Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-11-07
The Sturp Teller.
HAROLD; OR, THE FALSE FRIEND.
A TALE OF BOSTON.

TALE OF BOSTON.
"Imprisoned Accused of murderl Good
God, what fearful calamity is this"
The words were uttered in tone of exqui-
site anguish, by gray-haired man who stood
in the centre of richly-furnished apartment
of large mansion, situated in the very heart
of the city of Boston.
The old mans hands were clasped wildly
before him; his lips tightly compressed, and
his whole appearance denotiug intense and
painful agitation. Before him stood an off.
Ger of the law He seemed but little affected
at the personi6cation of terrible grief at his
side Experience in his profession had har-
dened his heart, and what he now beheld was,
to him, but an ordinary event of life.
The officer had just brought intelligence
that the son of Benjamin Harris, the old man
above mentioned, had been arrested upon q
charge of murder, perpetrated under peculiar
circumstances and in manner that left but
little doubt of the guilt of the prisoner.
Mr.. Harris walked the room for moment
with an uneven step; and at length, having
somewhat calmed his agitation, he turned to
the officer, and, in broken voice, requested
him to give the details of the terrible catas.
trophe. The officer did so, and the following
is the substance of his narrative:
Edward Harris had, at an early hour the
evening before, entering a certain gambling
hell of the city, and there he encountered a
most notorious gamester, with whom Harris,
not knowing his character, at once commenced
to play. Their game continued for some
hours, until at last Harris detected his oppo.
nent cheating, and boldly accused him of the
fact this, the latter stoutly denied, and, upon
the former reiterating his assertion, the latter
boldly declared him liar. Harris sprang to
his feet, and with one blow of his fist, he felled
the false gamester to the ground.
With muttered curses the latter arose, and
darting upon Harris, sought to pull him down.
He was evaded, however, and Harris again
struck him. The latter then seemed sudden
ly to recover his selfpossession, and with q
triumphant laugh, proclaimed that he had
cheated, and ended by saying that his oppo.
nent might make the best of it. He then de-
parted from the place. Edward Harris was
heard to say, in the gambling house, that he
would "fx him yet" The clock struck two a
few moments aftsrward, and Harris departed.
The next that was known of him, he was
found bending over the body of his murdered
opponent, and his clothes saturated with blood.
The watchman who discovered him declared
that he had heard low shrek, and that, as
soon as possible, he had reached the spot and
found Harris as above described. There
seemed strong probability Of the young
mans guilt from the fact that he had lost a
large sum of money to the murdered man ;
that he had threatened him, and followed him
out shortly after his departure.
When arrested, Harris coolly stated his en-
tire innocence, and said that the same shrek
which had attracted the attention of the
watchman, called him to the spot, and that,
arriving but few moments before, he was
detected in an examination of the mans
wound, and arrested in that position.
Such we're the circumstances under which
Edward Harris was arrested and even to
the most uuprejudiced and dispassionate OBJ
server, there seemed strong probability of
guilt.
When the officer left Mr.. Harris, he car
red message to his son, that he would short.
ly visit him in his prison; not, however, be-
fore he had engaged the most eminent legal
talent that money could command.
Mr.. Harris then seizing the bell-rope, sum-
moned servant.
John, is my nephew in ?"
eyes, SIR
"Call him hither."
In few moments the door opened, and a
young man entered the apartment He was
a tall, finely built man, of about twenty five
or twenty.six years of age. His face was
swarthy and of oval cast, with hair suiting
his complexion, thrown back from full and
intellectual forehead. His features were near.
" faultless in mould, his teeth, large, white
and brilliant. But his dark eyes beamed with
naughty and passionate fire, mingled with a
sinister CLEAN, which, added to the disdainful
curl of the lip, gave to his face an expression
akin to treachery. In his motions, he was
nervously rapid, retaining one position scarce
ly an instant He was dressed faultlessly in
a suit of black clothes, and came into the
room with short, quick step.
"You sent for me, uncle"
eyes. yes, to communicate fearful tidings
Your cousin is in prison, charged with muir
derw
"Good heavensw exclaimed the young
man, with sudden start, while the sinister
glance came, with transient fash, to his
ewes. "Good heavens has it come to this ?"
Eyes, yes" cried the old man, in voice
of anguish. "Reckless of character, of life
and spurning my advice, and defying my
control, he has given himself up to wild Ii
ceptiousness and mad dissipation, until at
last the prison impedes his further progress r
II had feared that some disaster would
overtake him, but, great God had neve,
expected so terrible finale as this My poor
unfortunate cousin!" And the young man
buried his face in his hands and seemed tt
give way to passionate grief:
Mr.. Harris gazed on him for few mo
ments with look of deep sympathy, seem
ingly forgetful of his own sorrow and misfor
tune: and then going up to him, he placed
his hand kindly upon his shoulder, saying:
"Come, Harold. you take the blow toe
deeply to heart Come, my kind boy, let III