Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-10
VentrilOQuism and knavery.

NenCrllOQulSm anu hndVery.
A death-bed confession of very ex
traordinary character has recently been
made public in the furnishing little town
of Aberdeen, Indiana. Some twenty
years ago, when Aberdeen was village
of not more than tour or five thousand
inhabitants, certain Mr. James Barbour
owned there thriving farm valued at
between fifty and sixty thousand dollars.
Mr.. Barbour was unmarried but a favor
lite nephew named John L. Strickland
had for some years resided under his
roof.
At the age of eighteen, Strickland,
who had received fair education, was
noted for many precocious talents.
Among other accomplishments he pos
sesscd remarkable skill at sleight Of
hand, was veritable wizard in his mani
pulations of cards, and had frequently
been known to startle assemblages of OBJ
servers by his clever manuel tricks. He
contracted habits of dissipation,
however, and finally, falling under his
uncle's displeasure, was expelled from
| the house
During several years young Strickland
disappeared totally from Aberdeen, only
reappearing during the last hours of his
uncle's final illness. OLD Mr.. Barbour,
while living nearly speeches. upon his
death bed, permitted his nephew to visit
him. In attendance upon the old gentle
man were two of his nieces, in whose
favor Mr.. Barbour had, some months
before, made his last will and testament.
| Feigning the most sincere penitence,
| Strickland insisted upon relieving the
watch of his two cousins at the couch of
the dying man.
One night he awoke the ladies, in a
state of evident mental trepidation, with
the announcement that "Uncle James
seemed terribly low, and had something
that he very much desired to say before
witnesses" The two cousins hurried to
the death. chamber, and found it quite
solemnly darkened, with Strickland
| standing beside his uncle's bed.
Emma and Elizabeth are both here,
Uncle James," Strickland row said. "Is
there anything which you especially wish
| to communicates"
Amid the dimness OF the silent chamber,
Mr.. Barbour's voice, very much enfeebled
yet perfectly articulate now sounded
He Informed those gathered about him
that he had forgiven his scapegrace neph-
ew and desired that Strickland should
inherit the bulk of bis property, ard that
his recent will should be destroyed then
and there. The will was now, at the
dying mans apparent direction, brought
from near bureau and destroyed by the
elder of the two nieces, both of whom
were intensely conscientious girls, and
only too anxious to respect the wishes Of
their failing relative.
John will always take care of you
and be good to you girls, until you mar
ry; am sure of that.''
These as it seemed, were the last word,
uttered by Mr.. Barbour; for, few mo.
ments latter, John Strickland, while
leaning over his uncle's dimly-seen face
suddenly exclaimed:
Hes gone"
And on turning ur the light, it was in
deed discovered that Mr.. Barbour wa.
i dead. The will being destroyed, and thu
two neices feeling thoroughly confiden
that they had listened to the last wishes
} Of their uncle, put forward no CLAIM
} whatever to the property, which passed
at once into Strickland's hands.
, In the course of time the ladies mar
ried, and Strickland married also. TIL,
r latter became very respectable mem
+ Der of Aberdeen society, and last July, a
} the comparatively early age of forty
eight, died after brief illness.
A day before his death, however, Strick
) land confded to friend of his, Mr.. Ha1
} ris F. Biggs, written confession whic
! he desired to have shown his two cousins
q now both residents of different State!
. This confession, he declared, would &C
. count for the will which he had mad.
D bequeathing all his property to thos
i ladies, and defraud1ng his own wife an
t children of their just inheritance. Whe
E he had called his two cousins to thedyin
q mans bedside, Strickland declares, ii
g this same confession, Mr.. Barbour ha
d already ceased to breathe for ten goo
a minutes. The words their uncle SCENE
8 to speak soers not uttered 6y him at al
r but were the artful result of his ow
n (Stricklani's) ventriloquism. The din
ness of the room aided him in bis delr
sion, and he had actually, to all inten
O and purposes, mads a dead man speal
9 Repentance for his navish act. the writ.
4 of the confession further stated, ha
It at last driven him to make becomin
'e] amends.
is On hearing of the document in M