The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-12-08

DFUUHeTSy du up-DOunu cClOOucl
| which had stopped at anchor for sup
plies, brought up on the anchor
fiukes woman's body. / visited il
at the morgue.
"Young and richly dressed, sht
still bore at her waist her watch o.
gold. Just above the left temple 9
wound, made, evidently, by a Large
knife CT dagger deep driven, told its
story.
1.-THE right hand was missing!
III felt myself in a truly awkward
and perilous position:
"No writing or other sign told who
she was; but the fashion of her dress
and certain marks led some to think
her country-bred. No one claimed
her, and she was buried in the pot.
ter's field. l was at the cemetery
strolling with seeming idle curiosity.
When all v ere gone | buried the hand
beneath tie unmarked mound.
"For weeks | watched the papers,
after leaving the city. No tidings
came. 1t faded from the public mind,
rs an unsolved mystery.
81 took to studying the photo
graph of the stain upon the hand
under a powerful magnifer. The
slight data indicated a hand of the
muscular, sanguine type. The most
pronounced marks were a line and
star on Mars-temper, fury, violent
death.
II decided to enter law at last, and
the affair was dropped in practical
life; although the dead hand and the
peculiar marking of the living one
came up wildly at times.
81 soon built good criminal
practice in my native state. Four
years before l was elected Judge was
called to defend a man for murder.
He had killed a rough in brawl land
came to me, as he said, because Ihad
done well for him once before. l re-
called the case. He was suspected
of passing counterfeit money and
afterward arrested, for showing the
queer but was cleared by some
strong swearing witnesses he pro-
cured and a properly selected jury.
Just before his trial for murder came
off, some near relatives invited me
out one ev ming to see the skill of q
materializlng medium who was out
visiting one of the faith. | had often
wished to see some ofthephenomena,
and went. The usual tests in table
tipping and raps were given. At
last a Undertaking. test was called
for. The medium said the tests were
excellent.
A few shadowy visions were seen
by the enthusiasts. had about vot-
ed it a humbug, when the medium
asked for silence. A faint, luminous
body formed above our heads, then
settled between me and the dim light
ed table. The objects opposite were
family seen through it's vapory
form.
"Silent we watched.
Suddenly with a sharp definition
of outline stood out hand, a wom-
ans hand severed at the wrist, a
right hand turned palm to me, and
from it's Swallowed palm glowed out
the circle of Venus, line of the heart
and life line broken and dimpled!
out in bold relief, line
and cross on Mars shone red as
blood.
Cali the past flashed out again,
and, involuntarily, reached forth
to touch again as once before l touch
ed that hand. 1t grasped mine with
all the warmth and vigor of an old
time friend. For an instant palm
throbbed to palm, and thenI grasp
ed the nothingness of despair. No,
not despair, for, Selling paper, the
medium wrote in the dark this mes
sage: you waited long. Both he
and destiny are here
81 was in whirl of mental effort
for days after that. But the necessi-
ties of law drove the EN- otions away,
and 1 cleared the man again. He
came to my office again full of graft
tude.
IL noted him well. He was a short,
thick muscular fellow, red-haired,
crafty as a fox, brutal as a tiger.
"He held out to me his open hand,
with 10 double eagles stacked in the
palm. AS l took them off, 10, there
the crimson line and star of Mars!
"Quietly stepping to the door, l
locked it. Now, my boy said l,
you have been cleared by me twice
for crimes you did. There is another,
a mystery, l want cleared. Tell me
about it as your attorney, and my
professional honor will be shield.
Conceal it, and the officers of the law
will be on your trail in five minutes,
and over you'll CO.
'He looked surprised land still more
so when l told of the Detroit affair.
"He pondered a few minutes, took a
big chew of Tobacco which, l noticed,
was chewed and swallowed.
We'll. judge, know you; you are
square; l surrender and trust you
"From his story I gathered that
he was north on a professional tour
among a well-organized gang ofhorse
thieves and counterfeiters, with head
quarters on the border of the pine
He was just returning from
q visit to an uptown crook that morn
ing, intending to take an early boat,
when he was accosted by lady who
had lost her way in the mazes of
the streets about the Campus.
. "He learned that she came on the
boat to visit friend for a day or
Two, and, finding the family absent,
had attempted to return alone. He
offered to pilot her. Going down
Woodward avenue he slipped and
fell, breaking open his valise, when
out fell his kit, some coin made that
night, and an Arkansas bowie.
"Here he paused and took out a
fresh roll of fine cut. Have some,
Judge; an old friend brought it to
me at the jail this morning.
II declined, while he took a huge
chew, as before.
+" 4 saw said he, that she had
g uessed my trade, by her look of
fear and horror. l suppose nv look