The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-07
THE CAPTAINS CRIME.
ONE HOMICIDE THAT WAS DE.
CLARED JUSTIf liable.

Killed Els Wife's Betrayer After
Severely censuring Those Who
Take Life, Even in the Heat of Pas
sion, Party OF Men Listen to a
Pathetic Story of Revenge That
They Are Compelled to Admit Was
Only an Act Of Justice.
From the PAiladeIDAiz Times.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23-We were talking
OF murder from tee hnical point OF view.
and each one of the party had expressed his
opinion except Capt Hudson. The censure
had been pretty severe on the man who
takes another mans life, even In the heat of
passion or the more deliberate manner Of
| dueling. Hudson had said nothing, but his
restless blue eyes searched each Of our faces
as the conversation progressed Finally
there was luil. and Hudson said; Gentle
men. you have just condemned one Of your
number. The expressions you have uttered
have convicted me. although the law held
me guitless. win tell you the story, but
first let me show you this"
Taking from his pocket small ivory
miniature Capt. Hudson passed it around
the group. IL was the portrait Of a woman
about % years of age. She was as beauti-
ful as dream. A wealth of crisp, curly
hair surrounded her Medonna-like face like
halo, and purity and innocence shone
from her eyes. The picture was handed
back and Hudson gazed reverently upon it
Tor moment, then returning 1t to his pocket
and heavlpg sigh ne began. THAT is q
picture of my wife, Shs's dead now and
the story cannot harm her. l had been two
months In command of the P. and o. liner
yxsho ~ l.
my charge her ward, Eva Waldron, who
was then In her 18th year. Well, il was the
| old story, We fell desperately in love and
were married She was my companion in
all my voyages and many hours Of loving
communion did we enjoy under the infiu-
ence OF soft moonlight night in the tropics
ut was on one of these trips that we met
me SERPENT who was to be our destroyer.
| de was about "a and good to look upon In
addition to an utter disregard for conven-
| uonaIties be was well educated, bright and
Witty, always ready with a good story or
| excuse and possessed of beautiful voice.
de took fancy to my wife and was always
at her side during the voyage. We were
both charmed with him, and was as much
| delighted at his preference as my wife was
| was confident her whole heart belonged to
me. and so was he. His name was Hugh
Bennett He told us Of his lands In England,
and entertained us with stories Of his home
hfe A trip to Calcutta for business pup
| poses was the cause of his voyage on that
| occasion. He transacted his affairs and
| concluded in time to catch my steamer
Aome. The return voyage was but repeti-
/ tlon or the other, except that Bennett made
things more lively. He sang, got up enter
tainments and tableaux-in fact used all
| his fascinating endeavors to increase the
| pleasure of the passengers. Our cordial
| invitation to pay us visit was hastily and
gladly accepted by him. We said good
bye, and he passed out Of our existence for
the time being.
| while the steamer was unloading in
London ! received word from the company
that my ship was to take out a cargo of
| powder for some Of the military stations in
India. AS it would not be safe to take any
| passengers with such a dangerous cargo,
another ship had been chartered for that
purpose. My wife begged to go with me,
but she was sensible little woman, and
when / explained the danger, together with
my positive orders to take no passengers,
she ceased. If had taken her with me /
| would not now be telling this story
Capt. Hudson paused for a moment as he
wiped the perspiration from his brow.
when kissed my wife good-by on the
dock that morning." he continued, "she said
that she felt something dreadful was going
to happen. | laughed at her fears, assur-
surfing her of my safe return, after which
we would never be separated again. Gen.
tlemen, you all remember the wreck of the
| Madrids How a FIRE was discovered in her
hold and how the powder was reached9 BY
some strange circumstance l found myself
| clinging to a broken spar. Then l was
picked up by bark bound to South Amer
lea. Fever overcame me there before word
could be sent to my little one at home, and
for months was unconscious in Spanish
hospital.
cit was nearly two years from the time
the Madrid blew up until set foot in Eng
land again. My name had been posted
among the lost ones Of the wreck, and
knew my wife thought me dead. The little
house in the suburbs Of busy London was
reached, but my heart turned to lead as
soon as saw it. It was untidy, the garden
had grown full of rank weeds, and there
was no sign Of life about the cottage 1
knocked at the door, but no one answered
it. Filled with terrible misgivings, hur-
ried to the neighboring house and learned
that Mrs. Hudson had left the cottage
eighteen months before. In spite of my in
quiries, no trace of her could be foud, and
was reluctantly obliged to give up the
search. Then I applied TO the P. and o.
company and was again placed in COM
mand of one OF the new liners.
II think if it had not been for the duties
Of my position l would have killed myself
1
ance of my wife was maddening. She was
gone as completely as if the earth had
opened and swallowed her up. The best
detectives in Scotland Yard were unable to
discover anything further than that she
had left the cottage Ia company with a
young man who had bought tickets at Pad
dington station for Bristol l had made
several trips to Calcutta and had just
reached London after remarkably pros
porous trip. Since assuming command l
lived continually on the steamer. never go
ing ashore except to learn if anything had
been discovered concerning my wife.
"One night / was setting IN my cabin
when the chief officer informed me that
woman insisted on seeing me. Ny heart
gave great bound. 1t seemed as though
knew something was going to De revealed
to me. She was In the main saloon. The
light from the big chandelier fell full on
her face. 1t was my wife; but o, Godi
how changed. Her look was full of despair.
The bright rosy cheeks were gone, and in
their place was the pallor of death. They
were sInksn and wan. The old love-light
was stall in her eyes, but the heavy black
circles underneath spoke of days and nights
of weeping. Her plump, round: figqfe had
likewise disappeared, and she was, igdeed,
an object of pity. There were tears In her,
eyes as we stood looking at each other for
only a few seconds, and then | heard q
strange, wailing cry. She took from under