The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-09-15


no reason to commit suicide; was Ger
tain be would not do such a thing. IL
had sold cattle few days before, ant
had the money in his pocket-book tina
day-one hundred and twenty dollar
in currency. He had q small golt
watch in his vest pocket. with blacl
silk ribbon and charm attached. Tn
watch was hers-a present from he
mother several years ago. Both moneI
ana watcn nad disappeared. ono u,u
not miss them until the day after,
owing to the excitement. She pre-.
sumed robbery had been the motive
for the crime; she knew of no other.
do you know the prisoner" asked
The Judge.
"Yes," she faltered.
do you know his business in com.
ing here?'
No reply. The question was re-
peated.
20! Judge" she burst out. with a
torrent of sobs; ''he is my husband, my
true husband! But he didn't do it!
o, Judge! God knows he is inno-
cent?
! A buzz of excitement spread through
the room.
"Silencer' said the Judge, rapping
his desk sharply.
Then it was found that the witness
had tainted in her chair. Presently she
recovered, and eventually the story OF
her first marriage and the recent dis
covery of herself by the prisoner was
wrung from her. Only once the pris-
oner spoke.
Tell the whole truth, Amelia, and
fear nothing" he said.
She said the prisoner had been to her
house the day of the murder. Her
husband-the deceased-was off on the
farm at the time. She had decided to
break the news to him that night and
go off with her first husband-the ac-
cused-the next day, and would have
done so but for what had occurred.
Medical evidence was given to prove
that the deceased had not committed
suicide.
Then the policeman was called. He
testified 70 the steps taken TO discover
the murderer. He discovered the fact
of the prisoners visit TO Chapman's
house, and on this ground made the az
story of his marriage, and that his bust
ness here was to get his wife, who was
living with Chapman. The only money
the prisoner had on his person when
arrested was about twenty-five dollars
in greenbacks and silver and forty
dollars in gold certificates. He had
neither pistol nor watch.
Then the prisoner was asked to tes-
tify. In simple. homely language he
told of his search for his wife, his visit
to the village after receiving her letter,
his meeting with her-not knowing or
caring whether her second husband was
at the house or away-and Of receiving
her promise to meet him at the rail-
way station and depart with him next
day. At the hour the murder was COM
mitted he was alone in his bedroom,
trying to pass away the time with a
pipe and bottle of beer. He asserted
that he never saw Chapman in his life,
and had no desire TO do him harm nor
any enmity whatever against him. He
simply wanted his wife. He would
have been willing to tell the story to
Chapman, but his wife preferred to
tell it herself, and he was satisfied.
The landlord of the hotel where Her.
mann had stopped said he did not know
whether the prisoner was in his room
at the hour of the murder. He paid
little attention to his guests except
about meal hours. He remembered
sending up some beer. but did not
know what hour it was at the time.
Here the case rested.
Some of the men in the crowd
dropped out, with hard look in their
faces. 1t was evident Hermann's doom
was sealed.
He was led back to the prison while
the Judge wert through the form of
preparing an Indictment. No one
knew better than the Judge himself
that this was but farce.
The sun was beginning to sink be-
low the Western prairics when a man
rushed into the Judges residence in a
state Of wild excitement. 1t was the
constable who had arrested Hermann.
For Heavens sake, Judge" he ex-
claimed, "come with me TO the prison!
That man is innocent, The real MUIR
derer has been arrested lone of the
Buzzard gang. whom we have been
hunting for months. Chapman's
watch and money have been found on
him."
Judge and constable rushed to the
prison. 1t was rapidly growing dusk,
and already little knots of men were
gathering around. The Judge lit a
lantern and mounted the steps in front
of the prison. "Halloop he shouted
at the top of his voice. Il want to
speak to all of you"
The fast increasing crowd gathered
near. Then the Jud ge ordered the
constable to tell the story.
Duck Buzzard jugged-hurrah"
shouted the crowd. "Let's 60 for him,
boysm
Hermann was liberated then and
there without waiting for legal forms.
Il will fetch your wife: wait at my
house for her." said the Judge kindly.
And hara onours tho straun mart of