeed, ''like thing Of beauty and
a Joy forever" And now she lay dead
noted well each mark essential in the search
I had to make and then sick at heart, turned
from the place to look for her murderer.
At the threshold I met her husband |
laid my hand on his shoulder:
''You are my prisoner p
"Sirr' he Indignantly exclaimed, Chow
dare you?''
The tears were yet in MY eyes; the horror
Of this deed still before my vision [ could
scarcely retain my patience, but did.
II arrest you, sir, for the murder of your
svvifo p,
His cry was like that Of some wild animal
as he sprung by me up stairs and disappear
ed in his rooms. The people stood grouped
around the dead body, tender hands washing
off the blood stains. These he flung aside
and knelt, with cry, at her side-a cry like
that despair might wiring from courage when
hope had fled and life was at its ebb-a cry
like that "of some strong swimmer IN his
agony" of such as virtue gives when honor's
fed. Sobbing, crying, calling her name in
accents pitious and tender, he at last sunk
back fainting, and we carried him away
It seemed so certain that he killed her
that none could believe him innocent, yet his
manner showed no guilt. It may have been
insanity, or another may have done the deed !;
but jury said he did it. AS the years go
by the mystery may be cleared, but my heart
accuits him now of lawless deed done years
ago. It robbed him Of the only sunlight
his manhood knew-it took from his path the
only flower that gave to him its incense and
perfume. But he never denied it-only look
ed at you when he was spoken to in an aim
l'less, wondering way, as if the shock that
had deprived him Of the only being that he
| loved had destroyed his reason.
Long years have passed since then, but
the memory Of that horror fingers in my
mind, an episode SO sad and wretched that l.
shudder at the thought Of it.-N q. P'c@'
qaae.