Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-01-29

Mis-. DELAhO MET THEM AT THE DOOR.
| testify that they had seen the weapon
| several times lying on the bureau in
Mr.. Nelasquez's room.
Other witnesses followed, who spoke
| in glowing terms of Anton's character,
and then the Judge commenced to
charge the jury. He told them that the
guilt could not be justly transferred
| from the shoulders of the prisoner to
those of Velasquez on the evidence given
| and made prolonged reference to An
| tons angry talk with Delaro and the
fact that he followed the murdered
man out of the cellars.
The judge was just suggesting the
reasonablcness and probability of Rey-
man having committed the foul deed,
when Percy Lowell, who had been care
fully scrutinizing the stiletto, inter-
ruptcd.
The young fellow had noticed that
the point of the weapon was broken.
Only an extremely small fragment of
the point was missing, but it was large
enough to be noticed. He handed the
dagger to the lawyer for the defense and
drew his attention to the fact The
lawyer understood its purport In mo-
ment.
In rather rude and hasty manner,
but such as the occasion demanded, he
called upon the judge to desist in his
summing up, and asked that further
evidence be taken.
The Judge, who was strictly impair
tial, remarked that in such case it was
hardly possible that SO blunt point
could have penetrated the dead mans
body as deeply as Delaro's wound, but
that this was a matter worthy the ut
most consideration of the jury.
Yes, indeed it is, your honor" said
the lawyer for the defense; but per-
nit me to suggest that measures be at
once taken to find the point of this
weapon before this man Reyman is I'M
justly convicted. The most likely place
to find it would be- in Delaro's body, and
if it is, then there will not be much
doubt as to the identity of the actual
murderer"
1T seems hardly credible that it could
have broken off inside of the body"
suggested the Judge; 1--WE can consult
some professional advice on the mat
ter"
''Then the best man to get that ad-
vice from is Joel Wilcox" was the law
yer's reply.
Let Joel Wilcox be called to the
stand" said the Judge to the usher.
Upon being sworn Wilcox gave his
opinion, as an old blacksmith and as a
man who had worked all kinds of both
iron and steel, hot or cold Said he:
1T the point of the stiletto had not
been properly tempered, it is highly
- IL,
in mans body it would break off,"
Then the body shall be exhumed
and the piece of steel sought for" said
the judge. Whereupon the court ad-
journed until the following day.
That same afternoon the body of
Delaro was exhumed and sure enough,
the piece of steel was found sticking
to the bottom of the left shoulder blade
The doctor produced the fragment
next day in court, and it was found to
fit exactly to the stiletto.
Then the judge completed his charge,
but on vastly different lines, the conse-
quence being that Anton was discharged |
without the jury once having to leave |
their seats.
The crowd cheered him as he went |
out and one of the first men who met |
him was Joel Wilcox.
Anton he said, sit was 1 that
bought the Posada vineyards, and |
hope, my boy, you will go back to your
old place and manage it for me-"
1t was light-hearted and yet sad
party that went back to San Paola that
night, for few of them had yet forgot
ten the memory of their lost friend
And Wilcox, kind old fellow that he
was, went that night to try and console
the desclate widow, and informed her
that he had arranged to render all pos
sible assistance to the detectives in
capturing the murderer.
At the conclusion of the interview, at
which Percy Lowell was present, they
Ill decided to leave San Paola at once
Mrs. Delaro to go to her friends and
Wilcox and his young aide to follow in
he wake of the guilty man.