The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1891-03-18
A CLOSE CALL.
Romantic Story Of an Innocent
Mans Escape from Death.

For twenty years Hamilton Duke
was my client. In fact, it was TO him
that owed not only a competent fort
une, but my position in society.
But for this l should never have
undertaken his defense in this last case,
my best feelings were so against him
not that was an migrate, but because
I believed that he had murdered his
wife.
Many things compelled my drawing
such a conclusion.
He was well-bred, refined and cul-
tured. while she was of common stock,
the personifcation of ignorance and
1ow-breeding. For ten years he was
all of chivalry and tenderness to her
that lofty nature could be. while she
was always sullen. morose, dissatisfied.
1t was claimed by their closest friends
that he loved her the first few years of
their united life. though 1 never be-
1ieved this-it was such manifest i'm
possibility.
Any way, he hated her cordially when
her life came to its tragic close, and so
he had for a considerable period prior
to that event.
Being entirely in his confidence he
often came to my office, pallid and
trembling. to tell me some new vulgar
violence of hers which had driven him
nearly to the last extremity of despera-
ton.
And so one morning when Mrs. Duke
was found dead with an ugly stab
through her heart, her husband stand
ing over her with a reeking knife in
hand. l naturally believed that he had
killed her.
Later on. when saw him, my sus-
picions seemed confirmed.
He was in state of wild excitement
when l entered the sheriff's Office in an
-swer to his summons
Until that moment no one had sue
-ceededed in getting word out of him
about the murder.
What does it all mean?" l asked,
when we We're alone.
Il don't know he gasped. Il don't
know whether it was l who killed her
or not But l don't want to die. 1
mustn't be allowed to die. You must
defend me-you must save me-"
Though l pitied him 1 believed him
guilty, and though / defended him l
felt that he merited death.
But my efforts were vain ones. The
evidence against him was too con-
elusive.
An unusual noise in Mrs. Dukes
room had attracted the buffers atten-
ton the morning of the murder On
entering he saw Nir. Duke rising up.
knife in hand, fl, - the PROSTATE body
of his wife, as if he had just stabbed
her.
That and the fact that the Dukes had
INDUCED in many bitter quarrels of late
was enough to win disastrous verdict
from any jury.
Mr.. Duke was found guilty and sent
enced to death. He was to be hanged
in forty-five days.
Reopening case at that time was
not the easy thing it is now, and 1
found it impossible to get him new
trial
On and on those grace days swept
seemingly with lightning swiftness, I'M
til the time set for the execution was
but fifty hours off.
was desperate: Duke was frantic.
'You must go to the Governor" he
cried at length. You must get par
don for me-
Impossible" I answered. There
isn't enough time"
"Yes, there is. This is Wednesday
morning, and / am not to hang until
FRIDAY noon. The train goes in an
hour. If you leave here at once, you
can make the trip and get back here in
time"
But on what pretext? Simply See
ing the Governor win do no good. II
You must think of a pretext on the
way. Don't STAY here and talk. You
are wasting time and my life must be
> saved. Do go at once"
He was in such wrought-up state
: that there was no use arguing with him.