West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-04-10

/ IL Was my last act OF my mission as a
detective before leaving New Orleans for
San Francisco in the Spring Of ls49 and
may add that il is the saddest memory
connected with my career as detective
In one uf the fashionable millinery estab-
lishmcnJs OF that city was a young girl
named Mary Elliston. She was very
. young, hut with a character formed by the
sad experience which is sure TO hc met with
In the life ut au orphan She had clear.
beautiful gray ewes, checks soft and deli
cate as the lcat Of the roscs brown curly
hair shaded low, broad forehead, instinct
with intellect and intelligence She was
small in figure, hut the petite form was
| tauliless iu its exquisite deliCacy of outline
and contour Ii was impossible not To
love her, II 60 such physical beauty ia
added the generous aud Kind heart she
really possessed Ii is not surprising that
such a girl had many admirers. IL would
hc strange IL she had not But there were
two, who, from their devotion aud her
treatment, acquired prominence over the
rest. Indeed the sphere they moved i'm
was FAR above that of the little mllincr
She believed they loved her; and not
! withslaudiug the great difference i'm their
social position believed they meant kindly
| That tncy loved is certain. They were
| Jealous, and moro than once a hostile
meeting was imminent between them
/ Her way home from the store led by Jack
son square. IL was not ms beautiful then
rs now, but ITS nCh foliage and elegant
/ bowers, even at that day, excited udmira
! tion. One evening rs she passed along the
river side of the square She was met low
! Luisand Lacour the richest and most per
| sevcriug OF her admirers, but the one whom
she favored least. Indeed it was said she
! disliked him. and ON one occasion had re
| scntcd bitterly an insult he had offered her
| \ pnsscr-hy heard her voice raise mdig-
nantly as she passed him that evening ir
| ilont of the iron gate. Standing there a
moment she entered the square from
which half hour aftcrward she was seen
10 hurry away with every sign of distress
and intense excitement II was but "A few
minutes after this that young lacour was
! found murdered, lying ON the iron bench
with short Spanish dagger through his
heart. The girl bad been known 10 pos
scss such wcapon-th gift of one she
never named. This was all.
| Oh course almost every one believed her
TO be the assassin could not. had
seen too much of criminal life tomIstake ita
characteristics. That girl was innocent |
knew. When arrested she protested her
! innocence in language frantic and wild.
| Terror had made her fOrgetful, seemingly
OF look and action, and she gave way to the
most excessive paroXyBms of grief and DIS
| trcss. After she was taken to the station
Mr. J.. and myself visited her to sec If We
could learn anything OF the case We felt
| more like friends than detectives The sad
orphanagc of the young girl enlisted our
! deepest sympathy and touched our hearts
l. hut nf,,t,
they not softcncd at her distress. / never
saw such anguish before. The pale, beau
titul iace was almost wild with terror.
She was frantic one moment, and sObbing,
walking and terror stricken the next. AS
we entered the cell she threw herself at my
feet, and, lifting her face, so pale and
beautiful, walled OUT
90 am innocent SRI am innocent.
believe you are, Mary and it was to
! help you that we came here.
" could not do such deed, sir; in
dc d could not
" ] know that; but, Mary, do you know
who did Z"
She lifted her face quickly, and wild,
| frightened expression crossed it,, and then
| it grew like marble in an instant She did
not reply, but never saw one i'm whom
| hope seemed so suddenly aud utterly 10
have fled as that girl then. ! repeated my
| question
" DO you know who did, Mary 2"
She shook her head and remained silent.
| ] told her that we were satisfied that she
was innocent, but 70 establish this it Was
necessary TO bring the real criminal to JUS
tice She could help us Ia this But she
/ still shook her head.
Mary, Paul Willie is the man,
/ She sprang 10 her feet and screamed out
rather than spoke her denial
"No, no, no, not him; it was !, IT was
| J. did it! Ill acknowledge IL now
/ punish me If you will, but do not accuse
him do not lct him be arrested
1t was plain 10 me now. My first inn
I preston was correct Young Willie had
come upon his rival talking with Mary I'm
| the square, and under q first impulse Of re-
sentiment had slain him. Her confession
/ OF the fact was only lacking 10 secure her
acquitial, but she would not confess: and
/ from .Iat hour acknowledged her guilt
| A few days after young Willie lcn the
country, and in Time hIs family furnished
evidence that released the GIRL She too.
went away but lt was not long before She
| died The fright aud horror OF thc terrible
crime laid TO- her charge finally killed her
] shall never forget The scene ] witnessed
| in her cell. The dcsolalc woman Hrug-
/ Cling with her anguish and terror hauu.s
my memory still.