Telegram-herald., 1891-03-22
A CLOSE CALL.
R6nantic Story OF an Innocent
Mans Escape from Death


Mans Escape from Death
Psf twenty years Hamilton Duke
WIZ Thy client In fact, IL was to him
tEss owed not only a competent fort
GRe, but nay position In society.
Bas for this | should never have
6fsAertaken his defense in this last case,
t4f Best feelings were so against him
fses that [ Was an migrate. but because
believed that no had murdered his
wis.
Many things compelled my drawing
edsh a conclusion
lie was well-bred, refined and Gull
SsYed, while she was of common stock.
She generalization OF ignorance and
iswsbfeeding. For ten years he was
III of ehiyairy and tenderness 10 her
tAas q Lofty nature could be. while she
was always sullen, norosc. dissatisfied
u was claimed by their closest friends
&h2s Re loved her the first few years OF
9hsis united life. though / never be-
1leved this--it Was such . manifest i'm
possibility
ABy way, he hated her cordially when
6sR iife came - It's tragic Close, and so
Ae hsd tor D considerable period prior
% tAat event.
Being entirely In his confidence he
0SteA eiiine To my officc. pallid and
87ekibling. TO tell me some new vulgar
vieiefSs Of hers which had driven him
Nearly to tho last extremity OF despera-
ti0ns
And 50 one morning when Mrs. Duke
WuB found dead with an ugly stab
thgH9h her heart. her husband stand
he over her with a rocking knife in
hsad. naturally believed that he had
Mild her.
Later on. when saw him, my sus-
DlGl0lis Sc emed confirmed
lie WA Ia state Of wild excitement
when I entered tho shcrifrs Office in an
'GwsF % his summons
Until that moment no one had sue
epededsd Ia getting word out of him
about The murder.
'fWhst does is oil mean7" asked,
when We were Alone
II don't know" he gasped. 81 don't
know whether IL was I who killed her
% not But I don't want % die I
@ustr's be allowed to die. You must
dsfcnd me--you must save me"
ThosEh pitied him I believed HIM
Guiisy. and though I defended him
1slt that be rnerited death.
Hut my efforts were vain ones The
evidence against him was TOO con-
ciusivc.
An unusual noise In Mrs Dukes
SOON had attracted the buffers ssten-
tiou the morning Of the murder. On
sutering he saw Mr.. Duke rising up.
knife In hand. from the PROSTATE body
Of his vile. - IL ne had Just stabbed
her.
That and the fact that the Dukes had
lnaulged In many bitter qusrrels of late
was enough 10 win . disastrous verdict
from any Jury.
Mr. Duke was found guilty and sent
enced 60 death. lie was To De hanged
n sorty-five days.
Reopeninx case as that time was
noe the easy thing II is now. and
found II impossibls 10 set him q new
TRIAL.
On and on those grace days swept
seemingly with lightning swiftness. UNI
eii the tine ses for the execution was
but City hours of.
4 was desperate: Duke WINS frantic.
srcn must 20 20 the Governor. hs
cried 1t length You must get par
don for me-
"Tnpossible.- I answered. There
isn't enough tir,e."
sYes. thers IL. This y "Wednesday
morning. ard sn not 10 hang until
Friday room The train goes In an
hour. IL you leave here at once. you
ean make The trip and get back here in
time
But On what pretexts Simply see
ing The Governor wiz 10 no good I"
ssYeu u,uss think II preteSt on the
wsy. Dent stay here and talk. lou
Ere wasting time and my life must be
saved DO 60 ut once
He was IN such a wrought-up state
That there vas no as- arguing with him,
and SD went away. walking sbons the
streets IN sheer bewftferrneut
Ry hind chance went 80 the railway
sfssson. arriving inst ss The train rolled
b. Dejeetsd and reckless. scarcely
knowing what was about | clsrnhered
On hosri A. the isss moment and went
vhsriinx away toward the Governors.
heat On . Wild. nai purpose. witch
~~en knew could only prove entirely
frrtiesa
When ske sss*fcn next ~ nv s-ssfns-
Arm vas reached. . woman came On
bo~r-i. who Instantly bounced On me
ard KISSED me.
II vas my niece
~vnst unsier The sun T. the matter
mf<h ycoss she dssnsod-d
When sz,fd her ~ per- Dukes pre-
afrsrn>nt her fzcr became very xrave.
but the r,asnenx she discovered ny
tsssn=se with the Governor IL Bright
ecei- n