St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-24

was out only fifteen minutes, and when
verdict of guilty had been rendered
the judge sentenced the priSt ner to he
hanged.
The Day OfExecutiOn
was set about eight weeks ahead. II
was as plain as day thst the verdict and
sentence were stunning surprises to
talbot, thodgh expected by everybody
else. "A guilty man could not have
eOunterft tied his amaZement. He acted
rs one just aroused from sleep. | had
worked up the case for the state CON
Scientously, and with feeling that
talbot was red-handed murderer. He
had no sooner been convicted than be-
gan to doubt his guilt. His lawyer and
his uncle also had their doubts, and
ouly two OF three days after the SEN
fence L began 10 investigate on the
other side. did it without hope of re-
ward and simply to satisfy my con
science.
If Talbot dn't murder Chase who
did? Having gone on the theory that
talbot did, all other clues had been left
uhworked. L first began inquiries as
TO who might have been in the neigh
borhood that day. After considerable
time found that houseboat, in which
were several cOlOred men, had tied ND
10 the bank of the Kanawha about half
mile from where Chase was shot. 1t
came the day before he was shot, and
left the evening of the tragedy. Some
OF the occupants of the boat had been
seen chasing hog in the woods. If
these people had done the killing there
was enough of them TO carry the BODY
to the thicket. The boat had gone
down the river, and / at once
proceeded to Point Pleasant in
hopes of hearing something. This was
three months after the murder, but al
most immediately | struck clue. The
houSeboat had topped there. and in
night on board cOlored boy had been
shot in the knee and been flung over
board. He was rescued by a passing
SKIN ana given up to the authorities.
HIS ley had to cone off and he was still
on his back in Jail. ascertalned his
Name, and learned that he was cool and
close-mouthed, and then went to see
hiih. AS leaned over his cot, said:
Sam, L Have Ragged the whole
Crowd,
and got most of the money. They are
gong to swear the murder on to YOU.
"Swar 1t on to me!' he exclaimed.
rouslng up IN an instant. "Why, sir,
didn't eben dun know about it till after
we had showed off,"
"How much money did you get?''
Not two-bit piece, sab. Old Peter
an dat man Huckins dun said dey
would keep it ali deirselves. OATS
what the row was about"
had found who had killed Chase,
The boy in Jail, who answered to the
name OF Sam, said that two of the men
were after pig when Chase came in
slgnt, and the plan to kill and rob him
was fOrmedin moment. They des-
poiled the body, hid it i'm thicket,
and got away unseen and unsupported!
followed down the river after the
house boat, but heard of il at Parkers-
burg, only to lose it forever. 1t had
been run down by steamer Just above
that town in the night, ana it is be-
lleVed that all the crew were drowned.
Sam. however, was all the witness
needed on the stand.
was now sure that Talbot did not
murder Chase. Then where and how
dld he get that money. where was he on
the day OF the murder. and what crime
had he committed to betray such signs
or guilt? 1t was no use to 90 to him for
pointers. Even when told him that |
could clear HIM of the charge of murder
ing Chase he would give me nothing to
work on. | therefore set out one day
over the road where he had been seen.
L entered the woods. beat them up for
two miles on each side of the road, and
was about giving up the search when
my dog made discovery. In thicket
to the left of hog path which led off
the highway, and on broken and stony
around, | found a lot of human bones.
They had been somewhat pulled about,
but the skeleton of man was there.
There were shreds and patches of cloth
ing, dozen buttons, remains of q pair
OF boots, and the iron frame of a satchel
was close at hand. The hogs ana the
buzzards had eaten up every thing which
they could swallow. liia -a
Who was the man? No one was miss
ing. No one he'd gone out from the
hotel and failed to return. In those
carpet-bag days there were many Strang-
ers coming and going and it was no
ones business to watch over them.
Whether this poor fellow was going into
Charleston, OF leaving it, could not be
told. 1t might have been that Talbot
decoyed him there OH pretence of selling
INN land, or he might have accidental
ly met him. The prisoner awaiting exc
cutlon showed by his demeanOr that he
vas the murderer OF the man whose
bones had found. but he would not let
fail word III admission. Here was a
curious state of affairs. | had worked
up evidence to prove him guilty of a
murder he did not com nit. and for
murder he was really and truly guilty
of. L could furnish no proof whatever.
The governor had to interfere, and the
courts bad to set him at liberty.
The end of the affair was no less
tragic. Within two weeks after Talbot
had regained his liberty he started to
leave the country, but had not pro-
ceeded down the river five miles when
the boat blew up and he was numbered
with the lost.