South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-07-22

attendance.
81 on ght to add that robbery had
evidently been tho motive for the
crime, whoever had committed it.
for the murdered mans writing Ia
BILE drawers had all been forced, and
small safe in the library had been
opened with the key, aud altogeth-
or nearly 81 500 in notes and gold
were missing.
"The following day my friend
was committed for trial sreserving
his Defence AS matter OF fact.
the poor fellow had no defence to
reserve. There was no clue to any
other solution of the mystery than
his guilt, and, worse than all, it
was well known that he had lately
incurred debts which his father had
refused to pay. The only link
lacking in the fatally short chain OF
circumstantial evidence, was the
failure Of the police to trace any of
the stolen money to him. 1t had
apparently vanished into thin air.
This, however, was but small con-
ISOLATION, either to him or to me-.
fThe sessions came on In about
ten days, and during that time l
hardly slept. so necessarily was nv
brain working to discover some clue
that would point away from my
friend, in whose innocence, in spite
OF appearances, | firmly believed.
CAT length, on the day before
the trial, last despairing search
in the library resulted in my find
ing shred Of fustian caught in the
easement OF window opening on
to veranda. In an instant | was
out on the sloping roof, examining
every tile down to the water pipe.
Sticking on to this found another
larger shred of the same fnstian,
and in the pipe itself a horn coat
button.
"Thls was something. Indeed,
it was much. But it was hardly
enough to make defence that
would counterfeit the terrible direct
evidence against the accused. /,
therefore, Kept my discovery to
myself, and thought away harder
than over.
1.-The case before ours was one of
house breaking Curiously enough,
on the very night of the murder, a
diamond pane of glass had been
removed from the window of a
house occupied by an old man re-
puted to be miscr, and tho burg
lar had put his hand through this,
opened the window, and SO entered
the house.
"The accused was big, brawny
fellow, his hands hung over the
edge Of the dock, and / was partic-
u!ar,y struck with their immense
size. To the astonishment of the
court, and the disgust of the solicit
tor retained to defend him, he
brought the case to sudden stop
by pleading guilty. lie got twelve
months, and, as no was leaving the
dock, an idea struck me that
brought my heart into my mouth,
and in an instant, saw my way
clear before me.
"Fred's case came next. The
prosecuting counsel made his open
ing speech and called his wit
nesses. / cross examined none of
them, bpt waited anxiously for the
return Of messenger had sent to
bring me the lead frame of the dia-
mond pane at any prico. The last
witness had just stood down as he
camo and put it into my hand
When rose to begin tho defence, l
astonished everybody in the court
by asking that the last prisoner
should be brought back and placed
in the witness-box. To all objec-
tions ! simply replied
"The life Of my client, and the
clearing up Of this crime, depend
upon what ask bong done"
"At last | got my own way, and
the burglar was brought back. l
only asked him three questions, but
they we're these
''IIow did You open the window
in - street ?''
"By putting my hand through
the pane | took out"
GLOW did you loso that button
of your coat ?"
Coming through hedge fort
night ago"
odd you ever fall of veranda,
and try to save Yourself by catch
ing st the waterspout?"
cat each question tho man grew
whittier and more uncomfortable.
At tho last one he opened his
mouth to speak, but only on indis-
tInct gurglo came forth.
"Then / produced the load frame,
and tho two shrcds Of fustian and
the button, and addressed the court
with them in my hand. This is
something like what I said
"The man in the witness box has
pleaded guilty 20 a crime that he
did not commit, in order to con
oeal his guilt in a far greater one.
lie says that be opened the window
in - street, by putting his hand
through the place he had taken the
pane out OF. Here is the identical
lcaden frame. Let mo 500 him put
his hand through it."
cit was handed M. and IA tho