Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-10-13
[Original.I

story After a moments hesitation
our entertainer resumed his seat and
remarked: ''Wen, gentlemen, my
stocks about run out, and this is not a
good tale to go to bed on, but here
goes:
I'm 1851, my uncle, Benjamin Rich
ley, was tried, found guilty and sem
fenced to thirty years in the peniten-
tiary. The alleged crime was murder;
the victim one of his farm hands.
''Benjamin Richley was a wealthy
farmer, and his farm was located in
what is now suburb of st. Louis. He
was widower with one daughter who
was, so to speak, the apple of the old
mans eye. He had no other relations,
or if he had, did not recognize them.
The old gentleman was known to pos
sess an ungovernable temper when
aroused, and was also noted as being an
honorable, just man.
adjoining the farm lived John
Hiram, who had two sons, one named
John, weakwitted young man, and
Reginald, an older brother, who lived.
it was said. by his wits in the adjoining
city. The younger brother was occa-
slonally employed by my uncle to. do
odd jobs around the farm, and was at
such times a source of unceasing worry
to my energetic uncle, owing to his in
dolent habits.
Reginald, the ne'er-do-wen chap,
fell in love with Lucy Richley, and of
course when the old gentleman heard
of his wooing, he flew into one of his
white heat passions and threw the
young man out Of his house bodily
Naturally, man like Reginald Hiram
would get even evSstually, although no
one ever heard him boast of such d re-
solve.
The following day my uncle, while
passing through the garden, saw John
sitting in fence corner idly cracking
nuts with stone. The irascible gen
tleman again few into a rage, and,
upon receiving an impudent retort.
reached for a hoe lying near by, and in
his blind rage struck him repeatedly
with the iron blade. The man stag
gered back a step or two. uttered
strange cry, then dashed over the fence
and made for the cover of the woods
not far distant.
"A day passed, then week, and
vain search ensued for the missing
John Hiram. No one had seen him since
the day of the trouble, and no one had
witnessed the little scrimmage. My
uncle bitterly repented his foolish pas
sion and personally eXerted strenuous
efforts to find the missing man.
1.-Two weeks had gone and still no
John. What had become of him? The
neighborhood was now thoroughly
aroused; the police were notified, and
an official investigation followed. NV
uncle repeated his story in connection
with the disappearance. Then came
the grand denouement. Reginald Hiram
cane out boldly and declared that Ben
jamin Richley had killed his brother and
buried the body at a certain spot, which
alleged fact he would undertake to
prove. To substantiate this two re-
spectacle men, farmers, who lived two
miles from the Richley farm, swore
that they had seen my uncle digging in
his garden at twelve o'clock on the
night following the day of John Hiram's
disappearance. They were returning
from the city; the moon was shining
brightly and from the highroad they
plainly saw Mr.. Richley digging in his
garden. On his head was the wide
brimmed hat he always wore, together
with the familiar linen buster known to
be inseparable with my uncle The men
swore positively and a grave suspicion
was engendered through their state
ment.
''As for my uncle, he merely laughed
these positive statements to scoroz and
gladly encouraged a thorough search
of his garden which would prove the
fallacy of the foul suspicion.
His suggestion was accepted
promptly, and together with party,
Reginald leading the way, my uncle
repaired to his garden and the search
began.
Point to the spot where you saw
me digging said my uncle.
Right there, SIR answered both