Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-09-09

/ u DlOOQ-Sb{4ll6u Su1Tbl
They sternly asked her to whom it
belonged, but the poor woman, who
could no speak English, could only look
at them in frightened way.
Her husband now came in from the
garden, and him they sternly interroga-
| ted, while some of the more impetuous
boldly accused him of the murder of the
unfortunate Mrs. Curtis.
His frightened face, his confusion, his
incoherent utterance, his trembling de
nials were only so much more agains
him. Besides, he knew scarcely any
more English than did his wife, and
later, when calm, his story of the
traveller who had stopped at his house
was received with disbelief and derision.
Poor, friendless and a stranger, things
looked very dark against him.
Weeks passed; his trial came. He
was sentenced to be hanged!
Rev. Mr.. Marshall, rector of st. Johns
church, Brookdale, q village some two
| hundred miles distant from Haywood,
was in his study one September morn
| ing, 1878. He was suffering out an at
| tack of influenza which he had taken
| the night before while on visit to a
sick parishoner. Consequently comply
ing with his wife's request that he
should do no studying or writing, Mr..
Marshall was lazily stretched on the
| lounge in front of a cherry fire. His
eight year old son Tom was IN room,
every now and then running up to his
father with some request. At last one
was: Papa, it's Saturday. how shall
spend the dayP Wish | had kitel Do
you know how to make one, papa?"
II used to, Tom. / don't know
whether I've forgotten how to do it or
not. Give me the newspaper on the
table, please, and the scissors. Then
run 0ilt in the woodshed and get me
somespt those sticks on the shelf, also a
hammer and small nails. Stay, don't
| be in such q hurry; ask Hannah to
make little -four paste"
Tom hurried away, and while waiting
| for him to return, his father glanced
over the columns of the newspaper he
was cutting. 1t was one that his friend,
Mr.. Brown, Of Haywood, mad sent him.
His eyes chanced to fall on these words:
1.-The German. Peter Groat, who
murdered Mrs. Curtis, has been SEN
fenced to be hung on the second Friday
in next month. GrOat, although stran-
ger, was supposed to be respectable
man and one not at all capable OF per-
petrating such a horrible crime But
the evidences of his guilt are most con-
elusive. The morning after the murder
his wife was found washing bloody
shirt, also a knife stained with blood
was found hidden near woodpile. Be-
sid es goods belonging to the murdered
woman were found in Groat's house.
The only thing missing is curious old
nuH-bOx of some black wood, quantity
carved in the shape of toad Her name,
Hepsibah Curtis, is engraved inside.
But without this, the evidence is strong
enough to hang him."
sPoOr fellowin y murmured Mr.. Mars
hall, as he laid down the paper. 'sIt
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 gop
If mamma is willing"
She is. asked her. And I've
been digging grubs and fsh-worms-
tor bait, you know. But see what
nice bait box I've got"
An old snuf-box. Where did you.
get it?n
Myron Mason gave it TO me-"
"Who is Myron Mason?"
Oh, new man Uncle George got
to work in his garden. He's gathering
pears and trench hing the celery. Myron
was tramp who came along, but he is
real nice. The box is nice, too. See
what a funny shape it isi''
"a toad. Quickl Let me see, Toni"
Mr.. Marshall had not closely OBJ
served the box until now, and it was
with trembling fingers that he opened it
Hepsibah Curtis" was the name en-
graved on the inner covert
Mr.. Marshalps face was white, but
his voice was calm. as he. said:
Tom, Just run over and tell your
Uncle George to come over here a few
minutes-I want to talk with him on a
little business"
Three days later Myron Mason, alias
Jasper Armand, was arrested for the
murd .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 lived in a
distant 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
opposed the match, knowing that it
would cause her sister a life of misery.
Also, finding that Armand belonged to
gang Of counterfeiters, she promptly
gave evidence against him.
He was condemned TO ten years. I'M
prisonment. This he bore patiently,
mentally vowing that, when released,
he would at once wreak vengeance on
the woman who had foiled his plans
and blighted 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 md that the woman he hated was
living in Haywood. Thither he went.
He had seen Mrs. Curtis 90 TO town,
had concealed himself in the woods to
await her return. He did not take the
articles she carried merely for the sake
OF robbery, but to have suspicion point
its finger at some other party. At the
conclusion of his confession, he said that
he had no desire of concealing it any
longer. His life was made wretched by
the horrible crime he had committed,
and death and exposure were not un-
welcome. The next day after his con-
fnement in the Jail he was found dead
in his cell. He had ended his life by
poison.
Asfor 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 q blace