The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-09-09
CU.ApTt.R III.

CHAPTER II.
I succeeded in making my way to New
York. In the great city | was compare
lively safe. Under an assumed name
went to work in q manufacturing cstab-
lishment. | bent my every energy othe
work, and. from time to time, l was pro-
NOTED. Three years from the time | en-.
tered the establishment, Twas the super
intcudent of the entire works. My ser
vices became so valuable that | was adj
mittcd as a partner. l saved my money
and became wealthy, yet, not for 4 mo-
ment did l forget the crushing fact that
| was a convict.
One day, while on q ferry boat, | took
up a newspaper which some one had left
on a chair. Opening it. l saw that 1t was
an .\rkansaw Sheet. The next moment |
was thrilled. Below startling head lines
appeared the following:
Several years ago, a highly respected
young man named Henry Debson was
convicted of the crime of numbering one
of our most prominent citizens, a Mr..
Maplcs)n. Debson was sentenced to be
hanged, but the governor committed his
sentence to Imprisonment for life. Deb
son escaped and went, no n knows
whittier. Now comes the real tragedy.
About q month ago, a man named Evans,
who swore that he had seen Debson strike
Maolcson and who found, near the scene
of the murder, a knife bearing the ini-
tials Of Debson's name, was taken vlo-
lently i'll. Believing recovery to be i'm
possible, and fearing to die with such a
burden on his heart, he confessed that
he, inspired by bitter enmity, had muir
dered Mapleson. From the very mo-
ment Of the confession he began to i'm
prove, and soon became so we'll that he
was taken to prison. After a snort trial,
during which he did not attempt to make
a defense, he was sentenced to be hanged.
The execution took place last Friday,
and was witnessed by Il large crowd of
people. The public deeply sympathizes
with young Debson, and should he ever
come back to the State he will receive an
enthusiastic ovation.
l cannot describe my sensations.
hurried to my place of business, and
after relating to my partners, the expert
cnce through which I had passed,
showed them the Arkansaw paper. My
partners were rcjoiced. They declared
that such a vindication was worth half
q lifetime of trouble.
Immediately set out for Arkansaw.
l indeed received an ovation. Mr.. Gray,
the old minister, took me by the hand,
and said:
Il was intimate with your father and
l did not sec how his son could commit
such a crime, but the proof vas so strong
against you. Your earnest protestations
of innocence caused me to call upon
the governor and intercede in your be-
half"
I purchased the farm where I had
spent a happy childhood. Every one
was DESTROYS of bestowing honors upon
me. and the governor himself, came out,
and in the presence of a great crowd
thanked the. Lord that q great
wrong had been averted. During
Ill this time I had not ceased
to think of the little girl whose
beautiful face had banished my inten-
tons of becoming an outlaw. | had
gone to the house where | had seen her,
but her father, a Mr.. Miller, had moved
away, and no one in the neighborhood
knew his place of residence. One night
at a theatre in Little Rock, l saw the
face. ! knew it in q moment. At the
conclusion of the performance, | fol-
lowed the girl, who in company with an
old man, went to a hotel. introduced
myself to Mr.. Miller and he introduced
me to his daughter Ida.
II have seen you before, somewhre,'
she said.
"You have seen me-
"WhenT"
81 will tell you when we become bet,
ter acquainted"
did tell hcr-told her one night when
she had promised to be my wife. Sew
eral years have elapsed since II mar
riagc. We live in New York most Of
the time and old man Miller lives with
us. l have built a monument above Mr..
Gray's resting placc.---irbansaw 7rat'
eler.