Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-23


cause / had heard that he was very poor
and in distress.
1T was with this thought in mind that
/ stopped over at Colchester and inquired
for him. / wanted to do him a favor;
would have given him money. could
have found him then and prevailed upon
him to accept it.
Il rode on from Colchester the next
day. The knife that has been shown
here, and testified of. is indeed mine. In
some way-I know not how-but it must
have been after passing Barnwell on that
road, / lost it. When / neu saw il, he
had it in his possession in the parlor Of
the Red Lion.
Il suppose that passed him on the
road. But did not recognize him;
never knew that he was nearer than Col
chester until the instant that unex-
pectedly surprised him in the inn parlor:
My horse fell lame; most unwillingly
l returned with him to that inn. did
not know at that time that the Black
Buck was as near.
1T was with the greatest reluctance
that I entered the Red Lion. Ny horse
was unfit to ride; was burning with
anxiety to get on. went in only to re-
fresh myself, and to sit down and think
how should get to the Villa.
Il was occupied with my thoughts.
The landlord may have asked me not to
go into the parlor; i did not hear him.
I entered and shut the door. There at
the table, eating his lunch, with my
clasp-kRife in his hand, was Robert
Barnwell.
@The sight of him, so perfectly unex-
| pected in this place, struck me with sur
prise. But recalled my kind intentions
| toward him. l began to speak of them,
when he rose and bolted the door by
which had Just entered.
"He held the knife in his hand. There
was q bad look in his face. saw dam
ger ahead.
i am unarmed,' I cried. DO you
mean to attack me2'
You have intruded upon me- he re-
| piled. You owe me an explanation.
Now that you are here, face to face with
me, and we are alone, you shall make it
to me. Why did you lie to Blanche
Pembroke about meP'
I never did,
You lie! You know you didp
$50 far We had spoken low, but with
feeling. His anger was rising higher,
and his voice was rising with it.
You are going to marry her now, are
your
II made no answer. I saw there must
be contest, but made an effort to soothe
him. I said:
Robert, am not your enemy. You
have no enemy but yourself. will help
you, if can. Yesterday, at Colchester,
tried to find you. I am sorry for your
misfortunes. AS God hears me, bear
you no ill-will. 1 am far from rich; but
would five pounds aid your
From you'll he cried. Never! You
have taken from me all that cared for in
life. You blackened my character to
Blanche. You poisoned her against me.
my lord, you may think it strange
that can remember all this. can only
say that it is stamped upon my brain.
1t was all spoken in a few minutes, but
can never forget word of it.
-The words followed that reached the
ears of Richard Ryder. He has sworn
truly; he has given the exact language.
Il was irritated; could not help it,,
and replied with some heat:
never did! 1t is false! say never
didp
"He came within arms length of me,
the knife in his hand. He spoke with q
dangerous rasp In his voice:
DO you say SO? Then you are liar,
as we'll as black-hearted villainp
1T was plain to me now that he meant
to attack me. / kept myself on the alert,
and spoke as I felt.
Poor fooll pass by your insults;
you are beneath my contempt
He sprang for me, knife in hand. l
seized his wrist; griped it SO hard that
he dropped the knife. We clinched and
struggled. The table was overturned;
the wax-candles were thrown down ant
trampled under foot. We wrestled there
in the darkness. found that was
much the stronger, and ! was about to
throw him, when he released his hold anG
dealt me blow in the face. 1t knocked
me senseless.
From what have heard Of the event
Of that night. suppose that lay un
conscious not more than ten minutes. l
got to my feet giddy, confused, mortified
with the overthrow just experienced. The
parlor was dark, but the outer door was
open; Bsrnwell was gone. heard con
fused sound Of feet and voices from the
tap-room. felt humiliated, angry, un
willing to meet anybody about the house.
had endured that worst insult that can
be given to gentleman-a blow in the
face! I obeyed an impulse, left the
parlor, gained the highway, and went to
the Black Buck. What / did there has
been truthfully told. I made no conceal
ment; there was nothing to conceal AT.
ter the rest and refreshment obtained
there I walked on to Pembroke Villa,
never dreaming that there was anything
worse in these occurrences than the
parconol hu m II OF On cyffarad hx, N, x,caIf
Man was never more astonished than I
was that afternoon at the visit of the
Sheriff and the nature of his errand.
AS God will judge me, declare that
the disappearance Of Robert Barnwell il
as great mystery to me as to any other
do not know-I cannot guess-what be-
came Of him.
"Nor have the least knowledge as ts
who fastened the doors and windows Of
the tap. I knew nothing Of it until
was told, after my arrest. knew not /
person in or about the inn that night but
Barnwell, the landlord, the hostler, ani
J his boy. \
1T has been said that there was blood
on the knife. It must have come from
the cut on my face made by Barnwelll
: knuckles when he fell to the floor. Th,
knife had been dropped before.
can say no more. / have been mos
unjustly convicted. I am soldier, ant
J do not fear death; but it is hard to suffe
a disgraceful death for crime neve
} committed, which I am not capable O
committing. Again I say, ! am no
guilty!"
} The judge put on the black cap. Il
the coldest Of tones he informed tn