Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-11-21
A VILLAIN PUNISHED.
A Wolf in Sleeps Clothing-.-Thrilling
Story Graphically Told.
st. Louis Republican.


Nestled in woodland, part hill and
part dale one and a half miles from the
depot of the st. Louis and San Fran
cisco railroad, Marionville-a pleasant
town of five hundred inhabitants is
located. Retired in its situation and
away from the usual haunts of men, it
is modest, and apparently as shy as q
rural maiden of sixteen.
A wolf in sleeps clothing came one
day into this beautiful hamlet, to hide
from the world his sins and crimes and,
under the assumed name of Prof. Les
ter, to teach and preach the way Of sal
walton. Young in years, prepossessing
in look and manner, with more than
ordinary education and with enlarged
religious principles, this model gentle
man assumed his place as principal of
the college here, upon the recommends
ton of well-known minister at Spring
! field, and at once took foremost lead in
the social as we'll as religious affairs of
the community. The professor was
very fond of music. He loved to gather
around the cabinet organ and join with
numerous young ladies in anthems of
praise. Sunday-school music was his
inspiration, and his clear tenor voice
always led in Ninety and nine, y
"When we gather at the river" and
Hold the fort
! For ten months the jewellers of Ma
rionville loved to sound the praise OF
their professor Prayer-meetings flour
ished, and he was in his element when,
on Bonded knee, he could pour forth in
beautiful language and metaphor the
religious warnings of his heart. Sun
day schools became attractive, lectures
were the order of the day, and Prof
Lester was always around to lead and
direct, and so weeks and months came
and went ith hardly a ripple to dis
turb the tenor of the good peoples way.
Now and then a gossiping old maid Ten
vious perhaps) would speak her mind
and want to know why Mr. Lester al
ways escorted the pretty grass widow
So-and-so. 1t was even limited that he
was little indiscreet, and one of the ell
ders felt it his duty to tell Brother Lester
that he had better make his attentions
little general. With this exception,
nothing in the actions of the sanity
professor discovered anything of the
cloven foot. At last an eventful Sunday
came. On that night he asked the
privilege to fill the pulpit of the resi-
dent pastor. Such sermon had never
been listened to in NJ 1t was
delivered with thrilling eloquence and
came like an inspiration. The pastor,
breathless with attention, listened with
rapt wonder, and the congregation sat
spell-bound. The eloquence Of Moody
could not have attracted more, for it
was Moody's sermon verbatim, but more
elegantly delivered
Complimented and admired, he
wendell his way with one of the sisters
upon his arm, to the hotel, and after
more singing, congratulation and good
night, all retired but the landlord.
Just as he Was preparing to WOO the
arms of Morpheus, a quick, authoritative
knock summoned him to the door.
There was Il whispered conversation,
and then three determined-looking men
babe him lead the way to the room of
the professor. The door was rudely
pushed open, "a heavy hand was laid upon
the shoulder of Lester and voice said,
:" You are my prisoner" Had a star
shot from the armament or earthquake
rended his little castle, more utter dis
may could not have transfixed the land
lord. When he recovered bis speech
he demanded to know what it all
meant, but officers of the law do not
trouble themselves to gratify curiosity,
and so the pride Of the village, hand
cuffed, was led away Guarded that
night, the morning sun opened upon a
dismoyed people and flock. The very
social foundation was racked. Women
and men assembled in wonder and aston
ishment. A low murmur, threatened
rescue, opened the lips of the officers.
Then it was related how the prisoner
had wooed and won the heart of a lovely
pupil in another and distant state; how
he had, with subtle eloquence, and
promises false as hell, turned from the
the path of right a girl of fifteen; how,
when he had tired of her, he had welded
another; and how, when his victim had
appointed a trysting and kept it, he
had sliced her by the throat and
choked her till life was apparently ex-
tinct, and then carried her a hundred
feet or more and placed her upon the
very edge Of frightful precipice and
left her there, to fall at the first move
ment of returning consciousness ard be
dashed against the crags beneath. Thus
was he to rid himself of victim and
suicide claim its own. But an anxious
mother had missed the daughter of her
heart, the neighbors were aroused
search was made, and lying still as
death on that brink was discovered the
young girl. Carried tenderly to her
home, hours passed before returning
consciousness opened her lips. Then
she told how Frank (the wolf in sleeps
clothing) without word had clutched
her throat and with hand over her mouth
held her till she sank to the ground.
That was all she could remember. She
recognized the hand as the same that
had SO often carressed her. On the
witness stand her evidence was SO con
vincing that a jury Of his peers found
him guilty of attempted murder. Out
on bail, before the sentence was passed
he left for parts unknown, and for a year
and a half eluded all search. But finally
| q brother of the wrOnped pirl received