Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-12-05

| his differences regarding my 1oafng aooub
and Suspicious habits 1t was plain that
| If had been mysterious, there was some
thing which would justify mystery. He OBJ
jected to such things being put in as evil
dence.
But the stthingsn had done their work.
Ii was finally necessary to call the court to
order ere the trial could be resumed The
iudge laid aside his spectacles, but retained
the richest lump on the bar in front of him,
and bis eyes would glance occasionally In its
direction. l continued my story: Il did
not find this claim Ny partner, who Is here
| in court, did, long before met him acted
| for him as a guard on the claim while he was
necessarily absent carrying the rock to The
| Bay' to be worked Mr.. Pratt found me on
the ground was guarding. 1t was true we
had no to- Is visible or notices up, because
these might have excited observation, and we
were not, as to regulations for holding such
ground, protected by any law. Mr.. Pratt
| insisted on meddling with the ledge from
which this gold was taken. He insisted on
meddlimg with it at the very place where We
had dug out the pieces you see before you
| Now. what was to doi Let him do so or
not!r
ssNoIr reared out voice in the audience
s'Order in COURT" cried the sheriff. But
that Nor was powerful expression of the
prevailing sentiment.
continued:
snow, gentlemen, did not do as you think
| T did Here comes what l know is the i'm
probabIe part of my story. 1t would be far
easier for me to say that did shoot Pratt in
defense of what l considered mine than that
- Ia Init .a a II
do-by accident He had the drop ON me,
his finger ON the trigger, warning me not to
| interfere with him, when his foot slipped
from the rock on which he was standing; no
fell over backward, his pistol was discharged,
and by the fall and the shot he got the two
| wounds in his head. Wen, was frightened
nearly To death at the time myself. l saw In
| a moment all the appearances would be
against me. had to keep secret the locality
| Of the claim. My partner was away. L
went up to Pratt, and found him,
| as l supposed, dead l didn't know
what to do, so 1 covered him with
| brush and went home. / couldn't rest that
night for thinking about the boly up there;
| how it would be discovered and our claim
with it, and between the two-of the fix l
| should he in TO keep our claim secret, and
account satisfactorily for Pratts death under
the circumStanceS-Ig got up in the night and
went up TO the body. l intended to roll it
! down the hill and pitch it into the river to
get it out of the way. Thank God! found
Pratt alive Now, gentlemen, that's all my
story, and whether you believe me or not, I'd
ask you if you would not possibly do as have
| done under the circumstances
II think can vouch for what the gentle
man says said voice near me. 1t was that
of Blanche Seton.
This appearance Of a beautiful woman in
the court in connection with the trial was
even more phenomenal than the quartz
There was an eager craning forward of necks
and then profound hush to hear her next
| words.
After being sworn in as witness, she con
tinued:
81 came hero 10 say that my uncle, Mr..
Pratt has recovered his faculties and de-
clares that Mr. Holder committed no assault
upon him"
She then paused.
How do we know he says thatr roared
| the district attorney.
Il have his affidavit before justice OF the
peace to that effect" replied Blanche. Per
| hals the clerk will be kind enough to read
| II