Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-05-13
a TERRIBLE TEN MINUTES.

1t happened one afternoon during
| the month of November, that | re-
ceived telegram calling for my pres
ence in London early the next morn
ing on important b,siness. To such
summons there was but one answer
possible; so with just a regretful
thought for Il card party l should
have to forgeo, | wired this reply:
Mr.. J. Devon. Anderson Hotel,
London. | leave Burtown by the
twelve tonight, and will call on you
to morrow morning at about eight.
Knightly.o
Having dispatched my message, l
finished up the days work with all
speed, and then returned to my lodg-
ings to make the preparations for my
journey.
The remainder of the evening was
spent in skimmering over the morn
ing paper, wherein | found little to
interest me- In disgust | flung the
thing on the floor. 1t alighted at a
graceful angle, on whose apex ap-
peared the heading, conspicuous as
loaded type could make it: Shock
ing wife murder in Burtown-arrest
of the murderer
With mental apology to the pub
fishers for injustice | had done them
as caterers to the public craving for
horrors, l picked up the paper and
proceeded to digest the narrowing
details The gist of the news was as
follows An abandoned rufIian, Chip
pv Watson by name, after the fashion
OF his class, had beaten his wife's skull
with a mallet, in consequence Of some
domestic disagreement.
Having committed the deed, the
man coolly put on his hat and coat,
and was proceeding to depart, when
the neighbors and police, attracted by
the screams of the unfortunate victim,
rushed in and secured him.
This was all, or nearly ali the para
graph contained, except for the usual
information that the prisoner would
be brought before the magistrate
charged with causing the wilful muir
der of his wife
1t was now time for me to start for
the station, which was about two
miles from my lodgings. On reaching
it ! had barely minute to secure my
ticket and seat The only other oc
cupant of the compartment was
young lady, and one of no small beau
ty.
Now, ain shy man as far as the
fair sex is concerned. Among men
have self-possession enough but in
the presence of ladies | am ever i'll at
ease In the presence OF ladies, yes
but here there was but one who would
keep me company for whole hour,
until we made our first stop. SO, as
contemplated the girl opposite me
from behind my paper, a measure Of
my courage returned, and in the
words Of Mr.. Gilbert, said to myself:
I'll take heart and make fair start
faint heart never won fair lady
81 trust you were not alarmed by
my unceremonious entry p | re
marked, with some inward misgiv-
ings.
For answer quiet stare and slight
contraction OF the pretty mouth, in
dicating that | had no right to speak
to her.
This. to any other male, was themo-
ment for stragetic attack upon the
fair ones scruples ; for me it was the
exact opposite-the moment for flight,
had flight been possible. ! buried my
face behind my newspaper, and in n
few minutes heard, to my relief, cor
responding rustic from the opposite
side Of the carriage, as my pretty
prude followed suit. The sense OF de
feat and disgrace fairly overwhelmed
me for a while; and my eyes wan
dercd over the paper | held in my
hand, seeing but understanding not
what they saw.
At length they lighted upon ia
miiiar name -"Chippy Watson and
their owner recovered his sense and
almost forgot his grief as he read the
following lines The Burtown Muir
der-Escape of the Prisoner. After
detailing the incidents of the hearing
before the magistrates and the re-
mand OF the prisoner, pending the in
quest, the paragraph went on as fol
/ lows:
"On leaving the court, Watson was
conducted between four officers TO the
van. Just a he was stepping in and
when the policemen were endeavor-
ing to keep back the crowd that
pressed around, the prisoner sudden
" snapped his handouts, in some in
explicable manner, broke through the
bystanders and fled down the street.
He was seen to dodge down back
alley, followed by the crowd OF sev'
eral hundreds. At the end OF Shut
Lane he disappeared around corner
and strange to say has not been seen
since. There can be no doubt that he
will be recaptured but his present
escape and disappearance are most
mysterious. a reward Of one hun
dred pounds has been offered for his
re-apprehension. Watson is about
five feet nine inches in height, strong
" built, and when he escaped wa
dressed in a gray fustian suit, with 6