Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-07

his friend. cart thou i'll? You look pale.
Come with me to my-Ahl hold, you mad
man, holdl Drop that ak! Drop it, I say,
or by heaven Til choke your
Won Schlegel had thrown himself
upon him with a wild cry and up
lifted weapon, but the student was stout
hearted and resolute. He rushed inside the
sweep of the hatchet and caught his assail-
ant round the waist, narrowly escaping a
blow which would have cloven his head.
The two staggered for moment in deadly
wrestle, Schlegel endeavoring to shorten his
weapon; but Strauss with a desperate
wrench managed to bring him to the ground,
and they rolled together in the snow, Strauss
clinglng to the others right arm and shout
Ing frantically for assistance. 1t was as well
that he did so, for Schlegel would certainly
have succeeded in freeing his arm had itnot
been for the arrival of two stalwart gend-
armes attracted by the uproar. Even then
the three of them found it difficult to over
come the maniacal strength of Schlegel,
and they we're utterly unable to
wrench the silver hatchee from his grasp.
One of the gendarmes, however, had coil
| of rope round his waist, with which he
rapidly secured the students arms to his
sides. In this way, half pushed, half
dragged, he was conveyed to the central
| police station.
Strauss assisted in coercing his former
friend, and accompanied the police to the
station, protesting loudly at the same time
against any unnecessary violence, and Civ
ing it as his opinion that a lunatic asylum
would be more fitting for the prisoner.
What did it all mean? 1t was GER
tain that his old friend from boyhood had
attempted to murder him, and had nearly
succeeded. Was Won Schlegel then the
murderer of Prof. Won Hopstein and of the
! Bohemian Hebrew? Strauss felt that it was
impossible, for the Hebrew was not known
to him, and the professor had been his
especial favorite. He followed mechanically,
lost in amazement.
Inspector Baumgarten, one of the most
energetic and best known of the police
officials, was on duty in the absence of
the Commissary. He was wiry, little, active
man, quiet and retiring in his habits, but
possessed of great sagacity and vigilance
which never relaxed. Now, though he had
had six hours vigil, he was as erect as
ever, with his pen behind his ear, at his
official desk, while his friend, sub-Inspector
Winkel, snored in a chair at the side of the
stove. Even the inspectors usually i'm
movable features betrayed surprise,
open and Won Schlegel was dragged
in with pale face and disordered clothes, the
silver hatchet grasped firmly in his hand.
Still more surprised was he when Strauss
and the gendarmes gave their accounts.
'Young man, young man" said Inspector
Baumgarten, laying down his pen, and fix
ing his eyes sternly upon the prisoner, "this
is pretty work for Christmas morning; why
have you done this thing?"
"God knowsI' cried Won Schlegel, cover
ing his face with his hands and dropping the
hatchet. A change had come over him, his
fury and excitement were gone, and he
seemed utterly Frustrated with grief.
"You have rendered yourself liable to
strong suspicion of having committed the
other murders"
"No, no, God forbidp' cried Won Schlegel
"At least, you are guilty of attempting
the life of Herr Leopold Strauss"
''The dearest friend I have" groaned
Otto.
'sHis being your friend makes your crime
ten times more heinous," said the Inspec-
tor severely. "Remove him for the re-
mainder of the night to the. But
steadyl Who come here?"
The door was pushed open, and a man
came into the room, so haggard and care
worn that he looked more like ghost than
a human being He tottered as be walked,
and had to clutch at the backs of the chairs
as he approached the Inspectors desk. 1t
was hard to recognize in this miserable
looking object the once cheerful and rubi-
eund sub-curator of the museum and privat-
decent of chemistry, Herr Schlessinger.
"Good morning, mein Herr" said In
spector Baumgarten; 'you are up early. No
doubt you have heard that one of your stu
dents, Won Schlegel, is arrested for attempt
ing the life of Leopold Strauss?"
"No; I have come for myself" said |
Schlessinger, speaking huskily, and putting
his hand up to his throat 81 have come to |
ease my soul of the weight of great sin,
though, God knows, an unmeditated one.
1t was who - But, merciful heavensi |
there it is-the horrid thing! Oh, that 1 |
had never seen itp'
BE shrank back in paroxysm of terror,
glaring at the silver hatchet where it Law |
upon the floor, and pointing at it with his
emaciaJed hand.
''There it lies," he yelled. "Look at it!
1t has come to condemn me. See that brown
dust on It'll Do you know what that is?
That is the blood of my dearest, best
friend, Prof. Won Hopstein. saw it gush |
over the very handle as drove the blade |
through his brain. Mein Gott, 1 see it
nowP'
''Sub-Inspector Winkel," said Baum
garten, endeavoring to preserve his official
austerity, 'iyou will arrest this man, charged
on his own confession with the murder of
the late professor. also deliver into your
hands Won Schlegel here, charged with a
murderous assault upon Herr Strauss. You
will also keep this hatchet"-here he picked
it up-'epparentlv used for both crimes"
Wilhelm Schlessinger had been leaning
against the table, with face Of ashy pale
ness. As the inspector ceased speaking. he
looked up excitedly.
"What did you say?" he cried.
two dearest friends in the college
slay my old master! It is magic, say: it is
a charml There is spell upon usl 1t is-ah,
l have i'll 1t is that hatchet-that thrice ac-
cursed hatchetr' and he pointed convulsively
at the weapon which Inspector Baumgarter
still held in his hand.
The inspector smiled CONTEMPORARY.
Restrain yourself, mein Herr, he said. "You
do but make your case worse by such wild ex-
cuses for the wicked deed. Magic and charms
are not known in the legal vocabulary, as my
friend Winkel will assure you"
81 know not" remarked his sub-inspector,
Struggling his broad shoulders. There are
many strange things in the world. Who knows
but that"
sWhatp' roared Inspector Baumgarten furi-
ously. You would undertake to contradict
mel You would set up your opinionl You
would be the champion of these accursed muir |
lerers! Fool, miserable fool, your hour has
,omer' and rushing at the astounded Winkel
he dealt blow at him with the silver hatchet
which would certainly have justified his last
assertion had it not been that, in his fury, he
overlooked the lowness of the rafters above his
head. The blade of the hatchet struck one of
,hese, and remained there quivering, while the
handle. was splintered into thousand pieces.
"What have doneT' gasped Baumgarten.
falling back into his chair. "What have
ionef'
"You have proved Herr Sehlessinger's words
n he cnrrectb said Won Schlepel sfenninp for.