Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1883-07-18

and the same person. Nov,
then, for the driver" said l, and
marched to his lodgings. l
found him a quiet. inotfensive
sort Of u fellow, not a likely man
to have n malignant enemy. He
was unmarried, and somewhat
fresh to his duties ON the line,
not having been in the position
very long. We at once touched
on the subject Of the accident,
but l found he was quite at sea as
to the cause.
"Have you an enemy" said I,
cor any one who entertains a
malice against your"
No; he thought not.
"You are unmarried, ] be-
lieve?"
Yes; he was.
'.Courting, psrhaps?" ! sug-
gested.
He confessed to the soft inn
parchment
"Have you any objection to
tell me who the lady is?" inquired
I, for we police officers are some.
times obliged to override delicate
scruples. He mentioned the
name of young woman residing
at O farm house six miles down
the valley, and within half mile
Of the scene of the accident. /
drew a long breath, but kept my
OWL counsel.
go, SO the damsel lives there,
does she? Now, has she any
other sweethearts besides your
self?'
He thought there had been
one, carpenter, but, quoth the
driver, complacently smoothing
an incipient beard, "She has no
lover now but me"
"Where does this carpenter
live?"
"About half mile from the
farm" he answered; and with
that 1 left, fully satisfied now
that / was on the trail.
The morning after. and at the
scene of the accident, / had
found large stick, cut evidently
from the adjoining wood. This
had been used to prize up the
rail from the sleepers Examin-
ing it infinitely, l saw that it had
been cut recently. and that With
a nitched knife.
So, with this idea uppermost,
/ started on the mission. and
after a pleasant drive reached the
little hamlet where the carpenter
lived. The district was very
mountainous and rugged, and as
I mounted the winding road to-
ward the house, I could hear the
monotone OF the river near which
SO narrow an escape had tax, n
place. Yonder was the scene?
Was the criminal here? The
door was soon opened to my
knock, and by the carpenter him.
self, a cool, self-possessed young
man, who seemed to read my
errand in a moment, yet asked
me what I wanted, without the
change of a muscle. I entered
into his little room, and told him
I had q suspicion he could en-
Tighten me on the cause Of the
railway accident.
No, he couldn't; he had not
heard Of it, like the rest.
Would he allow me to search
him?
Certainly; and forthwith vari-
GUS articles wero in my hand.
On his person / found two pocket :
knives, each OF which would have
served to cut the stake. As 1
paused moment, and holding
them in my hand, he heedlessly
observed:
"That knit" pointing to one
81 only putinto my pocket this
morning, as Igenerally keep it It
home"
I opened the knife; the blade
was nitched; and looking up from
the article to the carpenter,
caught his eye. We knew one
another's thoughts in an instant,
but he accompanied me TRANQUILITY
enough to town. At the trial the
knife figured in evidence; various
corroborating matters satisfied
the jury of his guilt; he was
found guilty and sentenced to
seven years transportation. 1t
turned out afterward that be
loved the farm girl, and was in-
cited by Jealousy to the act which
so nearly caused SO frightful an
accident. For oil I know, the
driver still dwelIs in single
blessedness, for the maid is sti