The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-04-19

essential. Eugene Scranton knew that
he was murderer In the hustle and
excitement of the day this self convic-
ton was not powerful nor poignant In
the silent watches of the night, how
ever, it became unbearable From the
shadows of his room one face gaZed at
him the face of Alexander Dale. He
arose, dipped a handkerchief in ice
water and placed the refreshing cloth
against the base of his brain. For
few moments he appeared to doze.
The blood that surged upward was
cooled for time, and simple device
seemed about to triumph over the in
sonnia that had driven him well nigh
mad.
1t is not easy, however, to escape the
punishment that follows sin. Eugene
Scranton did not fall asleep. The
blissful Inconsistencies that his crime
tortured nature craved wooed him for
awhile, then fled from him as though
in horror lie was farther from sleep
than before; and again his staring eyes
der Dale.
= An hour had passed, an hour of
agony to Scranton. Twice had he
pressed his revolver against his throb-
bling temple Twice had he realized
that he dared not rush to a fate that
frightened Hamlet and made Cato
pause A man who commits murder
from greed seldom commits suicide
from choice.
At last the strain became unbearable.
Scranton sprang from bed and rushed
to the window.
"Oh, God, / must confess my crime
l must confess! l must contest"
He threw up the sash. A belated
citizen was hurrying hoIneward on the
opposite side of the street. ''Tll call to
him and tell him the awful secret of
my soul," thought Scranton. ''Wait"
The cry startled the silent street and
echoed weirdly through the dismal
night. Alarmed by his voice, Scranton
rushed into the outer room. In the
dim light he saw before him the out
lines of his photograph. Historically
he threw his arms around the machine
and kissed it.
I'm savedp he whispered. "Pll tell
you the history of my fall"
Night after night the fatal cylinder
gave comfort to Eugene Scranton. If
the murderer awoke in the still, dark
hours and the shadow of his crime
crossed his soul, he would stealthily
leave his bedroom and place in effect
i've position the ear pieces of the accus-
ing machine. Then with CHASTITY salts
faction he would listen to the following
repetition of the tale he had told the
sympathetic wax:
Il killed Alexander Dale 1 had
hated him for years. Together we had
concocted a scheme whereby we could
fleece investors who desired to gain a
fortune in the twinkling of an eye. 1t
was my brain that developed the idea
of a western land improvement COM
pany that would not be western, would
own no land, would have nothing to do
with improvements and be company
only in name.
II needed we'll known man to give
his influence and reputation to the
swin1le, and found in Dale colleague
who was weak enough to follow my
guidance, but clever enough to retain
in his grip thorough control over my
life. After months of temptation l
yielded to the voice of the devil and
determined to rid myself of the only
man in the world who stood between
me and success and safety. killed
him cleverly. He had had the utmost
confidence in my uprightness, and
when one evening. after dining with
him at his rooms, he expressed wish
to take me to one Of his clubs pleaded
fatigue, asked permission to finish my
cigar in his drawing room, and saw him
sally forth doomed man.
THE rest was easy. For hours ]
awaited his return When heard his
footsteps OH the stairs concealed my
self behind portiere. After he had
addressed and had fallen into a deer
sleep, plunged dagger into his heart
Oh, it was delicious. | have enjoyed
all the sensations that tempt the
wealthy epicure. There is only one
that fills the soul with perfect ecstasy
that is the bliss that pertains to muir
der"
Here the cylinder made an incoheren
sound and the confession ceased.
Eugene Scranton's valet, John, wa
not genius, but he possessed q good
deal of shrewdness ard fair amour
of common sense From the momen
of its arrival he had been intensely in
terested in what he called 1.-The funny
graph" When his master was away h
spent much of his time in trying t,
make the machine work At first tn
results were not satisfactory, but afte
a week of mental effort he solved tn
problem involved and thereafter en-
joyed himself greatly
Scranton was constantly buying ney
cylinders; sone with operate music
others with banjo solos or recitation
by famous actors. The much uset
cylinder containing his confession b
kept carefully locked in a drawer by
itself, and placed it on the machin,
only at the dead of night. One night
after quieting his conscience by listen
ing to the CHASTITY story of his crime, h
failed to lock the compartment re