Mexico weekly ledger., 1886-06-24


,ity; but if no had gone the proba-
bility was that he would never be APP '
pretended Picking out those whom q
I suspected, I gained their friend /
ship, and in time would show them
The peculiarity of the imprint of a I
thumb, and after gaining possession ,
of it, would compare it with the one {
on the block of wood. Things went
on in this manner for several months, /,
and began to get discouraged; and
as winter came on, partially lost in
terest in the work, devoting my time
to social enjoyments. While at So
cial gathering one evening, l became
acquainted with the cashier Of one of
the leading banks of the city, and as
he was bachelor like myself, a warm
friendship soon existed between us.
As we were parting for the night he
invited me to call at his room in the |
rear of the bank the next evening
and we would visit the opera-house.
l was on hand at the appointed hour,
but, as he had a little writing to do,
he handed me cigar, with the re-
quest that I should make myself at
home for few minutes While thus
waiting I allowed my mind to wonder
back over the past few months, and
was thinking of the murder when my
companion announced that he was
through with his writing.
For want of anything else l made
the remark that it was rather strange
that no trace had ever been found of
the murderer of the old man on the
hill. As 1 said this deathly pallor
came over his face and he shook from
} head to foot as if with chill. He
arose and commenced to arrange his
papers on the desk, vainly trying to
conceal his agitation, bus in doing SO
partly upset a bottle Of ink. Not
pretending to notice his discontinue,
L made some jovial remark, and when
r he brought cloth to wipe up the ink,
, asked him if he had ever noticed
! the popularity of the under part of a
= persons thumb. He had never heard
, of it, and entered heartily in the ex-
, pertinent, soon regaining his self-com-
- posure. With little trouble secured
r one of thepieces of paper on which hs
a had placed his thumb, and we were
O soon on our way to the theater.
paid little attention to the play, ant
when it was over rushed home t.
v compare the mark On the piece of pa
r. per with that on the block The,
Al were identical; every line and curv
= was the same. l knew that was proc
W enough to convict him /; and the mex
is day a warrant was sworn out for hi
70 arrest. / accompanied an officer t
,e the bank, and the warrant was rea
n TO him. He seemed cool and collec
h. ed now, and requested to be allowe
pt to enter an adjoining room for hi
q hat. He had hardly disappeared be
or fore a shot was heard, and, rushin
IN into the room in which he had gone
al we found him lying on the floor wit
4. a revolver in his hand ard the bloc
Ia streaming from his head. He W:
m conscious, but lived only long enoue
4. to make confession of the Grim
o. He. said that gambling was the eau
,;s of it all. He had lost heavily Of Il
ev banks funds, and, knowing tn
,ff detection was imminent, he resolve
ed to replace it by robbing the old ma
no having heard that he kept large su
of money in the house. The old m'
od had awakened while he was scare
ma ing for the money and recognize
him, and he was forced to commit t
Tho murder. The real cause of the 81
,;t eide was never generally known, t
nat affair having been hushed up as mu
or as possible by his relatives. l W
no remorseful that l was the cause OF
Mi. death-although it was far bet1
be than for him to have spent the
nm mainder of his life in the penitent
ino ry. l resolved to give up the P
md fession, and marry the old ma
her granddaughter. I moved to Min
sofa. This may seem very impr
yes able story, but it is neverthei
,ar true."-St. Paul Pioneer Press.