The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-16

breast: you're killing me. For Gods
shke let mo up. FRA hut n poor old man,
without penny in tho world"
"You lic!" Missed the robbcr, whose
hand was on the misers throat. and as
no spoke he drew long linifo from his
belt.
Don't kill nc! Don't kill mcr' gaspcd
tho niscr. Its under the mattrcss--
all have in tho world. I'm bat a poor
old man. Don't rob mc-don't kill metz
Look where he says, Smith. SEQ il
tho moneys there"
"a bag of it!' cried the other, lifting
tho mattress, land heavy as leadr'
At these words tho man who was
holding tho miscr relaxed his grasp.
FINDING himself free, the old man raised
himself and claspcd tho man who had
lis gold around tho knees.
For Gods sake give me some Of it.''
he pleaded. ~ shall starve to death if
you take it ALI"
"Knock the old devil on tho head,
BILL cried the man. eth DO better to
mako clean job OF it."
The other suited tho action to the
word. blow from the butt OF n pistol
laid the miscr scnseless at his feet.
Then there was the keen flash of steel
L'adc-a red cash across tho wrinlilcd
huoat, and the poor wretch lay dead.
Nov, let's be off," said one. Wen
go to Collins saloon and share tho
money"
mol" cried the other. "Woll divide
1T hero anu go to Collins afterwards"
They did not wait to count it out in
dollars and cents, but halvcd it roughly
for the time. Then, with stoalthy stops,
they descended and passed out into tho
night
Tho familiar form OF the old miscr
was missed Oh the streets for three DAYS
after that. The rag-piclscrs in that
vicinity knew him we'll. The miserable.
drunken tenants OF tho house wherein
he lay dead missed him also, and on the
third day ono OF them sought his room.
The door was open, and there, pcrchcd
near the old mans body. was the parrot
But the intruder started bac, in terror
ut the sight before him and fed down
the stairs and out into tho street
policeman was found to whom the
terrible story was told. Bystanlcrs who
heard it followed him into the house
Tho inmates Of the house, four in
number. were arrested and brought bc-
fore the coroner in that room Of death.
l'ut they knew nothing Of the murder.
one remcn. bcrcd. however, that OIL n
certain night ho heard loud talking in
the old mans room. But he paid no at
tcntlon TO 1t. The miS'r was ALWAYS
talking to himself and the bird scream
ing.
But thcrc was witness to that MUIR
der who was yet to speak
Suddenly tho parrot screamed. and
then the astonishcd listeners heard
these words:
"llclr! Help! Murder"
Take your knees OF my breast!
You're killing me-"
And then
KNOCK the old devil on the head.
Ein!"
And then camo the Glow to al:
We'll so To Collins saloon and share
the money"
And then the bird Jew screaming
from them and hid, as on that terrible
night.
But it had given Il clcw which brought
two rAurdcrcrs to Justice.
Tho man Collins was arrested In his
possession was found the greater por-
ton of tho rAiscr's money. Held as an
accomplish in tho crime, he confessed
That tho men had given him the money
to keep on the night Of the murder lie
gave their names TO the police, and they
wero tracked and captured.
81 must have that bird" said tho
chief of police. lies the best detective
In the country."-F. l.. Stanton, in At
Ninta Constitution.