Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-08-30

to the appearance of young man she had
admitted to see her mistress the evening
before the tragedy. She gave his name
as Frank Villars and said he had been In
the habit of calling often on Miss jew
cite; that he had remained till late
hour the night OF the murder. She did
not know at what hour he left, as she
had retired. She remembered in passing
llelen's room to have heard loud words;
that Frank seemed to be demand
ing the return of ring, which Helen re-
fused to give up. She thought nothing
of ii till the next morning, when She
found Miss Jcwctte dead. The servant
described Franks dress and whole APP
pcarancc SO minutcly that, coupled with
the name of the dealer ON the Ratchet, or
by some subtle instinct in the detectives
mind impossible to explain, Robinson
was arrested and the servant girl idcnti-
fled him as the frequent visitor of Helen
Jewette, Frank Villars.
lie was put on trial for his life, We
cannot 70 into details of the case, but it
appeared in .the evidence that Robinson
was engaged to he married to young
lady moving in his own circle of society,
and 1t was not known to any OF his asso-
ciates that nc had ever been acquainted
or visited among the class to which Helen
Jewette belonged,
All the influence of his fathers wealth
and standing his own wcll-known nobili-
ty and purity of character, We're brought
to bear on the minds of the jury to clear
him, and finally he was acquitted "for
want of conclusive evidence"
The discharged prisoner was barely
twenty years of age; his family was one
of the oldest, moving in the first society
of that fashionable city. lie was en-
gagged to be married to II fair girl every
way his equal, and who loved him dearly
yet he turned from all the associations
of his young manhood, and they knew
him no more forever.
II was long before the excitement of
this trial subsidized, many being
fully persuaded that he was guilty,
while his friends were positive
of his innocence. 4 book was pub
hshed that mad an immense sale, giving
II history and thrilling account of her
murder The author concluded his mar
rative by calling down the vengeance of
heaven ON the slayer of the beautiful wo-
man, and praying that the hand that
struck the fatal blow might be forever
pamlyled and withered,
When Pamcrlec arrived in Nacogdoches
this book was being extensively read
there and was often commented on in
his presence; but time went by, and it
was forgotten. The young man became
Il permanent citizen of the place, and
after several years residence there mar
ried widow, with one son, who IL to-
day prominent in Texas politics. He
was fond of sport, and one day in
hunting deer in San Augustine
county he accidentally shot himself
through the right hand, INJECTING a severe
wound, from which the arm withered
away and forever after was paralyzed and
useless.
For many years no man ever bore a
better reputation than Frank Parmerlee,
ana he was several times elected to offices
OF trust and always served with satisfac-
ton to his constituents
One evening, sitting on the gallery of
Stcrn'S hotel when the stage came in, he
was greeted by one of the passengers, a
New York drummer, with, "Hcllo, Robin
son, who would have thought of meeting
you in Texasgn
lie hastily arose TO meet his old ac-
quaintance, and said something to him in
an undertonc-which, coupled with his
agitation, was observed by the byStanders
and from that a vague suspicion attached
To him that he was the +. T.
Robinson of the New York tragedy.
Shortly after, ut the commencement OF
a political canvass In which he was prom.
inent, an old friend OF his, NJ. Y. Lacy,
now eN-mayor of Palestine, told him OF
the suspicion against him, and lie had
better, ifposSible, clear them up. He then
boldly declared that he was the Frank
Farmerlu OF Robinson, who had been
tried and cleared ON the charge OF muir
dermg Helen Jewette. And so popular
he was that his standing was not in the
least affected by the disclosure. and he
was elected 10 M the Office for which he
was then running,
just at the cloSe OF the war he went 10
Cincinnati in connection with the sale of
some cotton In which he had an interest.
ana while there was taken with cholera
ana died suddenly in hotel, with no at
lendant save hired nurse. As he was a
stranger every circumstance OF
ms death was noted as bearing
upon his identity, and the nurse
VINO attended him related that
several times when he was dying he dis
iinety pronounced the namo "Helcn
Jewtlie,' Helen Itwctte.n To those
WHO hieM sometime OF the mystery of
lis IRE thls was s confirmation OF the
iheory thai be lad ~ a moment of insane
passion committed The awful deed of
which he was accused in his youth-that
the hatchet must have been by accident
Near 40 band ior that he carried
y there Win she deliberate purpose of
mofdcf h0 one Who knew him could
sNtI 9cAeve, But BE died with the name