Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-08-05
A LAWYERS STORY.

case OF circumstantial evidence in my
practice was that of Nat Ford. 1t
occurred when was a much younger
man than l now am. In fact l had
never had criminal case. and was
beginning to wonder II ever should
have one. when received the follow
ing telegram:
Il am arrested on charge OF MUIR
der. You must defend me. Come at
once. NAT"
Nat Ford had been my friend from
boyhood. Left an orphan at an early
age, he had been adopted by bach
elor uncle who was said to be very
wealthy.
In response to my telegram that l
would arrive on the next train. l was
met at the station by old Aleck. the
coachman. with the Winthrop car
riaga He greeted me very sorrow
fully.
l had expected to find Nat looking
worried. but l was not prepared to
meet the haggardL wild-eyed man
whom found in a cell at the Jail
when l ran down there after supper
We had long conversation. but
could learn little OF Importance Nat
had zone to the library for book
about midnight or little later on the
night OF the tragedy. He saw his
uncle writing in his room as he passed
the door. After spending some time
In selecting book. he returned with
1t to his own apartment; and. notic-
ing as he passed that the door was
closed and the light extinguished
supposed that his uncle had retired.
The deed must have been done while
he was in the library.
At the inquest it had been shown
that the old man had been strangled
In his chair by some one who sell ed
him from behind. There were no
marks OF violence except the livid
fingerprints on his throat and no sign
of any struggle.
But the most damaging testimony
against Nat was the discovery OF his
scarfpin. which had dropped down
the collar of his uncle's coat and was
found by the coroner. This. it was
argued. could not have occurred unless
Nat had stood behind Mr. Winthrop
in the position one must necessarily
take to commit such a deed.
The safe door was standing a ar;
all the money and papers were miss
ing. The drawers of the desk, too
had been rifled.
This was bad enough. but l
questioned the servants
. Old Hetty. whose room was on the
first floor beneath Mr. Winthrop's was
awakened some time in the night by a
sound as OF weight falling on the
piazza without But sho had no idea
what time it was. and the noise might
or might not have bad any bearing on
the crime.
Court was at that time in session,
and Mats case was set for Friday Of
the following week. During the days
that followed l worked as no man
ever worked before to find some clew
to the murderer. There were not
wanting detectives to ply their skill.
but all in vain. Nat passed the time
in sort of stupor seemingly too be-
numbed to realize the awful turn things
were taking.
Hoping against hope that the sound
Hetty had heard had had some con-
nect'on with the deed | looked for
the twentieth time for some indication
OF its cause. Every inch OF the piazza
floor near her room l went over and
was at last rewarded by finding a very
slight clew-very slight indeed but
in darkness su h rs mine 1t seemed a
ray Of light On the piazza floor dis
covered two curious little indentations
one Oh each side OF pillar and very
close to it. They were in the form OF
tiny horseshoe. with the toe toward
the edge OF the piazza as II some di.
minutive pony had left his tracks i'm.
pressed upon the soft pine floor. II
might have been done by children a,
play; but that was not likely for
could find but the two To me they
seemed like the dints made by plate;
on tho heels Of shoes to prevent their
running down." They we're in the
very spots where a mans heels would
strike il he should slide rapidly down
the pillar from the floor above.
This might prove to be a clew.
! Now If could find the man who made
|
tives OF my theory, but they considered
1t worthless
The time passed rapidly for me. and
the day before the one set for Mats
trial arrived without any further dis.
covery. On that day / went to the
village TO make. some final arrange
ments for the trial / bad decided tc
do my best to have the case continued,
in the hope OF finding some further
clew to the real murderer; but public
feeling was SO strong against Nat tina
l was morally certain OF a refusal
A man was that day being tried fol
burglary and having finished tn,
business which had brought me t.
town. l went up to the courtroom t,
hear the trial.
Tho preliminary sparring had COM
to an end. the jury had been sworl
and the prosecuting attorney was us
beginning to state his case when
entered. Learned from his statemen
that on the very night OF the TRACED
at Winthrop Place q hole had beef
cut in the door OF the village store
the doors had been unbolted and al
the valuables stolen. Nearly 500
was taken together with severa
revolvera. some cheap .ewelry an
other articles The crime was com
mitted at o, near the hour OF tn
murder OF Mr.. Winthrop for tn
storekeeper remained until nearl
midnight and the deed was dis
covered by Waterman shortly afte
one. Tho evidence was purely cir