, 1886-05-19

CHi Ntitaini1, OHly you must pay INT
express fare-Uncle Sam doesn't allow ex-
press fares on these occasions. / see | can
trust you; and mind, l leave my reputa-
ton with you. l shall call for you for the
5 O'Clock express. You can settle your af-
fairs and look over your papers, and I'll go
and see your town. Don't forget, 5 O'Clock"
and he left.
The blow had fallen. was hit. All the
little wealth | had collected was to go to
defend my life. called on my solicitor
and told him about it.
Awkward for you, very. for you were a
rising man, n very rising man"
u nm rs innocent"
"Oh, Of course, my dear fellow"
During the journey to New York the de
tective became quite friendly and told me
how the matter came to be revived. 1t
appeared that, unknown to his immediate
relative, Mr.. Smithson had insured his
life for a very large amount in favor of his
brother before going to Europe; the policy
he had put in n box OF papers left with his
bankers. The papers on his death had
been looked over by the solicitors clerk,
and, no one knowing anything of the pol
icy, it had escaped the careless observation
by being hidden between the parchments
of a lease. Some few months before my
arrest IL became necessary to refer to the
papers; the policy was found and a claim
made by the brothers on the Office. The
reply was that there was no evidence OF
James Smithson's death not being the re-
suit OF his own act; he might have thrown
himself overheard and in that case the
policy would be invalid.
"The row with YOU said the officer, "as
described in the papers at the time, was
remembered, and the advertisement in
serted. You see it was not of much con-
sequence to any one whether he was
murdered or jumped overheard till it be
came n question Of some $4,000 on II
disputed policy. The brother is of curse
quite willing TO spend half in securing
evidence OF his murder, and you can get n
good deal OF evidence for $4,000, SO you
will have u rather hard time of it. 1t is
worth, you see, about $4,000 to him to
see you hanged, and he'll do it if he can
| was horror-struck. The man talked
not of any question Of innocence or guilt,
but Of questions of bought evidence and
money, 1t is an awful position to be in,
that some one SHOULD gain some thousands
Of dollars by your being hanged.
need not describe the preliminary ex-
aminations and commitment / was two
months awaiting my trial, and all the evil
dence | could get in my favor amounted
to nothing. On the other side there was
the evidence of the quarrel; and, last,
there WINS the evidence of two of the crew,
who on oath had testified that they saw
myself and the murdered man on the
forecastle together, that | struck him with
a Delaying pin and then threw him over
board.
What could | hope for against such wit
nessesi The steward and the captain were
both dead, and these two shameless iends
rad concocted this story under thr induce
ments of a large reward. 1t was clear |
vas to be the victim of a miserable specu-
alton to gain money.
The day of the trial came at last. | was
taken into the courtroom between two
turkeys. The counsel for the prosecu-
ton, in stating his case, dwelt long on
the animus shown in the quarrel at din
ner, and concluded by calling his wit
nesses.
The cabin boy and the chief mate told
the story Of the quarrel; the man at the
wheel told of the last time he had seen the
deceased alone; and then came the two
witnesses.
II have to request, your honor" said my
counsel, that one OF these witnesses be
ordered out of court during the evidence
of the other"
The first one was put in the box and duly
examined. 1 remembered the lace and
that was all.
He stated that he was on the lookout
that night, and that, just after eight
bells, he heard two men come on to the
forecastle. They were d~isputing, and he
knew by their voices they were the de
ceased and the prisoner. The prisoner
suddenly drew out of his pocket a be-
laying pin and struck the deceased over
the head with 1t, and as he was falling
pushed him, so that he fell overheard.
Witness made no alarm, it took him so by
surprise; and the other witness, Patrick
Murphy, then came up and told him to
hold his row, and they should get a pull
on the young fellow yet by keeping quiet.
He wanted to tell the captain, but Muir
ply said If he did he'd lose his time and
perhaps get locked up as u witness and get
nothing for his trouble.
My counsel then asked him how he
knew | was the person.
Because OF the voice, and because at the
time the moon was shining full on my
face, SO that he could not make any mis-
take.
Tn other witness was then called-a
pale, red-haired. sallow-faced wretch, with
very small, pinkish eyes, white eyelashes,
n large, wide, straight mouth, and one OF
those unpleasant noses which look as If
some violet blow with n sharp instrument
had cut it in two, horizontally, just above
the lip.
His evidence was substantially the same
rs that OF the former witness.
why have you said nothing about this
before,"
"Smithson WAS nothing to me-
And no considerations OF Justice in
duced you to give this information
V<~...H VA. l. - - ..
we'd opened our mouths we'd been looked
after all the rest of the voyage. and in.
stead OF having our lark ashore we'd a.
been hanging about this ere court for 81
n day or SO.
what induced you to come forward
nowf'
II saw the advertisement, and. saws /.
Now that's something like; 81. Olu ssome-
thing
"Are you remembering that you are on
your oath. prepared to state that the pris-
oner was the man who struck the blow
How do you know itf'
Il saw him, l tell you. in the bright
moonlight-it wa s full moon, as light AS
day
"Nou can go down.
"rhe officers in charge OF the case will
see that the witnesses do not leave
the court until 1t Is concluded, said the
judge.
TIT counsel for the prosecution restatei
their case. and 1t seemed very strong in
deed. Ashe sat down | felt almost guilty;
! WAS Utmost convinced hat in some hor-
rible moment OF frenzy | had done this
deed without knowing it.
My counsel did what he could; but |
could see, long before the Judge rose
TO charge the jury, that I was IA doomed
man.
Temporarily and dis passionately the
inlua sunlnIel I'm the cnaa md ratiral