Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-11-16

| public. / do not remember mentioning
it, but this occurred in India in 1873,
and i have no doubt that some of the
old officers of the old corps of my time
will remember the case.
Private Nolan w as an actor. How he
got the strain In him don't know; but
there was no doubt about it. The
quiet, retiring man in public or on
duty became a rollicking farmer, or a
jovial step dancer, once you got him on
the boards. And as l was stage man
ager l ought to know. Naturally he
had his detractors, and those who were
jealous of his renown.
1t was among those that settled in
my own mind to prosecute my re,
searches apd inquiries first.
A long, loose -limbed Scotchman
named Macdougall was my primary
essay. knew him to be, as are most
OF his race, an intensely jealous indi-
vidual But he did not seem to me to
"it" the position of murderer for such
"a mere trifle as occasional professional
jealousy.
Then, again, there was an Irishman.
He might have loose principles on the
tenure of life and the advisability of
permitting a rival to live to eclipse
his own talents; but / didn't think even
he would go SO far as cold-blooded mur.
der.
short, the more dived into the busi,
ness, the more puzzled became; and,
think, so would anyone else.
Most folks who love their Shakes
peare (and am one) remember that
scene, SO effectively rendered by Irving,
of Hamlet and the players.
determined, finally, to test the diff
ferent men whom 1 suspected by a
similar trick. 1 chose the play of
''The Bells" and cast the man on
whom my suspicious had centered for
the principal role-that of the Jew,
Matthias l insisted on his coming to
my quarters to receive certain hints
and certain stage promptings. He
was quick enough at picking these up,
but try as might-in quiet away
i could discover no trace of guilt in
him.
Time drew on, and Twas still as much
at fault as ever There is particular.
ly thrilling part in 1.-THE Bells" when
the jew, Matthias, is mesmerized, and,
while in state of hypnotic uncon
sciousness, relates the story of his crime
in every detail, thrilling the court with
the intensity and evident veracity OF
his statements l had cast myself fol
the role of the hypnotiAer.
Never once did my Subject" and my
self go through an entire rehearsal ot
our respective parts, and on the night
of the actual representation, when
there was a full-dress rehearsal, l was,
unfortunately tbut very opportunely
for the success of my plot), taken i'll
suddenly and obliged to ask that my
part should be read.
The next night I was quite well
again, and the play proceeded smoothly
enough until the court scene was
reached.
l had keenly observed Macdougall
all along and imagined that the ex
citement and the surroundings gener
ally appeared to have reused him, yet
not so much as to be noticed, except by
close watcher.
His excitement seemed to increase as
"the" scene drew nigh. had spent
good deal of time and trouble over it
with him and thought he had grasped
its perception. He certainly did jus.
tice to my anticipations.
AS he told his ghastly story under
the hypnotic influence he really worked
himself up uncommonly well; and as he
related the actual details of the mur.
der he seemed to put himself actually
In the murderer's place.
He approached the end of his thrill |
ing confession. His eyes were fixed
firmly on my own and 1 was returning
the steady stare as intently.
l noticed slight faltering in his
speech; and as the last word dropped |
from his lips, bent forward still hold
ing his gaze, and whispered sternly |
but in accents too low to be audible to |
the audience
"Murderer!"
With piercing shrek he threw up
his arms and fell to the floor as il |
GA