The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-05-19

raising her head she said Dear Harry
on Eht yOu not to have STAYED and explain
ed what had happened? Might not
people think hat-that-' II.r voice
broke and her eyes filled with tears.
By .Iovc! Lizzie, cried |. starting up
you are right, of course! They might
think | had hand in the poor fellows
death. Why, how could be such fool
| must 90 at once and give information
at the police office
81 put on my coat as was speaking. but
the happy thought came little too late
for just as Lizzie was handing me my hat
there came a tremendous peal at the front
door! My wife and looked at each 9th,
er. She turned very pale, and burst out
laughing. That was not quite the right
thing to do, perhaps, under the circum-
stances; but ! could not help feeling
amused. as well as embarrassed, at the
scrape my folly had got me into, and |
had not at the time the slightest idea OF
the disagreeable consequences that were
to follow.
"'Cheer up, little woman said |. 1T
is all right. | did not do it, you know.
Go to bed like wise girl, and will come
back as soon as can and tell you the Sc
quel of my story
and said: oh, if you please, 'um, there S
two policemen at the door, and they SAYS,
'um, they want to speak to MASTER
Very WE'LL said /, I will 90 to them.
II is very possible ! shall be absent some
time, cook, so take good care OF your mis-
tress till | come home; and giving Lizzie
hasty kiss | walked out and faced nv
unlimited visitors. Before / could speak
a word one of them touched me on the
shoulder and said You are wanted about
that old gentleman found murdered in a
fuss-class railway carriage, at 'ighgate
station
"'Yes,' | said, Il was just coming down
to the police station about it,
"'Oh! was you" said the man. in grim
ly facetiOus manner; and, looking up, |
saw he had stuck his tongue in his cheek
and was winking at his comrade longed
TO knock the fellow down, but knew it
wonld hardly do to yield to the inclina-
ton; so ! tried to console myself by res
membering that had only my own stu>
pidity TO thank for the unpleasant position
] was in"
Foster grinned and nodded friendly
and provoking agreement.
well, >" continued /, "the police station
was not far off. and we were soon in the
presence of the inspector. As we entered
he turned his calm, grave face toward us,
and fixed an inquiring look on me for an
instant; then, signing me to come forward,
he sad, quietly: viii you state all you
know about this affair."? and he pointed
with his pen to a bench on which the body
of my late fellow traveller was lying.
81 told him | knew nothing about the
matter-that | did not know the man was
dead until few minutes before the train
stopped, and had been much startled and
shocked at the discovery
"'Why did YOU not give information as
soon as you reached the station? said the
inspector, drily
"'Well, really stammered |, q do not
know why. OF course | ought to have
done 80. can only account for my negli-
gence to do it by the fact of my being in
a hurry to reach home, and the certainty
that he would be seen by the officials di-
rectly, who would know better what to do
than | did
This was a sorry kind OF an explana-
ton, and ] was hardly surprised to find
that it did not satisfy the police, but was,
nevertheless, considerably dismayed when
the inspector informed me was prison.
er.
Poor little Lizzie' thought !; what a
fright she will be in However, was
permitted to send her message to the eff
feet that was detained to give evidence,
"A thut che tn ha
81 was taken in cab to Bow street,
where | was charged with numbering and
-obbing an old gentleman name unknown
Nv pockets were turned ont, my papers,
purse, and watch taken from me, and
even my cigar case. which was at that
moment certainly the greatest privation
The charge was taken, and ! was march,
ed off to a cell and locked up There sits
ting on one bench with my legs on an
other and my back fitted into an angle OF
the wall; passed the night-such a mis-
cradle night 1t was | should have per-
isheI with cold had it not been for the
xindness of the jailor, who lent me a
thick, loose coat and blanket. In wretch
ed discomiorture / dozed and dreamt,
starting up now and then in bewilder-
ment, wondering where | was, and then.
suddenly recOllecting, sank back in my
corner to doze and wake by turns till morn
ing. After some cold coffee and bread
was again taken before the court and ex>
amined, and, to my horror. sent to the
House of Detention till the inquest should
he over, when it was intimated | should
be brought up again.
"Well, TO cut short my story, for | see
you yawning, ! must tell you that the In>
quest was held, and the doctors discovered
that the old man was not murdered at all,
but had died OF apoplexy. So my ollense
was reduced to theft only; the fellows
pockets had been emptied and his watch
taken.
Il should no doubt. have been sent back
for further evidence but that a prisoner
had been brought in upon whom the stolen
property had been found. The prisoner
proved to be the identical tall, cookbook.
ing man who had left the railway carriage
as got in. The young fellow, who, on
account of his gentlemanly. stylish APP
pearance had got the sohriquet of the
Prince was a professional thief but on
this occasion he had been on pleasure
trip to the North TO see some friends, and
he solemnlv declared that he got into the
carriage where the old gentleman was
without any business-like intentions; that
he always travelled first-class because If
was more comfortable, besides being soen.
teller. He said-and, as Won know, the
statement was borne ont by the medical
evidence-that the old gentleman had a
nd hot Il l.