The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-10-27

But for this l should never have un-
dertaken his defense in this last case,
my best feelings were SO against him
not that / was an migrate, but because
/ believed that he ha1 murdered his
wife.
twas claimed by their closest friends
that he loved her the first few years of
their united life, though 1 never be-
lieved this-it seemed such a manifest
impossibility.
Being entirely in his confidence, he
often came to my Office, pallid and
trembling, to tell me of some new vul-
gar violence Of hers, which had driven
him to the last extremity Of despera-
tion.
And SO, one morning, when Mrs.
Duke was found dead with an ugly
stab through her heart, her husband
standing over her with a reelSing knife
in hand. l naturally believed that he
had killed her.
He was in a state Of wild excitement
when l entered the sheriff's Office, in
answer to his summons. Until that
moment, no one had succeeded in get
ting word out of him about the mat
ter
What does it all mean?" asked,
when we were alone.
Il don't know" he gasped 81 don't
know whether it was I who killed her
or not But 1 don't want to die |
mustn't be allowed to die. You must
defend me-you must save me-
room had attracted the buffers atten-
ton on the morning of the murder.
On entering he saw Mr.. Duke rising up,
knife in hand, from the PROSTATE BODY
of his wife, as if he had just stabbed
her.
Mr. Duke was found guilty and SEN
+enced to death. He was to be hanged
in forty-five days Reopening case at
that time was not the easy thing it is
now, and l found it impossible to get
him a new trial
On and on those grace days swept
seemingly with lightning swiftness,
until the time set for the execution
was but fifty hours off. l was desper-
ate, Duke was frantic.
You must go to the governor" he
cried, at length. You must get a
pardon for me-"
''Impossible!' I answered. There
isn't enough time"
Yes there is This is Wednesday
morning and I'm not to hang until
Friday noon. The train goes in ar
hour. If You leave here at once yoy
can make the trip and get back here in
time" (
But on what pretext? Simply see
ing the governor viii do no good. l."
You must think of a pretext on the !
way. Don't stay here and talk You
are wasting time and my life must be
saved. Do go at once"
Detected and reckless, scarcely know
ing what l was about, I clam bered
on board the train at the last moment
and went whirling away toward the
governor, bent on a wild. mad purpose.
which / knew could only prove entire
II fruitless.
When the station next to my desti-
nation was reached a woman came on
board who instantly pounccd on me
and kissed me. II wss my niece
What under the sun is the matter
with you?" she demanded
When l told her Of poor Dukes pre-
licanent her face became very grave.
but the moment she discovered nv
business with the governor it bright
.ned
How very fortunater she exclaimed,
'lapping her hands gleefully.
what" / demanded. nearly stupe-
led with auazez,ent-
Leave 1t all to me-" she said. "and I
viii save your friend No-Tm net
'razy. Listen! Last night the gov
.rnor proposed TO me. Of course I lore
lim dearly. and so l refused to givA
,in an answer. I'll promise 70 MARI,
lin on the condition that he parc,ors
,oor old Duke.
She was as good as her word, and six
ours later / was on board another
rain homeward bound and in mr.
'ocket was reprieve for Dnke-she /
ase against him being so strong that
he governor deemed fall pardon i'm
'oiitic then. The r-prieve granted him
mother three months. though. and BIZ
lat time popular sentiment was likely
o cool down sufficiently 70 make par
on feasible
Nothing disturbed my SUM bers until