Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-10-06
over the columns of the newspaper he
WAC fslIkkinfr r. FAD Sn0nn fhhf k4a ffffx

Mr.. Brown, of Haywood, had sent him.
His eyes CHANGED to fall on these words:
.."The German, Peter Groat, who MUIR
dered Mrs. Curtis, has been sentenced
to be hung, on the second Friday in
next month. Groat, although stranger,
was supposed to be respectable man
and one not at all capable Of perpetrat-
ing such horrible crime. But the evil
dences Of his guilt are most conclusive.
The morning after the murder his wife
was found washing bloody shirt, also a
knife stained with blood was found hid
den near woodpile. Besides goods be-
longing to the murdered woman were
found in Groat's house. The only thing
missing is a curious old snuf-box Of
some black wood, quantity carved in the
shape Of a toad. Her name Hepsibah
Curtis, is engraved inside. But without
this the evidence is strong enough to
hang him."
"Poor fellow!" murmured Mr.. Mar
shall, as he laid down the paper. cit
makes one dread to read the news-one
comes across so many horrors"
Papa! papa! you needn't mind about
the kite now!" cried Tom, rushing in
with shining eyes. Uncle George Just
called me over to his house-he is going
fishing, and says he will take me along.
May go?"
"f mamma is wiling"
"She is. I asked her. Aud I've
been digging grubs and fish-worms-
for bait, you know. But SEE what a
nice bait-box I've got.'
can old snuf-box. Where did you
get t?'
"Myron Mason gave it to me-"
"Who is Myron Mason ?"
ooh, new man Uncle George got to
work in his garden. He's gathering
pears and trenching the celery. Myron
was tramp who came along, but he is
real nice. The box is nice, two. See
what a funny shape it is p
"a toad. Quick Let ME see, Tom p
Mr.. Marshall had not observed the
box until now, and it was with trembling
fingers that he opened it.
"Hepsibah Curtis was the name en-
graved on the inner cover!
Mr.. Marshall's face was white, but his
voice was calm, as he said:
"Tom, just run over and tell your
Uncle George to come over here few
minutes--I want to talk with him on a
little busine S.
\ * Il * X
Three days later Myron Mason, alias
Jasper Armand, was arrested for the
murder Of Mrs. Curtis.
He made no resistance; he told no
falsehoods: he simply confessed the
whole affair, stating that he had MUIR
dered the woman out of revenge. Ten
years before the two had Ii we'd in dis
tant town. He had always been wild
and dissolute, but had been the be-
trothed Of Mrs. Curtis sister, gentle
and lovely woman. Mrs. Curtis had OPP
posed the match, knowing that it would
cause her sister life of misery. Also,
finding that Armand belonged TO gang
of counterfeiters, she promptly gave evil
dence against him.
He was condemned to ten years i'm
This he bore patiently.
mentally vowing that, when released, he
would at once wreak vengeance on the
woman who had foiled his plans and
his life.
When the time was expired and the
prison doors opened to let him pass out.
he found that the woman he loved was
dead, and that the woman he hated was
living in Haywood. Thither he went.
He had seen Mrs. Curtis cote town, had
concealed himself in the woods to await
her return. He did not take the arti-
cles she carried merely for the sake of
robbery, but to have suspicion point it's
finger at some other party. At the con-
clusion Of his confession he said he had
no desire Of concealing it any longer.
His life was made wretched by the hor-
rible crime he had committed, and death
IN exposure were not unwelcome. The
next day after his confinement in the
cell he was found dead in his cell. He
had ended his life by poison.
AS for Peter Groat he was at once re-
leased, and all the inhabitants of Hey
wood strove to express their regret and
regard for him, but to these Peter only
shook his head, saying:
He did not care for to live in a
olace where de folks vas so ready to
We've him bad mani" So he sold his
little home, packed his goods, and, with
lis wife and children, moved to the far
vest, where, it is to be hoped, in spite
# sweet charity's sake, he was more
careful in entertaining benighted travel
rs.