Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-04-14

They had everything arranged to commit
the crime the next night, and the one
who had "put up" the pan gave all the
details as to how the robbery was to be
committed, where they would "run'' to
and gave a guess as to each ones share.
"What about Luke ?" inquired the
other, after the plot had been fully dis
cussed.
ooh, Luke will be there on time, re-
piled the man. He has kept devilish
shady since that business at L., but
now wants to make haul and dig out
for the far west- You needn't fret-we
can depend upon him."
Before we got into the village the men
tried me again, but / could not hear ex-
cept when they shouted in my ear, and
they were sure that the conversation had
been strictly private. While they put
up at the hotel, went to the house of a
deputy sheriff, intending to remain con-
cealed all the next day. I had, of course,
to state my business to the officer, as
must have his aid, and he, the simpleton
that he was, related the whole story to
his wife after they bad retired. Thus it
naturally came about that next day,
while I was lying shady, but planning
how to capture the burglars, the woman
was retailing my plans to the neighbor-
hood When night came there were six
of us ready to pounce upon the burglars,
but there were no burglars to be found
The fellows had got wind of the affair
and were of, and had lost the second
only reliable clue to the Arnold murder
which [ had been ever able to find
Sometime after this, while in the city of
Rochester, / caught sight of a hand rest
ing on the window-sin of horse-car-a
large red hand. The hand was nothing
strange, but the thumb was missing.
[ dld not wait an instant to think. /
leaped from the car, entered the other
and there sat my friends of the stage
coach on either side of the owner of the
hand-"a big man with red hair and
whiskers. They all jumped up as / en-
tered, but hung fast to Luke, and soon
had the bracelets on him allowing the
others to get away. He had no idea who
was, and took care not to hint at the
charge against him until had him back
at l..
My arrival created much excitement,
as pursuit of the murderer had from the
first, been deemed hopeless Many con-
tended that had not secured the right
man, and Luke professed never to have
been in that part of the state before
The child was several miles away from
the village, but I sent for him. 1t had
been year since the murder. Little
Jack had almost forgotten the circum-
stance, and of course the murderer had
changed some; but I had strong hopes
that the child would be able to identify
the man, and was not disappointed.
Waiting until evening, conducted
Jack into room where Luke and a
dozen citizens were sitting. The little
fellow had no knowledge of what we in
tended, and for some time did not see the
murderer. When he did he uttered q
loud shrek, ran to me, and exclaimed:
"There's the big man who hit grandpa
and grandma +"
Luke braved it out to the last; even
when the purchaser of the watch testified
to his identity he kept bold face, and
went to some pains to attempt to prove
an aibi; but when convicted, mainly on
the testimony of Little Jack, who
shivered and trembled at the sight of
the man, the prisoner knew he was done
for, and cried out in anger,
"Well, / am the man 1 saw the
boys eyes looking at me after had fin
ished the old 'uns, but I had done
enough, and could not kill him, curse the
brat now regret nothing except that
I did not split his head open!"
And standing on the gallows, about to
be launched into eternity, the man used
his last moments to curse the child-wit-
ness who had convicted him of the awful
crime.