Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-09-10

60 out to the CROSSROADS and take lool
at his room in the tavern
This was done at once, and we went Il
the CROSSROADS that afternoon, when W,
made a careful examination of Ross Ed
wards room and everything IN it. NJ
will was found, nor did any of his clothe
show marks of blood
"He must have more cunning than
gave him credit for" | remarked to MI
/ Brush as We mounted cur horses 70 rid.
back to Wellington. "Where can tina
will be-"
Within month the County Court was
in session, and Ross Edwards was tried
for murder. Yes, and to the astonishment
| and indignation of everybody he was &C.
| quilted. Not because even the jury be-
lieved him innocent, but because the evil
dence against him was not conclusive.
"He is the luckiest murderer I ever
heard of" said to several brother attor-
| neys, and they all agreed with me.
Not long after Ross Edwards was set at
liberty the daughter of the murdered man
called on me and said she desired to con
test the will and would place the case in
my hands. She stated that her father was
probably not In his right mind when he
made his will that he often had peevish
SPELLS that he frequently flew into a pas
sion about nothing; and that she had done
nothing whatever to offend him on the
morning that he started for Wellington
with the avowed intention Of making a
will that would disinherit her.
Lucy was a rather handsome young
lady, not over twenty-five, with black eyes
and clear complexion. Her manner was
candid and earnest, and | was soon con-
vinced that if her father had not been de-
ranged she at least believed him to be so,
and readily agreed to take the case. We
were in consultation half an hour in refer
ence to what witnesses might be summoned
to testify to the old mans eccentricities of
character, and she had risen to go when |
said:
"Why, how forgetful have been! I'm
less the will is produced, there is no use
cOntesting it."
"Why, I have itr' she replied.
To my astonishment she deliberately
drew from her pocket and handed to me a
legal paper, which | Immediately recog-
nized as the missing will.
"Where did you get this?' / asked al
most with vehemence.
A puzzled look came over her facc-a
flush-then she turned deathly pale.
"Where did you get this ?'' | again de-
manded, as a fearful thought flashed across
my brain.
She tottered few steps, sank trembling
into chair, and, covering her livid face
with her hands, CALCULATED
"Merciful Heaveni What have Idone?"
"What have you done? ?" [ echoed with
some severity. cpl tell you, girl. You
have murdered your fatheri" aa
No, no, | haven't!' she said frantic
silly, while she clasped her hands and
looked up imploring lyinto my face. +" Oh,
I didn't kill him! Spare me! Save mep'
"Spare you! Save you! Why"
She dropped her face upon her hands
and was silent.
"Answer me, grip I said, sternly
"Did your cousin Ross kill your fatherf
Speak the truthr'
"Non she replied, beginning to cry.
"Then you did!''
{" No, no, nor' she walled piteOusly.
At least you know who did,"
No one did; he was thrown from his
horse"
GLOW do you knows"
81 saw it."
You saw him thrown from his horse
and killed."
eyes"
What mystery was here? Was the girl
crazy? No, that could not be, for why
was she so frightened? And, above all,
how came she in possession of the will?
"Why did you try to have Ross hanged
for murder?" | asked
because | hated him."
GLOW came you to see your father
thrown from his hOrse?'
H. .,o4A xy,1I
sion of sobs and tears, and after few |
seconds regained control of her voice so
as to say:
ooh, I'll tell you all! 1 might as well |
now. But they won't hang me for that, |
will they?'
"For what?" I asked, unable to sur
mise what was coming.
" / know I'm as bad as if I'd committed |
a murder" she replied, "but l did not |
kill him with my own hands. knew
that he had gone to town to make will |
that would disinherit me, and it made me
hate him and Ross both. He rode fiery
horse, and | made up my mind to brighten
it, hoping, I confess, that it would throw
him off, and didn't care if it killed him.
So | went out On the road in the evening
to wait for him. knew he generally got |
home by about nine O'Clock when he went |
10 town, and ! knew what time to go. I |
look a white sheet with me, and when [
heard him coming | wrapped it around
me, and as he rode near / ran suddenly
across the road, directly in front of the
horse. The animal was frightened, as |
had expected, and instantly whirled and
ran away, while my father was thrown
to the ground, his head striking
the loose round stone that was found near
by. He did not move afterward, and /
-ook the will from his pocket and hurried
home. l was foolish enough to think /
ought to preserve it, and it has exposed
my crime. 1t looks like a judgment"
Justice TO the innocent compelled me |
to have Lucy Edwards taken into custody
so soon as | had heard her astounding
story.
She repeated the confession she had
made to me, and the people were second
time amazed.
Ross neighbors, who had refused to
recognize him since his release from
prison, and who had even talked OF order
ing him to leave the community, now
FASTENED to take him by the hand and say
that they had never believed him guilty,
and had constantly predicted that time
would bring his vindicatlon.
Ross was soon placed in possession or
his fortune, but he was so generous as to
make every effort to obtain the release OF
his unnatural cousin, saying he was de-
to provide SO literally for her
that she should not miss the estate she
had so justly forfeited.
The singular girl, however, who seemed
81 6o+.,-@