The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-04-23

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g. threw down my work and ran int
the other room for my wife.
"I have seen him, I have seen him
have seen the murderer! I screamed II
her ears. Put on your hat and shaw
and follow him-follow him to the end:
of the earth, and see where he goes
young woman and child with him
young woman and child. Doyou hear?
"Quick as thought, almost, my wife
was on the sidewalk.
"Be careful says I; don't let him
suspect
Before the words were fairly out 0,
my mouth, she was out of sight.
Il sat like petrifcation for more than
a good long hour. Nobody can tell what
I went through. Nobody can tell. First
I was so crazy glad to discover that
wretch I did not know what to do.
Then I began to settle down more quiet
and when half an hour passed, and my
wife did not get back, fell into a great
thinking, and so many things, came
crowding, crowding into my mind.
"'That is his wife with him. l said to
myself, 'and that little tot, trudging
is his child. God forgive me, what am
I trying to do? To make that young
woman a widow, and the little tot IN Or
phan?
"The perspiration stood in big drops
on my FACET could scarcely breathe.
"Suddenly. the vision of the young
girl waiting for her father to come home
appeared to me. There she was, stand
ins in the doorway.
"IIe shall hangn exclaimed, aloud.
He shall hang! What is his young wife
to me, or the little child, either?'
AFTER that settled down, weak as q
kitten, and remained in a tremble till my
my wife came back.
"When she did come, she did not look
to me to be the same woman she was.
She had taken off her hat and was swing
ing it, crazy-like. in her hand. Her eyes
were as big again rs they were before.
and she looked neither to the right nor
left, but pumped herself square into her
seat, and said nothing.
"Well, where did he SO TOP I asked,
after waiting little.
"Peter,' said my wife, solemnly, are
YOU sure he is the one?'
"Sure as am that we are now talk
ing together
"Then may the Lord have mercy on
our soulsn she exclaimed.
Il thought she had gone off in q tit,
but she came to, presently, and under
took to tell me.
az followed them to Mr.. P-'s
house. she articulated. AS sure as l
live, I followed them to Mr.. P-'s
home, where Mr.. P-'s widow lives,
and there they went in. asked the SER
want, who stood on the stoop minute,
if the gentlemen and his wife were stay
ing there
"What's that to you, Impudence,'
she said.
" Nothing I answered; only l
thought knew the gentleman
'Then you ought to know he stays
here, without asking And with that
the door was slammed in my filce. Oh,
Peter, Peter, it can't be the one
cit is the one,' l repeated, and that
I'll prove in less than an hour
II started for Lawyer E. He
went with me once more to the head po-
lice. The head police took me all to
pieces again; than he Charged me to say
nothing myself, and not to let my wife
breathe word to any one. .
I heard not thing for three days, and
began to think it is all given up, when
slap came the arrest, and was called on
to be present at the examination.
II never told the particulars of the
awful tale but once since. l doubt if |
ever can do it again." "a.
The cohbler stopped, took q long
breath. and proceeded:
"What do you suppose? 1t was MIR.
P-'s own nephew, who lived in Phila-
delphia, who murdered him. He con-
fessed the whole before he came to trial.
He had been on here for two days, and
taken leave of his uncle the night be-
fore, expecting to start for home in the
morning, but being detained, next day
he walked to the counting-room and saw
the uncle stepping down to his vault: He
entered, unperceived, and waited till the
vault was opened, and then committed
the murder and robbery. He escaped
without notice, and in thirty minutes
after he left my shop he was on the train,
and, strange to say, was never suspect
ed. Three years afterward he courted
and married his cousin, Miss P,
whom on that fatal day encountered at
the door. She was his wife, and little
Tot their daughter. Oh, my God!
"He was tried, found guilty and SEN
fenced to be hanged. The governor
committed the sentence to State prison
for life. There he is now.
Il sometimes feel sorry" continued
the cobbler, after a pause, "that ever
saw the man. But" he added, thought
fully. "I suppose it was best"
"What became Of his wife and child?"
81 cannot tell-they left the country.
Dead, for aught know. ."-Richard B.
Kan1baN.