The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-06-01

one on each side OF pillar, and very
close to IL. They were In the form OF q
tiny horseshoe, with the toe toward the
edge OF the piazza, as IL some diminutive
pony had left his tracks impressed upon
the soft pine floor. 1t might have been
doneby children at play; but that was
not likely, for could find but the two.
| To me they seemed like the dints made
by plates on the heels Of shoes to prevent
their "running down." They were in
the very spots where mans heels would
strike II he should slide rapidly down the
pillar from the floor above. To be more
certain, told Hetty to go into her room
an6listen. then went up to Mr.. Win
throp's room and stepped out on the
piazza. Swinging over the edge, clasped
a pillar and slid down, striking sharply
on my heels. They made impressions In
the same relative positions on the foor,
and Hetty ayowed that $50 de Lawd, dat
was jis' sich n Use as she'd done heard
de night ole massa was killed."
This might prove TO be clue. Now II
could find the man who made those
tracks. informed the detectives OF my
theory, but they considered 1t worthless.
The time passed rapidly for me, and the
day before the one set for Mats trial ar
rived without any further discovery. On
that day went to the village to make
some final arrangements for the trial.
had decided to do my best to have the
case continued, in the hope OF finding
some further clew 10 the real murderer;
but public feeling was so strong against
Nat that l was morally certain Of re-
fusal.
A man was that day being tried for bur-
/ nl nd ham fitaia ha h.agi
which had brought me TO town, i went
up to the courtroom to hear the trial.
The preliminary sparring had come to
an end, the jury had been sworn and the
prosecuting attorney was just beginning
to state his case when entered. / learned
from his statement that on the very night
of the tragedy at Winthrop Place a hole
had been cut in the door of the village
store, the door had been unbolted and all
the valuables stolen. Nearly S200 was
taken, together with several revolvers,
some cheap jewelry and other articles.
| The crime las committed at or near the
hour of the murder of Mr.. Winthrop, for
the storekeeper remained until nearly
midnight, and the deed was discovered
| by watchman shortly after one. The
evidence was purely circumstantial, but
unless the prisoner could prove an alibi it
looked dark for him, IL the prosecutor
could prove all he stated.
watched the prisoner narrowly during
the statement Of the case, and was struck
by the attention with which he listened.
A hardened criminal, as his appearance
indicated him to be, seldom manifests
any interest in the proceedings against
him, but he paid as close attention as il
this was the first account he had had of
it. He listened with intense interest to
the story of the burglary-the boring of a
hole in the door, the saving out of cir
cular piece of the door, the insertion of
the hand, the pushing back of the two
bolts, and all the details OF the crime.
He was q very large man, with immense
hands and feet, which were apparently as
much IN his way as are those of bashfut
schoolboy. / was much impressed with
the muscular appearance of his great,
brawny hands, as he moved them rest
lessly about. They seemed to be just
healing from recently inflicted wounds.
His eyes, shining like those of a beast be-
meath tangle of bushy eyebrows, had in
them the peculiar, era look Of man
who is deceiving his fellows and is greatly
pleased thereat. Breathlessly he listened
until the statement was made, when he
electrified the whole courtroom by rising
slowly and addressing the court:
| "May't please tn court, we might as
we'll cheese tn racket an save trouble.
Pm th' bloke as pulled tn shanty."
His counsel was Mortified, but the Judge
asked sternly:
DO you enter a plea Of guiltyf"
| "You've said FER, jedge. Pm tn cove
as done it,"
In spite of this confession, his eyes
seemed to me to gleam with secret salts
faction; and there played about his mouth
smile which, thought, had in it q
touch of pity for the stupidity of man
kind in general and of this court in par
ticular.
The court asked numerous questions as
to the motive OF the deed, the manner of
performing 1t, and whether he had had
any accomplices. To all these he replied,
with the same sly twinkle Of crafty satis-
faction in his eyes-or, at least, so
thought. He needed money to go to New
Jersey to see his wife; he had not had an
accomplice; he had done just as the law
yer had said cut hole in the door, in
serted his hand, shot back the bolts, and
entered. His sentence was deferred un-
| til the close of the term, when all the sem
tences would be announced. The specta-
tors filed out of the courtroom and down
the street, not few commenting, in my
hearing, on the case to be tried on the
morrow. The prisoner was led back to
his cell.
As I passed the store which Dix had
! robbed, curiosity prompted me to stop
and take look at the scene. Mechanic
ally pushed my hand through the hole
where the thief had thrust his on that
eventful night. AS / did so, a thought
struck me-a thought so novel, so strange,
so exciting, that l could not have been
more agitated IL the bolts touched had
been heavily charged with electricity.
Like an insane man, as verify believe
some of the people thought me, I rushed
back to the temple Of justice. When I
again emerged, there was in the hands
of the sheriff subpoena, calling upon the
authorities to produce one Samuel Dix
az n witness in the case OF State VS.. Ford
on the 25th day OF June, 1877.
Not wink did | sleep that night. but