West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-11-06

vorsing earnestly. ] went n few steps
TO meet them, and was within a few
yards of them before Collins saw me.
"Ah. how are you. MIR Collins" |
said.
He started visibly, but on recogizing
me seemed TO regain his composure and
answered my salutation. He would
have passed on, but / detained him by
passing in front of him and opening a
conversation.
Going travelling, said I.
Yes; TO New Haven"
Wouldn't it be just as well TO 90 to
IrentonP' asked. significantly,
lie turned pale. and in n voice that
qulvercd perceptibly said:
Great Heaven, Mr.. Whitmire, what
do you mean now?"
81 mean that you and your friend
go to the station with me-
With a loo OF despair ON his white
face that | shall never forget, he
dropped his valise and staggered a few
steps to an awning post, which be held
To- for support
Az thesame moment his companion
turned TO dart way, but, luckily, two
men, who had just stopped on the side
walk to talk, stood directly in his path.
and his movements became confused. |
reached him in one bound and seized
him 10y the collar. warning him not to
resist. He was thoroughly cowed,
while Collins had too little strength left
him TO escape.
In five minutes / marched them into
the station. together with the valisc.
aud had them locked up in separate
cells then told the Captain the whole
story. He was disposed to think, at
first, hat / had made a blundcr: but
on questioning the two prisoners, and
especially on examining the valise aud
finding a large sum of money in it. he
concluded that had caught the right
men, and so distanced the regular de-
tectives.
1t proved TO be so, and the two men
were duly convicted OF murder ON
evidence that was beyond dispute. In
deed, when Collins lost all hope of es-
Gaping the gallows, he was 80 broken
down that he made a full confession,
giving substantially the following ac-
count of the CRIME:
The stories of Bradley's great wealth
bad first put it into his head to rob him.
by watching for a long time from a
back window he had discovered the
nature OF the fastcnings 10y which the
back cor and gates wee secured. lie
was not bold enough to undertake the
"A alone, but he knew "A certain bad
character named Kevern, to whom he
conlided his scheme. describing tho
fastcnings on Bradley's gate and door
and asking him if he thought he could
force them.
Kevern said he could. and readily On.
thTn1 into lhn t1at fTh,,. ,.,.t a.. ,.x.l
a little after dark one night. when they
knew that Bradley had gone out; but
the %faStenings of the rear door resisted
much longer than they had expected,
and they had but fairly succeeded in
entering when Bradley came in mt the
front door, locked it, and lighted his
candle.
Determined not to be foiled now,
they rushed upon the old man and
struck him down with the tools they
had been using. This, it seems, was
between min and ton o'clock.
They then ransacked the house. find
ing considerable money, chiefly in bank
notci. The latter were i'm a d%isordered
condition, and to make n compact bun
die OF them, Collins hastily tore in two
the fatal newspaper, which he chanccd
TO rave in his pocket, using onc-half to
wrap his spoiis in, and in his haste
leaving the other or the floor.
In order to examine their plumber at
lei ure they went to the hotel alluded
to, where II of them engaged a room
TO which he repaired, and in which he
was soon joined by the other. Both of
them were disguised, a portion of Col
Inns being a false beard.
Collins felt 50 nervous over the awful
affair that night that he would not take
any of the pluudcr home with him. and
So after counting the money, he in
trusted it to kevern for the night, with
the understanding that they should
meet next day, take a tr p to New
Haven, and there deposit his share in
the bank in his own name, or any name
he might wish to assume
When Kcvcrn made a package OF the
money aga n he picked mp u fragment
OF another newspaper he found i'm re
room, leaving that bearing Collins
name lying upon the floor. 1t was
shortly after Collins return home that
night that he called my attention TO
poor Bradlcy's house, foolishly think
ing that by so doing he would not come
within the rang of suspicion.
Collins died of pure terror before the
day apo nted for his exccuti on, but
ke'ern paid the extreme penalty OF the
law.
Ii was in this ease which | work ed
upon my own account. and in which |
was largely assisted by mere chance.
that gave me a place on the detective
force. and have been pr tty successful
ever since. MAN. a man has WORKED
harder and displayed more sagacilv
than did on that occasion without a.
complish,ng 80 great an end Chira0o
Heraid.