The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-06-09
TIE FATAL BEQUEsT.
A Box CT Diamonds and What Be-
came of Them.

In tho year forty, after roaming about gooi
deal In South America, I shipped as doctor or
hoard q Grader leaving Rio. hOmeward bound
for Bristol, with fnll cargo and couple OIL
cabin passengers We sailed on blazing hot
day, with scarcely breath OF wind to fill The
sails but tho captain was anxious to get away,
Us Yellow Jack was in port, and he had no mind
to keep knocking his heels In quarantine longer
than ho could help. Fortunately breeze
quickly Sprang up, and We were soon bowling
along as fast Al tho old ship could go, and With
clean bill Of health on board.
A week later, however, was sitting forward,
smoking my pipe, when Pete, tho stewards
mate, came up, and summo1edmc to SEQ ono OF
our two cabin passengers, Mr. Grierson, who
had been very unwUll during the night, and bo-
Kan to bo afraid that he was In for touch OF
The fever. went aft and saw him, but there
did not appear 10 be any very alarming symp-
toms Just at present, 70 prescribed some cool
Ing medicine and left lin.
He was worse, however, next day, and the
next, vet Il was not q case Of yellow fever. and
there was something in the symptoms that
hm not ashamed 10 say fairly bailled me. On
the third day llO was so much worse that be-
gan to bc seriously alarmed, and communicated
iny fears to Captain AcFarlanG.
at Is not yellow fever, OF that am sure,
said !.
"What Is II, then, doctor T.
"well. to tell the truth. can hardly say.
Nothing that can administer seems to do him
anv good, and lie IL evidently sinking rapidly"
alIumph " said tho captain, "nyEteriOns, TO
Ray the least Of It. Does he know Of Ills condl-
tl0n?" -
The conversation was cut short by the arrival
Of tho negro Pete, WHO Informed MS that Mr..
Grieraon had been sc;Zoi with sudden and
alarming access Of pain. and was apparently
dying, adding that the patient wished to see me
at once and alone. In ohetlicnco to tho sum
mons Immediately went below, aud having
shut the cabin door and administered tho nee
ossary remedies, asked the reason for his wish
ing to sec me. ,,,
tIyiug, and can put OF no longer what wish
10 Ray, II II IL 10 be said At all" responded the
patient, fcebly: "fctch me th.t box from on
the top OF my sea chest and listen"
brought II, small oblong mahogany box,
and laid II by his sidO upon the cOverlct, and
Mr.. GricrSoll. laying his hand upon 1t aud at
tho same time detachlng key from string by
which Il was suspended round his neck, with
which his fingers played nerrouSly during his
recital, continued:
~ am murderer. Aye you may start and
think perhaps that my mind Is wandering, but
It Is the truth. Twenty-Five years Rgo-twenty.
iIvo years Of misery committed tho deed
which am now, In tho presence Of my Maker,
about to confess. l was clerk III banking
house in London, and tho opportunities for
REGULATION werO too much for mo 10 withstand,
but circumstances occurred which convinced
me that discovery could hardly be much longer
delayed, and was casting about how to make
my escape wllo there was yet time. Just at
this juncture one OF tho senior clerks In the
house had 10 bC sent down to Bristol in charge
OF very large SUN Of money In gold, and |
was deputcd To accompany him to guard the
treasure. In those times wo had to take the
money in box, strongly secured and sealed.
with ls, by tho mail coach, which started from
ono Of tho old inns In tho city, for the west OF
England. There wGro two thousand guineAs
In the box, and tho idea suggested itself to my
mind that II could become master Of such a
sum could got clear away by some ship leay-
Ing Bristol for foreign parts before tho bank
could become aware OF the fact OF my escape.
10 get rid OF my companion. procured poison,
which | poured into tho lCathCrn bottle, IN
which carried my rcfreshmrnt on the road,
and, watching my opportunity, offered Il to him
10 drink. He sank back in 4 corner Of tho
coach, and In faw minutes was \ corpse.
Emptying the remaining contents OF the bottle
ont OF tue window, and placing the dead man
In such an attitude az would lead people to sup
pose no had died naturally, hailed tho guard
with every stimulation Of trepidAtion, and stop
ped tho cORcli. The outside passengers got
down, and scene Of great excitement occur.
red Al the next village, tho local doctor, who
as Il happened WAS man OF no great skill, was
sent for, and dCXterOuRly inSinuAting to him
hnH.
cd from heart disease Of some years standing,
with many compliments to tho professional
ncumen Of tho doctor himself that worthy was
not long In pronouncing II case Of sudden
death from disease Of the heart and was suf-
fcrcd, In view OF my representations AZ to the
urgency Of my mission to Bristol, to proceed on
my Journey. I succeeded In leaving England
and reaching BRAZIL, where I amASSed for
tune. that fortune Is within the box which
lies beneath my hand"
lie paused, for violent SpASn seized him,
aud II was SOuie ttno before could recover
him sufficiently to enable him to proceed.
Raising himself In bed with difficulty, he
unlocked tho box, and disclosed an array Of
unset diamonds whose brllllAncy fairly dazzled
NE.
"IIerc are ESQ, 900 worth OF diamonds" i" pro-
clCdGd 1tr titlCrsOn. ''I have converted all
my fortune into thCSc gems, and these | intend
to Gttrtlst to your care. Take this box al once
to yolir OwI cabin and return 10 mo for your
Instructions a. to the disposal Of tho contents. "
IlOS,tAtel, but he was imperative.
Not word Rm dying fast, aud l'lai-
plnru yOu TO accV,lo 10 my aItrfQMcSt."
took tho hAs, lOckol II, and LETT the cabin.
As PASSED along tho main deck toward my
own cabin forward, met Captain stcFArlAne.
How * your patient, dOctor?"
''Dylng. fear. lIG cannot last long,"
passed on, and, dGpodting the box In q
place OF safety, returned. GriersOn was rapid.
ly sinking, aud IN few broken sentences he
instructed mo as to the 1ispoEalof his property,
Of which El0,O0l was to so to Tho bankers, Holt
4 WArlloy, Of Lombard street, aud tho rest to
the family Of tho murdered man, whose name
was given me, and whOse representative I
pledged my word to do my. best 10 discover.
Finally, binding me over not 10 disclose what l
had just been told, except 10 the parties named
by him in Ills dying beQuest, GrierSon relApsed
Into state Of partial insea8 billty, from which
In vain attempted to r. him, and before
half An hour had OlAp@ happy man was
no more. Going Or ,1nanicated the