Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-09-12

at the Blank hotel during the summer
Another guest at the hotel had insult
ed young lady-the governess of the
children of family who had suite OF
rooms there-and young Percival had
knocked him down The landlord had
interfered to prevent the scandal of {
fight William Hacket-the fellow wht
had insulted the governess, and who hai
been drinking-was put to bed by hi.
friends. He renewed the quarrel next
day, however. and young Percival was
heard to use the words: men like
you ought not to be allowed to live.
He had been foolish enough to say
ever spoke Extensively again. Late
that afternoon Hacket took his leave
of the hotel. and with his travelling
bag over his shoulder, walked toward
the depot, refusing to wait for the
stage, and taking a lonely road little
way from the shore. It was supposed
that he wished to avoid the people
who had seen him knocked down. A
little later. young Perciva1 left the
house, promising to bring some of the
tall plants called cat-tails for an old
lady who was not able to 60 out fo1
them herself. At six o'clock, the
body of William Hacket was brought
to the hotel by farmer. He had
been looking for a COW that had
strayed away. and his man. who was
with him, had found the body in a
hollow amongst the rocks.
II guessed by the clothes be was
from the hotel" the farmer said; and,
as we know. he had guessed correctly.
It was not until dark that young
Percival returned. He had his hand
tied up; he had cut himself severely
in cutting the cat-tails, so he said.
There were spots or blood on his light
suit, and they noticed that he was
pale.
When he heard that Mr.. Hacket had
been murdered. he betrayed much
agitation-no more than the rest of
the household certainly. for people
had shouted, and shrieked, and tainted
when the murdered man was brought
in. The landlord turned pale, the
clerk had had rush of blood to the
head. which obliged him to ask a
waiter to put ice-water on his neck.
and general excitement had prevailed.
However. it is always greatly against
suspected person to ''betray agita-
tiOn.' and equally against him to
preserve an unnatural calmness."
Young Percival pleaded not guilty;
but there seemed to be conclusive
proofs of his guilt. The circumstan-
tial evidence was against him. No
one doubted that he had committed
thought for him in that crowded court
room; and though his lawyer brought
forward the fact that Jackets bag
was gone. and his pockets empty, and
that this seemed to indicate that the
object of the murder was robbery, his
clients wealth and position placing
him beyond all suspicion on this score,
still. in that lonely spot. what was
easier than to conceal the property
amongst the underbrush, or throw it
into one of the many pools close at
hand. or even into the sea itself.
The prisoner saw himself doomed.
All the horrors of shameful death
arose before him. The alternative of
life in prison seemed even worse. He
had abandoned himself to despair,
when suddenly a little commotion in
the courtroom attracted his attention.
and he was aware that a young girl
had approached his lawyer, and that
the latter demanded that she should
be sworn-a girl whom he had never
seen before, mere child in figure.
Then he heard her give her name
Minnie Grey-her age as seventeen.
Then came the questions:
"Do you know the prisoner, Henry
Percival?"
mo. sir; I believe that have never
seen him."
HE stands there. Look at him,
and answer if you have ever seen
him."
Newer"
'Did you know the murdered man,
William Hacketp"
mo, sir.''
''Were you at the - hotel on Sep
TENDER third?'
life.''
where were you on the afternoon
of September third. between the hours
of two and five?'
I'm my own room on the second
floor of Mrs. Marlit's house, No. z
Strand street,
"What were you doing?"
The answer was startling to the
prisoner: It was this:
II was looking through my tele-
scope"
''In what direction was your tele-
scope turned?"
Toward the sea. for a long while.
1 was watching the Catherine Jane
of Nantucket But within seized me
to look at the road under the rocks-I
thought might see the picnic party
from Farmer Bradley's coming home"