New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-30

CRIME ana uUEEOIss
But time passed, and still the mystery
hung over US. 1t is true that under any
other circumstances the Seminary might
have been a most delightful residence.
With broad galleries protecting it from the
glare Of the sun, front and rear, shaded as
it was on all sides by wide-spreading live
oaks, its high and capacious apartments
were accessible at all times to the coolest
of breezes, which blew constantly from
the neighboriDg pine forests. The lark, the
partridge and the hooking bird awOke us
each morning with their songs, and never,
throughout the day, were we UnFegaled by
music from some feathered singer amid the
limbs of our patriarchal oaks. The tink-
ling bells Of the cattle, which grazed on the
surrounding pastures, the growing of cocks
and the bleating Of sheep and goats all
gave the place charm indescribably agree
able to a man like myself, who had been so
long pent up amid the brick walls of a city.
But even the delights Of all these things
could not dispel the gloom which rested
upon my spirits. / felt that some mystic
riOus power was holding dreadful doom
over me, and that it was almost a defiance
OF Heaven to enjoy myself under such cir
cumstances.
Such was the state of affairs when | re-
ceived visit from my old friend, John -.
We had been school-fellows in cur bOyhoOd,
and all through our lives had been close
and devoted friends. Most people would
have unburdened their hearts to a friend
like this, and perhaps | would have done so
If he had come to the Seminary alone. He
was accompanied by his wife and daughters,
ladies whom admired too much not to be
difident OF eneountering their ridicule.
Fearing that he would speak of the matter
TO them determined me to withhold my con-
fidence; and thus was | left, at one of the
most anxious periods Of my life without the
consolation and assistance of the advice of
a friend who had been to me second self
since childhood.
One day my friend, coming from a visit
to a neighbor, told us that he had heard
strange story about The former inhabitants
of our house. He related that some twenty
years ago family named Stuart had been
proprietors of the Seminary. The eldest
sOE of this family Angus Stuart, was a
Wild headstrOng man, of colossal frame
and ungOvernable temper, who was ter
ror to all the neighborhoOd. Becoming
enan0red with Clara Fitzpatrick, the daugh-
ter Of the district Judge, he sought her
hand in marriage, but was refused by her
father, who objected to his daughter form
ing an alliance with a man of his we'll
known bad character.
How I was interrupted by the man who
sat next me in the stage coach, VITO asked:
Did you say that this was in the town of
BeeehWOod2 In what part of the State is
this towns | never heard of it before"
explained that it was not material to my
story to give these particulars. "Of course"
said he, "it's not material, but | used to
know an Angus Stuart; he, however, lived
in town called M, and he was not
quite the same sort Of fellow as you de-
scribed, although people told many stories
IN him and finally hrouUbN him info frOu-
BILE. Go on with your story. and excuse
my interruption. But it's a. mighty strange
coincidence. Clara Fitzpatrick, too y /
continued:
The young lady loved Stuart, which her
parents perceiying resolved that she should
be separated from him, hoping that in time
she would forget him. So she was sent to
reside with an aunt who lived in another
part of the State. But Angus, learning by
some means her destination, followed her,
and she, being carried away by her love,
fell a victim to his base wiles. and became
a mother before the aunt with whom she re-
sided became aware of the terrible calamity
which had befallen her.
OTIS false-as false as Hill" almost
shrieked the man who sat next to me.
''Angus Stuart and Clara Fitzpatrick we're
as truly as were your father and
mother He loved her too dearly to have
thus wrOnged her. 1t was for this horrible
lie, told by that old wretch, her aunt, that
he suffered so long, and his angel wife
doomed to disgrace and death. She was
afraid to acknowledge to her brother that
she had discovered this marriage, and find
ing that the minister who mad performed the
ceremony had left that part of the country
as a missionary to China, she stole Clara's
certificate and Matched up this
yillainous lie"
l regarded him with establishment. He
seemed to be excited as l never before be-
held a man, while his Outburst had not
been without it's effect upon the ladies'
the younger one, who appe&red
almost ready to faint, signing, wringing
her hands and swaying her body as if suf-
tering from some great grief.
/ explained that | only related the story
as / heard it, and besides, as it had occur
red at Beechwood. and not at NJ, the
parties could not be the same.
$50 on then, and let us hear the balance
IF it." at last gulphed the strange man. Il
want to hear it all"
Well, when the brothers of Clara heard
If her ruin, they sought out her betrayer in
lis house-the Seminary-and a terrible en-
counter took place. / have already stated
hat he was a powerful and courageous
nan. Although badly wounded himself, he
came OuE NlCbUE An Iub Coubbst9 anu bub
three Rilpatrieks were left for dead upon
.he bloody floor of the house, from which
he fed to avoid the officers of justice, and
las never been heard of since.
"And Clara ?" asked the man.
She disappeared about the same time, and
in spite of the strictest search made by her
no tidings were ever had of her.
It was, however, suspested that she had fol
lowed her lover.
! 4 u. l. ,1..s~. /.
who sat next TO me. "She is dead-yes, dead,
dear angel Lost-lost to her Angus, who
TO this day would give his souls salvation
to bring her back to life. She was muir
dered By those proud hellhounds, her
brothers, after they had disposed of Angus
by kidnapping him and cOnhning him for
ten years in their house on their stock farm
in the pine woods. He did not intend to
leave Clara behind him when he first left
M, and it was upon his return to that
place in search of her that he was seized one
night, bound, gagged and taken out to the
stock farm, from whence he never escaped
until the last of the Kilpatricks were dead,
and the negroes fearing to keep him longer,
released him, from the horrible den where he
had been so long confined. Ha If he could
only have lived to meet one Of the accused
breed face to face"
"Did you know Angus Stuart well 2"
asked the yelled lady, speaking for the first
time, to my stin further surprise.
know him am Angus Stuart"
MY father OhG God. now | am no longer
without parent" said. she, falling upon
bis neck
What-what do you mean ?"
am the daughter OF Clara Fitzpatrick,
ana angus Stuart was my father"
"And your mother-youE motherp
.her troubles are over. Death mercifully
l am only now leaving c.. where she
lies buried, having no longer a home.
was on my way to s., hoping to find
place as teacher in some school,"