The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-21
AN EYEWITNESS.

upon those of the instrument before him,
so this is the room where but two days
ago the horrible murder YVES committed.
Justice in this case has Travelled quickly.
Arnande Dufot," he continued, turn
ing to young man of some 20 years, who
stood before him pale, but composed, well
gloved and clothed in deepest mourning.
do you still persist in denying the assassi-
nation of your uncle:"
II do, sir
''Yet''-and here the oficialstenographe
bent forward TO his notes while his pencil
commenced its rapid trsvel-''yet II is
known that the late Monsieur Du1lot had
not single personal enemy. You were
among the few. the very few, with whom
he was on terms of intimacy. Ii is sand
that his affection for you was more like
that of a father for a son. NotwithStand-
ing his great wealth he spent but little; a
careful steward of the goods with which
he was endowed. From an inspection Of
his methodically kept accounts it appears
that you drew frequently upon his purse.
We find, on the date of the 10th Of Febru-
airy, this note: To my nephew, 600 francs
for payment of a gambling debt contracted
BY him On the Sth of March occurs:
TO my nephew, $50 francs for payment OF
a gambling debt On the fQth of Septem-
Der we read, l $50 francs for payment of a
gambling debt And SO on.
Il have in my possession memorandum
of the total years expenditure for similar
items. Prior TO this, in order to establish
you in Paris, he had at different times (the
dates are specified advanced the sum of
16O0e francs. His generosity, at least,
heo TO snr llScrpYD Ia
means were provided you to insure your
easy and certain progress in the world, but
evil passions. gambling and other vices led
you to dissipate them all Your uncle was
an old man, close upon his seventeen year,
yet exceptionally vigorous and robust, ex-
perieRcing the benefit of an honest, heal1hy
life. AS for you, man of indOlent habits
and luxurious tastes, hopelessly involved
in debt, with no energy for work, 1t was
but natural that you should eagerly look
forward to his death"
In short" interrupted Armande Dufot,
with a smile, "as his last hour did not
sound, l have with thrust Of my thumb
moved forward the hands of the clock"
The judge, for one moment, looked at
him through the half closed lids of his
small gray eyes.
in this case is but a figure OF speech. The
reality is this: that you have strangled him
with your ten fingers. straugled him with
both your hands. Nay, had you possessed
a third hand you would undoubtedly have
used it, TO make more certain your cruel
purpose. Perhaps yOu would wish me 20
discuss your plea of an alibi. For the
present we will leave it. It's shallOwness
is only too apparent, and l have other
means of proving your guilt. You alone
had an interest, d direct, immediate and
patent interest in your Uncle's death; you
were his sole heir, you who, but Just before
the crime, giving aS security your word of
honor. gambIed for ten thousand francs
and-mark me, Armande Duflot-iost
them
Dufot slightly shrugged his shoulders
and with the same little dlsdainful smile
again Interrupted the judge
''AlI that you have so far said. sir, is
based simply upon presumptions. Let US
reason for one moment. My uncle, you
say, and acknowledge its truth, was close
upon an age when life is, to say the beast,
precarious. st 40 years TO the average
man the grave IS well in view Do you
suppose me capable (since you have been
good enough 20 credit me with some little
intelligence of having, even for a moment,
contemplated a crime which NJ. DutlOt =
age rendered useless and absurd, lou
have reminded me Of a debt which / had
unfortunately contracted Could / not,
by your own showing, have confidently re
lied upon my uncles exceptional kindness
and never failing generosity 70 have Ne
lieved me from that difficulty, even IA he
had relieved me from so many previous
Oness'
"One moment, said the judge. Il will
turn your argument against yourself Yes,
you certainly did hope that NJ DuhOt
would once more lend helping hand and
drag you from the scrspe into which you
had got Yourself | am well aware 81 the
unwritten law which exacts from men Of
hOnoT'-of that honor which even you can
boast of-the payment Of a gambling debt
within tweuty-four hours. You came here
10 find your uncle, you played the role Of
the penItent of the true repeRtant, you
promised him that If he would settle this
debt for you, more urgent than any ot is
many predecessors vOu would renc&IDce
| the gam bling table forever VI Dufot re-
! fused. and absolutely. Then the Thoughts
! flashed across your mind that he alone
/ stood between you and the Ihheritsz1cs q
/ ala mis- wealth and tbs consequent safety ID
| your good name From thls resulted what
| you with delicate irony have called q
/ thrust Of the thumb. "
| STAY. sir,'' erled Duhot impStiently
| '@rhese are mere suppositions, vague ideas.
| You are simply building up sensational
/ romance"
'Indeei?" replied tie judge, making. a,
I he spoke, sign toward the end Of The
! chamber: there - another also vhs has
( a word 70 say, whose tez&IrSCuy VII ~
! worth taxing. You will OWE that hsvs
/ done rny best 70 introduce hlra with DIS
| effect ="
| A folding doer was heard "a opea and "a
/ close again. and the sound Of some va GRIT
/ object being whsesed sloCg The foor- Do
/ fat following rfth hLs eyes TIE direction
| Of the Judges oEtsrreechsd finger Debeld
! the BODY OF his uncle fytag hack IA tbs
/ buRr arm chair ne had been wont - 1se IL
/ r. was KhaStly SIGHT, The bead lad
/ fallen back: the hover j&v has sugAs-. end
/ from the OTen EnoaIa thS s~p15er- black
1 euei tongue projected Ehs s2ffened
/ hands -teusc!ozS et81ched sitnAr Eygn q
| the ehsir. ard seaG4Gh ia fosas Ct a cioa !
/ c0uid - seq vne rigorous outlines u tA'
| legs, extended % slsssv trlAAss isugth- Do
! Ao4 zazed 1xsdIy * the dead BODY. and u
/ A quiet. almost gentle, y0sos sad M
/ poor uncle Thzt g Ezcr4le2sf~ ~ sasy-
I q Es1-pr-ss sr sszr1 - guIf4 vGs q ~ sesr
/ L EIr fzss Eus only "a biz eEss "a eFpras.
( sioE x per.s.~s sAGiae4s au4 rsscTst. After
/ uaOrneat h turned sSsxasd ne fzdssc
q bet~vs tiJss Is vhE1 Ess cnE II leza-
| -=uzs. 2 couTTouJacloo- Tou ara 81 sdvo
/ cstc. ! see. - maestro. Il vS1ek szot5or