Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-02-17
TRAGEDY In THE FOREST.
BY @ oR0E C. MAXWELL.

Inc family OF C1tthurSt were sittin,
Mt breakfast, when Gresham, the distric
attorney, drove up to the door.
Come with me to the forest" he
said to MIR. Morlaunt, in sJme excite.
ment.
"There has been terrible murde,
mmitted there, and l want Your ad.
vice"
Mr.. Morlaunt was retir d LAWYER
who had been particularly celebrated il
criminal cases, aud who spent his sum.
m rs ut tie estate he owned, called Cliff.
hurst, f.w mile; from Brktol.
Willingly" he said. az confess |
still take III interest in all difficult
cases."
When we were seated safe in the car.
rage, MIR. Gresham said:
:. WIS not more explicit before the
ladies, because the accused is one thew
know-Miss Srly. She has killed her
father
impossible" cried Mr.. Mordaunt. in
Nh acc mt of horr + and incredul ty
So | said, when 1 first heard of it,
But the proc is unanswerable. She is
nuw lii BerNton Jail"
II don't believe word of it, retorted
TIL other. 1--WE know her slightly vet
Wei enough to make me sure that there
Is SOME mistake about it. No. it can't
be -
Ills companion shook his head. az
Lar you are too ,anguine. But you will
Set aid judge yourself There is to be
M inquest ut the Locks"
The Locks, as the name implied. were
on the canal. There had always been
smi settlement th, Re, but since th.
railroad h;t been built, depot, followed
iy pos Office, the hamlet had grown
consi icrahly, Cosa by was gap IN the
South mountain, which led to what was
ca led the forest, n wi d stretch OF wood.
land, from five to ten miles wide. run
mhS between nearly parallel halls, and
extending for some thirty miles from
n'rtheasL to southwest. The name was
well 'serve,l, f'r excepting few small
liolls' S, scat ercd here and Their, the
Whole district was covered with its orig
ind growth of oak and chestnut. with
here and til re grim hemlocss and pines
Inc settlera Nete principally OF German
descent, Their ancestors having come
from the PAlatinate q century and a half
before. They r 'tained, in remarkable
degree, the ni,naers and customs of the
fatherland. Their houses were generally
OF stone, frequently with overhanping
stories, and often with stone staircases
built outside.
In one of the widest parts of this
forest, high up on spur of the sand. |
stone hills, lived, or had lived, old vii. |
helm Stray, usurer, q miser. the
cruelest of creditors, it was said. and
tyrant to his family and all under him
he wa' supposed, however to be the
richest man in the county and it was
his only child who was now accused of
his murder.
1T seems" said the District Attor.
ney, that his daughter has been clan
destlnely meeting young man. and that
her father hearing of it fell into rape
aud threatened to turn her out of doors
There was nothing against the lover
unless it was his poverty. His father
Colonel Wolcott, was once member Of
Congress for the adjoining district, and he
himself rising young lawyer The girl
mad hrst met him at the house of an old
schooi-mate. She was at Mrs. Colling.
woods boarding school, us perhaps Won
know. Stingy as old Stray was, he an.
pears to have wished his only child to
'e brought up like lady. What passed
n the interview between father and
laughter is not fully known. The ser.
ant girl overheard angry words, but
'ould not distinguish their purport; she
vas sure that just before the alteration
vas over, the father threatened to disin-
lerit the daughter. Shortly after, the
he old man left the house to walk to the
locks, where he intended to take the
rain to Berkton. Almost Immediately
Hiss Stray followed. Within twenty
forgeman, going home, came
IN her in the gap, standing over the
lend body of her father. Her agitation
N being detected was, he says, con-
lusive Evidence of her guilt: But this
, only opinion. The damning facts are
he quarrel an intelligent motive for the
eed; blood on the linen cuff of her
light hand; and the finding of an orien-
al dagger, which she had long used for [
paper cutter, in thicket close by, as
flung there when she heard the forge
,an coming. The dagger was still wet /
nth the crimson stain, by-and-by when |
1und." r
"What does the daughter sayP" !
"Oh she denies il Of course. Says I
he had just discovered the body, and
nat she was Mortified at the sight, :
orror which the forgeman mistook for
roof of guilt The dagger, she declares, 1
'as last seen by her that morning on her {
lble. The blood on her cuff she ex- |
lains by saying she had stopped to see c
her father was really dead, and SO 1
aimed the linen" s
well, 1 believe her." :
"That's because you know her and
ity her. Who else could have done the v
eed? Who had any motiveP Really, a
gu are too old q man, too experienced I
wyer, to let sentimental motives cloud I
our Judgment. The best that can be q
nd OF her is that she did it in fit of .
ldden passion-they say her temper is e
gh; she was goaded to it, perhaps. h
mother Beatrice Cenci." u
God forbid" said the other. URut Il