Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-10-29

but am convinced the man is innocent.
but that for some unknown reason he
would sooner die than talk"
''MaY he not be shielding some one
elsa relative, perhaps?"
81 do not think so, for we have been
unable to find any one who knows him.
He seems to be total stranger"
"What do his associates in the logging
camp have to say?"
"That he walked into camp from the
woods one day, applied for work, was
given it and took his place. He was
evidently inexperienced as an axman,
and was put on duty as an assistant to
the cook"
Show long ago was this?'
'Only month. 1t is supposed that
he had been in hiding in the woods or
perhaps concealed in the cabin of some
friendly negro between the time of the
commission of the crime and that day
upon which he applied for work at the
camp"
The next morning accompanied Mr..
Briggs, the counsel for the defendant,
over to the court house-a dilapidated
old frame building which had once been
whitewashed, as an observer might con-
slude from the mo- tied appearance of its
exterior. About the door was the Gus
tomary crowd of idlers; inside, the
benches full of gaping curiosity seekers.
| Within the bar a few men sat with their
feet on long table, copying the attitude
of the judge, whose dignity of station
was marked by the small raised plat
form on which his chair was placed back
| of smaller table. To be tried in such
a place would give an unwonted horror
to crime, and would technically make
the infiiction of punishment an unusual
snd barbarous distortion of justice.
was still studying the faces of the audi
tors when the case of the Estate versus
Ansil Berner" was called, and the sheriff
entered with his prisoner-the murderer
| of Mime. Armand.
As he came up the aisle l looked at
him, and, my God! it was Jason Brig
ham who was led forward, handcuffed
and disheveled, to take his seat in the
prisoners box. could scarcely believe
that sight was not playing some trick
with sense, that was not the victim of
an absurd and ludicrous hallucination.
But there could be no mistake. Under
the pinched and drawn face, sallow from
exposure in the miasmatic swamps, under
the long disheveled hair, the ragged,
unkept beard of three months growth,
the rough, uncouth clothes, the slothful,
lao,rrol 49, Ho,,orAI, oil I 4,
face and features and the unmistakable
personality of Jason Brigham-the man
without past.
In the tumult of my feelings was
blind to everything else, unconscious of
everything else, and, rising to my feet,
went forward to meet him with hands
extended and his name upon my lips.
''Jason-Jason Brigham"
His eye met mine, but there was no
recognition in it. His face took on a Gu
rious expression of surprise-surprise not
at seeing in an unexpected place one he
had known, but establishment that he
should be mistaken for any one else than
Ansil Berner.
"But don't you know me, Jason?" 1
persisted. "You have not forgotten Gil
man, have your
"You evidently mistake me for some
one you have known" said the man, rails
ing his manacled hands and then letting
them fall again as the steel chains smote
sharply on each other. Il never saw you
before"
"Never saw me before! Why, man,
what new folly is this? You do not mean
to tell me you have forgotten the life we
led together in Memphis
"Some chance resemblance leads you
into error, " was the reply. 81 was never
in Memphis, tho know of the town very
we'll"
eyes, 1 should think you would, re-
torted; ''but, sir, since you do not choose
to recall the past, will not take meas
ures to revive it."
did you know this man?' asked the
judge.
81 knew him very well, your honor"
1 replied. eve were for several months
associated together upon the editorial
staff of the Memphis Avalanche; we
roomed together and were inseparable
friends"
''How long ago was this?"
''Last fall"
''Ahd when did he leave there:"
''In November
''That was impossible, for Nine. Ar
mand was murdered in October"
"Then this man did not kill her, for ]
will take my oath that he was in Mem
phis at that time"
What interest have you in this trial?'
and as he asked the question the judge
looked at me sharply.
81 have no interest except in seeing an !
innocent man preserved from humii-
ating death. 1 came here as the repre-
sentative of the New Orleans Picayune,
without any knowledge of the parties in
interest. Up to the time the prisoner
entered the door had no idea had ever
seen him, but L recognize in him an old
friend, and one who in the nature of
things could not have committed this
crime Of which he is accused"
But the prisoner appears to deny the
said the judge, somewhat
cynically.
"He does, sir, and what his purpose is
in doing so 1 cannot even infer"
"But is their no possibility of your be-
ing mistaken persisted the judge, who
in the lax procedure of his court was not
greatly affected by the sacredness which
was supposed to hedge him in. ''You