The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-01-04

given over. III Charley snort says ever
advised him to murder and rob. or that
have had eyes on him for week past,
he's the biggest liar on earth.
Well, curiously enough, we had muir
derer on hand without a murder. That
is, no crime had yet been reported.
had secured the murderer without a
hunt. 1t was not so easy to find the
murder. A telegram was sent to the
agent at the station where Short had
boarded the train, and he replied that he
had heard of no crime. 1t was o'clock
in the afternoon before he sent dis
patch, saying that an old couple, living
about three miles away, had been found
in their house with their heads chopped
to pieces with an axe. That was the
crime of which Short was guilty and for
which he was tried. When he knew that
he was in for it he turned boaster, and
felt himself hero. He was delighted to
give me all the particulars. He said:
81 lived with Uncle and Aunt Desbro
until was of age. Indeed, l was an
adopted son, both my own parents being
dead. came into the city nine years
ago as dry goods clerk. After time
got in with some bad fellows, lost my
place and went to the dogs. For the
last three years have been gambler,
boxer, and confidence man. Uncle went
back on me a good while ago, refusing
to give me a dollar. He had in his
hands money which honestly belonged
to me, for l had worked hard for him. for
thirteen years. ] went out there the
other day, to see if he would not give
me $500 to buy an interest in saloon.
Aunt Mary was for giving it to me, but
the old man was as ugly as Turk. We
got into wrangle at the supper table,
and he ordered me out of the house.
'Twent, said Short after pause, sand
it was only after that ! got the idea OF
robbing the house. The old man never
banked dollar, but kept everything in
bureau in his bedroom. | sat down on a
fence corner on the highway, and thought
it all over made up my mind that ]
would enter the house after they got to
sleep, and steal what l could lay hands
on. did go in about II o'clock, gain
ing access by kitchen window. took
the axe in with me to intimidate them in
case / was discovered. While my uncle
was sixty years old, he was vigorous,
hearty man, and capable of making a
strong fight. l don't know whether he
suspected might come back, but had
not reached the bedroom when some
slight noise made reused him out of
bed, and he struck light and discov-
cred me.
81 want it to stand in court that he
was the aggressor. When he saw me he
yelled out to know what / was doing
there. / told him was bound and de-
termined to have $500. and if he would
count it out would go away and never
trouble him for another dollar He had
big club at the head of his bed, and
instead of stopping to argue with me he
seized the weapon and rushed at me. l
had to use the axe. He would have
killed me if hadn't struck him down.
Then my aunt came out, screaming for
help, and she was about to escape from
the house when / hit her. After had
made sure they were both dead went at
it to rob the house, and the plunder l
| got YOU found in tie satchel That's
the whole story, sir, and if the lawyers
can make anything else out of it, let
'em. ~-,
1t seemed such a straight case that
there could be no loophole of escape, but
within three days after Short had con-
fessed to me he engaged two lawyers, re-
canted all he had said, and when put on
trial plead insanity. His friends, as was
afterward known, raised 5000 for each
lawyer, and the lawyers moved heaven
and earth to earn their money. One of
the instances of Shorts alleged insanity
was a clear case of bribery and perjury. A
man was brought forward to swear that
he sat behind the two of us as we came
in that morning on the train, and that
he heard Short tell me that he had killed
seventeen people and was then on his
way to Heaven to tell God about it. The
person in the seat behind us was a
woman, while the seat ahead was occu-
pied by two women. This liars testi-
mony had great weight, or enough to
call for a commission of doctors to ex-
anime and pass upon the question. and
before the case was finished Short died in
his prison bed of heart disease.-NesO
| York lSldr