Huntsville gazette., 1886-03-20

lives, and the detective, in order to
draw out his associate, had related the
details of some pretended crimes in
which he had been engaged. Jonah's
long-enforced silence and his desire for
companionship got the best Of him and
he, too, confessed. He gave every de-
tail of the crime, revealed some things
which had never been understood,
showed how he had been led into the
plot, and vowed that if he lived long
enough and was able to do so he would
make such reparation as was possible.
In fact, he had already inclosed one
installment of money to his victims
family, and the detective explained
that that was the clue which brought
him to the timber country. When
Hitchcock had finished his story and
had notified Kendrick that he would
expect him to assist in the arrest which
he was about to make, the latter could
hardly contain himself.
Il knew it all the time" he NUT.
tered. 81 knew he was Jonah. |
gave him the name and it has stuck to
him. never make a mistake on those
| fellers."
After instructirg Kendrick fully as to
the part he was to play, Hitchcock set
out with him for the place where Jonah
was at work. ''rll simply slap the
wristlets on him." said the officer,
'sand then, when have informed him
who ana and what intend to do with
him, you step up and take one side Of
him while take the other"
| As the two men approached Jonah
he seemed pleased at the return of his
companions, and greeted them pleas
antly. Hitchcock was i'll at ease, and
Kendrick was embarrassed, but the de-
tective stepped up as he had agreed
and in moment Jonah's hands were
In the irons. He dropped the saw
handle which he had held, and turning
ghastly white and trembling violently
he gasped, as Hitchcock told him that
he was prisoner: a-
"You are joking, partner. Take
them off.
The sternness of the detective and
the quick movement of Kendrick to the
side of the bewildered Jonah convinced
the latter that he had been trapped,
and as the full force of his betrayal
broke upon him he groaned in agony:
"My only friend!''
At that instant there was cracking
and splitting noise, mighty whizz.
and crash that shook the earth, all III
such quick succession that no one of
the three could do more than spring in
voluntarily from his tracks. The tree
which Jonah had nigh felled as he was
interrupted, and whose condition all
were too much excited to notice, had
come down, and under it was the hand
cuffed murderer. Hitchcock and
Kendrick escaped with few scratches
and bruises, but Smiths legs were
ground to powder.
When, after an hours work, with the
assistance of other men who had been
) summoned, the mangled body was re
moved, consciousness was gone, and it
returned for moment only before
death put an end to his sufferings. The
} injured man had been removed to the
! boarding house, where he reclined on
some blankets in the middle of the BIG
bunk room. The short afternoon had
nearly gone, and the sun, already gild-
ing the tops of the lofty pines, cast
bright but cheerless rays upon the
scene. Hitchcock knelt by the pros
trate form and deity removed the
handouts, placing them in his pocket
Kendrick stepped to the door to tell the
men on the outside that it was all day
with Jonah.
As the detective, no longer assuming
that role, but with tender compassion
re-enacting that of companion and
friend, essayed to moisten the lips of
the dying man, Smiths eyes opened.
For moment he appeared to be think
ing Then, raising his hands, and with
smile as he beheld Hitchcock, he
whispered:
They're gone. knew it was joke,
old man. You are my friend to the
end"
II am,'' said Hitchcock, the steel
rings and chain in his pocket rafting
as he stepped to the head of the couch;
Il am" and thus, holding the murder
stained hand, the detective saw his
prisoner pass beyond his reach.
They buried Jonah here in the woods,
yesterday, and Hitchcock left imme-
diately thereafter. Kendrick said as he
saw him leaving:
''They were both Jonahs. IN y
Sun.
The immense quantity Of peanuts
grown in Africa, South America and in
our own Southern States afford not only