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

FRIDAY. JULY 2a. 1892.
a Fatal NIisfit.


quaint little town OF Huckeburg to
the old-timc city Of Hnmelin, known
to all men as the home of the ia
nous piper who took the children
with him to fairy land over the
Klut- Berg.
1t was a good month befors the
regular tourist season began, and
so | had the "Guest Houses"-to
use the good old German word-to
myself ut the different villages at
which stopped on my way through
the hill-country of the Deister.
l had just settled myself down to
supper IN the. guest cham Der of the
best-looklng inn IN one Of these pla-
COS, when tho door opened, and a
well-built, fair young fellow, clad
IN gray tweeds, AMI with KNAPP sack
on back, and stick in hand walked
in and glanced round the room.
lie was followed moment after
by the host, and at once proceeded,
with an Englishman's usual disre-
gard OF the confusion Of tongues,
to order his supper in excellent, un-
diluted English, tho host replying
in German.
l, OF course, took the liberty Of
introducing myself, and disentang-
ling the verbal muddle.
This done, / invited the new
conner to cup with me, and SO be-
gan companionship which lasted
till the end of my trip.
My acquaintance was a young
arrister who had started out OH a
walking tour with friend who had
undertaken to act as interpreter,
but who had been called back to
England the day before on urgent
business.
When VIC started on our way the
next morning, having exchanged
personal particulars over night,
turned the conversation on TO law
and crime in the not objectionable
hope OF getting something ont Of a
lawyer for nothing.
= What / wanted was story by tho
wayeide, and so proposed that we
should exchange yarns, he leading
of with the story of his most curl
GUS cxpcrie CO.
lie agreed, aud this is how he
kept his part OF the contract.
"My own practice such as it is,
is conGne to the common law, but
l have had one or minal case, and
that was ab.ns rs singular an affair
as any Old Bailey counsel coull
well have come across.
at WAS about four years ago,
now, aud briefs were few and far
between with me then. | had had
no case for nearly month, and
was sitting one afternoon in my
chamber wondering when the next
brief WIS going to turn up, when a
telegram came in and sent ne fly
ing of home as fast as a hanson
could carry me The wire was FROM
my old schoolfellow, and one OF the
few real frionds that had 30 far
crossed my path.
The words OF the message we're
81 have been arrested for MUIR
der. Come at once"
''The address was Exeter ial. I
just caught the 3 O'Clock express
from Paddington, and by half-past
seven was listening TO my friends
story in the cell. The crime of
which be was accused was even
worse than murder, for his own faith
er was tho victim.
"The particulars he gave mo were
terribly bald, aud to anyone but an
old friend they would have been
anything but conducive TO a belief
in his innocence.
"The night before he had gone
out for n long walk, according to a
habit OF his, with which | was we'll
acquainted, and had got home be-
tween eleven and twelve. Not
feeling inclined to 60 to bed. no
went upstairs to tho library to get n
book, and on his way passed the
open door of his fathers study.
The old gentleman was sitting at
bis table as he passed, and wished
him Good night, thinking he was
going to bed.
Gle remained for about an hour
in the library and, as nc pasfod
the study door on his way to bed,
nc noticed that it was shut. and the
light was out. lie had heard MOTH
ing unusual during the time no was
in the library.
"Ihe next morning the house
keeper reused him about seven, and
Mortified him by telling him that
his father had been found dead in
his library chair. A doctor was at
once sent for, and very brief ex-
animation OF the body convinced
him that there had been foul play
and that the old gentleman bad
been stranglcd from behind rs he
sat at his table writing. The strang-
ling bad been dono with a silk
handkerchief which lay beside the
body whom the crime was discover
ed, and that handkerchief boro my
friend Fred's initial in the corner.
lie at once said that he remom-
bered leaving IL in the study the
day before, and to him it was clear
that the assassin Lad found it, and
used it as tho most silent and eaec-