The National tribune., 1882-05-06

| Charles Hardy, the prisoner, was q young
man of respectable family, living in this
town where we now were. lie had, how
ever, "gone to the bad, ;" as my nephew would
express it, and two evenings before, in dis
graceful brawl in low public house, he had
shot and fatally wounded young man whose
connections were still richer, and so no time
had been lost in setting on foot the hue and
cry. The affair took place in the evening,
before the arrival of the Boston train and
the departure of the boat. Favored by the
darkness, young Hardy had managed, either
by the aid of a sbiff or from the wharf, TO get
on board the steamer unObserved. Here he
found the stewardess, who had in former
years been a servant in his fathers family
and, telling her only part of the truth, he
easily persuaded her to let him conceal him
self. When the boat reached New York the
steWardess made some guarded inquiries and
observations which led them to believe that
1t would not be safe for him to venture out
so that when 1 went to bed in No. - he had
remained cramped up in his place OF conceal
ment for the greater part of the time for
nearly twentyf0ur hours, with very little
food and with no stimulants, which he was
accustomed to use in large quantities, and
which he, of course, needed just then more
than ever. 1t may be guessed that my flask
proved too great temptation to him, and
that he returned to it again and again until
he reached such pitch Of indifference to his
la. 30 toll ~ L.,
berth III preference to his narrow quarters
underneath. He had partly slept off the
effects OF his potations when [ woke him by
getting out of my berth in the hasty manner
which have described, and he was quick
Wltted enough to turn my astOnishment to
account. Now this seems to me, may add,
the most improbable part of the story, but 1
can only say that it happened. Ny nephew
insists that it is easily explained, and that
the young man, having nothing else to think
Of in his confinement, had very carefully
Planned, the day before, q way of frighten-
ing the occupants of the state-room, if by
accident he should be discovered This may
be so, but 1t seems to me very remarkable
that, on waking out Of heavy sleep, under
such circumstances, he should have had the
presence Of mind to act as he did The most
surprising thing to me, however, is, after ali,
that he could carry off so much liquor 1
am confident there was enough in that flask
TO have kept me intoxicated for week
a good deal to my disgust and somewhat
to my pecuniary loss, was compelled to be
present both at the preliminary examination
and at the trial, although what 1 knew about
the alleged murder seemed TO me of very
little Importance. The upshot of it all WAS
that the yoang man was convicted of man
slaughter.
1t has seemed to me, since then, that his
detection was entirely owing to that lobster
salad, for if L had rot eaten it my flask
would have remained all night in my bag,
and l should probably have left my state
room in the morning without having seen
any ghost l got no sympathy from my
wife, who indeed reaped slight advantage
from my adventure, for l have never since
laughed at her for her habit of always look
ing under the bed for burglars before she
retires SAMUEL BLOTTER.