Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-10-26
Condemned by a Clock
By KILKIE COLLINS.


Piece"
The man was a small csrpentel
and builder in the town, who Dor,
an Indifferent character. On ,h,
evening in question, a distant rel
ative of his, employed as faru
bailiff by a gentleman in th'
neighborhood, happened to be pass
ing a stile which led from the felC
into road, and saw a gentleman
leaving the field by way of thiI
stile rather in a hurry. lie recog
nized the gentleman (whon ht
knew by sight only) as Mr.. Du
bourg.
The two passed each other OF
the road in opposite directions. -
After certain lapse uf time-es
timated as being half an hour
the farm bailiff had occasion tC
pass hack along the same road
On reaching the stile he heard an
alarm raised, and entered the field
TO see what was the matter. He
found several persons running
from the farther side ol Pardon's
Piece toward a boy who was stand.
ing at the back of cattle shed,
in remote part OF the iuclOsure,
screaming with terror. At the
boy s feet lay, face downward, the
dead body Of man, with his head
horribly beaten in. His watch
was under him, hanging out CT
his pocket by the chain. 1t had
stopped evidently In consequence
of the concussion OF its owners
fall on it--at halt past eight
The body was still warm. All
the other valuahles, like the watch,
were left on it. The farm bailiff
instantly recognized the man as
the carpenter and builder men.
toned above.
At the preliminary inquiry, the
stoppage of the watch at half-past
eight was taken as Offering good
circumstantial evidence that the
blow which had killed the man
had been struck at that time.
The next question was--if any
one had been seen near the bod dy ct
half-past eight? The farm bailifi
declared that he had met Mr.. Du.
bourg hastily leaving the field by
the stile at that very time -
Asked if he had looked at bis
watch, he owned that he had not
done so. Certain previous circum-
stances, which he mentioned as
having impressed themselves on
his memory, enabled him to feel
sure of the truth Of this assertion
without having consulted his
watch. He was pressed on this
important point, but he held 10
his declaration. Arhslf-past eight
he had seen Mr.. Dubourg hurried.
ly leave the field. At half part
eight the watch of the murdered
man had stopped.
Had my other person been oh.
served in or near the field at that
time?
No witness could be discovered
who had seen any body else near
the place. Had the weapon
turned up with which the blow
had been struck 2 1t had not been
found. Was any one known (rob-
berry having plainly not been the
motive Of the crime) to have en-
tertained q grudge against the
murdered man. 1t was no secret
that he associated with doubtful
characters, male and female; but
suspicion failed to point to any one
of them in particular.
In this state of things there was
no alternative but to request Mr..
Dubourg-Well known, in and out
of town, as a young gentleman of
independent fortune, bearing an
excellent character-to give soule
account of himself.
He Immediately admitted that
he had passed through the field.
But, in contradiction to the farm
bailift, be declared that he had
looked at his watch at the moment
before be crossed the stile, and
that the time by it was exactly a
quarter past eight. Five minutes
later-that is to say, ten minutes
before the murder had been com.
mitted, on the evidence of the
dead mans watch--he had paid a
visit to a lady living near Pardon's
Piece, and had remained with her
until his watch, consulted once
more on leaving the lady's house,
informed him that it was quarter
10 nine.
Here was the defense called su
"alibi." 1t entirely Satisfied Mr.