Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-02-03

Remarkable Story OF q Fratrioids
Ia a Colorado Cabin.
A Miner Murders and Robs = naR s0d Di.-
covers His Own Brothsr-He Rstarns
aaa Hangs Himself st the seeaS
of His HorFibls Crime.



on Badger Gulch, yet evidences Of eiyiliza-
tion were not wanting Sluiees and
fumes, shoyels, picks and a disnantied
rocker, were to be seen on the edge OF the
bank in the bed Of the gulch, while some
hundred yards distant on the edge Of
cottonwood grove stood log cabin, rough
In it's construction, but picturesque IN ito
surroundings.
Outside on a bench were utensils for
cooking, rude, bat fitted for the rough
hands Of men and the simple wants OF
mine-s. These were the only evidences OF
the recent presence of humanity visible
outside OF the cabin-nothing 10 indicate
the horrible presence within, where, lying
on the floor of the one room that had an
sxered all the purposes OF the simple
housekeeping, was the body OF man
whose white face cleaned with an un-
earthly pallor in the dim light from the
small window, from the pool Of blood sur
rounding the q "A and its mass OF golden
hair. The fixed, horrible stare Of the blue
eyes, the ugly, gaping wound in the FORE
head from which the life had for some
time ceased 10 ebb, all told the fearful
story of murder whose motive was only
too plainly visible in the inverted and
empty pockets, AMI the absence OF every
thing valuable on the body, save one arti-
Gle, small medallion, which had been ap-
parently jerked partially from the neck of
the wearer and then for some unknown
reason left. In the violence with which it
had probably been snatched the spring
had been pressed, disclosing beautiful,
loving woman, with the same blue eyes
and fair hair of its wearer, whose clotted
blood on the glass almost obliterated the
features of the portrait Yet this man,
whose beardless face and smooth features
indicated that his boyhood's years were
scarcely passed, had been handsome
Nothing inside or outside the cabin gave
any indication of the perpetrator of the
foul crime.
Presently two horsemen came galloping
over the trail, crossed the gulch, and pro-
ceeded To the cabin, seeking for refresh
ments. Knocking at the door and receiv-
ing no answer, they lifted the latch and
pushed back the obstruction, which they
found to their horror to be the corpse OF the
murdered man, dead apparently for some
hours. After searching, but in vain, for
some evidence of his identity, they went
evidently recently made, and showing that
their course headed up the gulch. Exam
ining their guns and ammunition, the
strangers, who were in search of stray cat
tie, started on full gallop up the gulch
and over the divide, their experienced eyes
readily marking the track of the fugitive,
until reaching the main road to Denver,
which was on the top of the ridge, where
it was lost in the numerous others which
had travelled over il that day. Reluctantly
they gave up the chase and turned their
horses towards Franktown, where they
gave the alarm The murderer, however,
was never caught, notwithstanding the
hue and cry that was raised.
Just one year later some travellers
stopped at the deserted and now supposed
to be haunted cabin. In fact, for several
succeeding nights light had shone
through the one window far out into the
night, and belatei travellers had seen
shadows fitting in the interior, yet no one
had tne hardihood to enter those terrible
precincts after nightfall. On this day,
however, everything was apparently the
same as that day one year ago. Dismount-
ing, the elder horseman said: Bill,
wonder il we will have the same luck We
had when stopping here one year ago."
His companion answered: - don't know;
they told me at the camp below the cabin
was haunted; that lights and strange
sounds are seen and heard in the cabin aft
err nightfall, one man saving that some
evenings since, having to pass here, be
heard voices and the sound of some one inn
plorina for his life and then followed blows
and groans, after which all was dark, 80
we mast expect 10 see something. Lets
open the door, anyway"
The door creaked on its hinges and, look.
ing into the shadowy room from the bright
sunlight, nothing at first was seen. Then,
simultaneously from both, cry Of horror.
Thsre, hanging TO one of the rafters, was
the form of man whose protruding tongue
and eyes and blackened face gave ghastly
evidence of death by strangulation. An
overturned stove showed that the crime
was self-committed and, looking around,
they saw folded paper on the one table
in the room, which in the strange story
therein told made the manner of death and
It's motive perfectly clear. On a number Of
closely written pages, directed "To who
ever finds this, :" was . remarkable narra-
tive ss follows.
oh. the horrible remorse Of the mur-
derer. of the man who, in defiance of all
the laws of God and man. takes the life Of
his fellow being Sleeping or waking.
alone or among men, the terrible vision of
his crime hsunts him ever: but for the
frstricide. damned for here and for etc
nifty. there is no rest. no hope. I was the
son Of Presbyterian preacher in an East
srn town Although I had received a
good education. was always Of q way
ward and restless disposition, and, at the
age Of twenty eight, in spite Of the tears
and prayers Of a loving mother and the
express commands ~ NV father. left my
pleasant home and came West. excited hy
the numerous stories Of danger and sd-
venture among the Indians Resides my
parents. I had = sister several years
Younger and a bafv brother scarcely Ave