Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-08-30
THE NORTHWEST
The Fatal Resemblance.

citement by the cold blooded murder
of one OF its most respected citizens,
who was found in grove about half
q mile from his house, shot through
the chest. He lived long enough to
reveal the name Of his murderer,
which sent Q deeper thrill OF horror
through the community than even the
event itself. : . H-A -
The physician who was summoned
to his aid, q personal friend of the
deceased, saw, at q glance, that medi-
cal skill was useless. After striving
in vain to staunch the flow of blood,
be bent his ear to the pale lips, say,
ing: - 80
Tell me, if you can, who it was
that shot you.
The oying man turned his fas.
glazing eyes upon young man who
was standing afew feet from him, a
look Of terrible. reproach piercing
through the gathering mists of death.
Richard Blakel'! rr<FE,
AS he said this, his daughter Susan
who was kneeling beside him, sprang
to her feet, exclalming:
'No--oh, mol it cannot be! He did
not hear your question Alright, doctor.
Ask him again. @ .f FtgA -
Doubling, himself, whether his ears
had not deceived him, DR.. Grey said:
My dear friend, thisis terrible
charge. Do you mean TO say that
Richard Blake is your murderer
There was death-like silence
among the group that surrounded
him; every ear was strained to catch
the reply: y
Yes!'
With the utterance of this one fatal
word the spirit departed.
Unable to endure this accumula-
ton of horrors, the daughter of the
murdered man and the betrothed of
the accused fell senseless upon the
body of her father Al
AS for the young man, SO solemnly
accused by the lips now rigid in death,
he stood dumb and motionless, in re-
atty by horror and amazement, but
as those present believed, by the
smitings of a guilty conscience.
When the officers of the law ap-
preached 10 take him into custody, he
submitted without resistance or re.
monstrance. S&& @ #E
When Susan Huxton awoke from
her death like swoon, and recalled
her fathers dying words, the convic-
ton sank heavily upon her heart that,
maddened by the taunts and reproach-
es of the choleric old man, Richard
had given him the wound that had
terminated SO fatally. But her very
first interview with him dispelled this
terrible fear, and she expressed the
firmest convictions of his entire inno-
cence. This siding with one, univer.
sally believed to be her fathers MUIR
derer, was severely commented upon
by the community; but in spite of this
the heroic girl remained firm and
steadfast cheering and sustaining the
mind of the prisoner by the assurance
that bis innocence would yet be
proved IS h
AS the day for the trial approached,
she reused herself from the grief oc.
casioned by the loss Of one of the most
indu]gent OF fathers; the best of coun-
sci was obtained, and every means
taken to unravel the mystery that sur
rounded the whole affair.
What tended to increase the popu-
lar feeling of indignation against the
accused, was the fact of his near kin
ship to the deceased !; he being the
orphan son of his only sister; reared
and educated by him with all the care
and tenderness of father. When
Richard grew from an active, bright
eyed boy to 3 strong, stately youth,
seemingly endowed with more than
usual excellent qualities, Of both head
and heart, the old gentleman viewed
the attachment. that sprapg up be-
tween him and his daughter, not only
without disapprobaion, bit with evi-
dent pleasure. 1t is true that of late
there had been some trouble between
them, on account of Richards deter
to abandon the profession Of
medicine, to which he had been edu-
Gated, to become an artist, for which
he had strong inclinations and no
little genius, but no one acquainted
with the parties anticipated any .seri.
Gus difficulty sM
The papers had sent an account of
this terrible tragedy throughout the
country, and the painful circumstan-
ces attending It fnadethe trial one Of
peculiar interest. 1t had spread a
deep gloom over the community where
it had occurred. /. The deceased,
though he had been noted for the
wildness Of his early manhood, had
been for many years universally re-
spected and beloved. w Though some
what hasty in temper, he was gener,
GUS and public spirited, ever ready toi
lend q helping hand to the needy and
unfortunate. AS for the prisoner,
with the exception Of two years spent
at q neighboring university, he had
grown up in their midst. Some of
thoua now tn sit IN INDIGNANT unon