Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-07-29

Lacey, anu unueTneatn, -On Duslness
connected with the late George Weather
crafts estate" He was Just acquainted
with Mr.. Lacey and knew him to be a
very old friend of his deceased client,
but he was at loss to divine the reason
of his visit. The lawyer rose as his
visitor entered, and motioning him TO a
chair asked how he could serve him, TO
which Mr.. Lacey replied by producing
packet from his pocket and laying it
on the table in front of Mr.. Fogey.
Then he sat down and began:
MIR Fogey," he said, II have come
here to-day in obedience to request of
poor dear Weathercraft. There is a
packet which he gave me some six
months or more before he was murdered.
asking me to give it to you or your sue
cessor exactly six months after his DEATH
The time is up to-day, and here am"
The lawyer took the packet. 1t was a
tolerably thick one, inclosed in long
business envelope. He turned it over in
his hand and then remarked:
81 am not sure, Mr. Lacey, whether in
view of his strange and sudden end you
should not have had this examined
before"
Probably you are right, from legal
point of VIEW" replied his visitor, "but
! promised, you see, and didn't see any
reason in the manner of his death for
breaking my promise. If it had been
suicide, now, it might have been differ.
ent, but as it was thought | had better
wait"
"Well, l suppose you are right from
your point of view" said Mr.. Fogev, as
he slit the envelope methodically along
the top edge and opened the package. 1t
contained a foolscap wrapper around ten
United States notes, each for 81. 600 He
counted the notes and laying them down
opened the paper and read without COM
ment, while Mr. Lacey listened in silent
attention.
16 WASHINGTON AVENUE, April 26. 18-.
DEAR.FoGEY: l must begin by apol-
ogizing for committing the letter to La
cey's charge rather than to yours, as
might have seemed more natural, but |
have thought that as lawyer you might
feel it your duty to make its contents
known before the appointed time. At all
events, you would have found yourself in
trying and difficult position. BY obey
ing me you would possibly, as a lawyer,
incur censure; by opening the letter be-
fore the time you would defeat all my
plans and hopes, so shall hand this to
Lacey in trust for you and beg you to
forgive me.
| am confident when you read this /
shall have been dead six months, muir
dereG-for so the law has doubtless did
cided-Dy old James. my butler, with a
skewer, part of the silver committed to
his charge.
There will not have been wanting
abundant evidence legally conclusive
against my murderer or even motive for
his deed; | may therefore suppose that
by the time you read this he has been
condemned and sentenced, but not ex-
ecuted, since the law requires an inter
val between sentence and execution.
The legacy left him in my will, besides
supplying possible motive for his crime
and enhancing its Nervousness, has prob.
ably furnished him means for proper de
Tense on his trial Yet. in spite of this,
he has been convicted and sentenced. Is
it not sol
And now to explain everything, to
make the dark clear and the crooked
straight.
On the 10Th of November last ! com
mtted suicide. having previously ar
ranged that everything should point
clearly to the guilt of James, my butler.
| secreted the skewer, | sharpened it
with a file and placed the file in Thomp-
sons room. | stained his coverlet with
blood, my blood for it came from a cut
on my finger. hid my purse in his
chimney, and finally, on the night of
November 10Th committed suicide by
stabbing myself to the heart.
And now | give my reasons
In taking my own life | have doubtless
committed a crime against the laws of
God and tie State, but believe that the
life of one man is of little value when
weighed against even possible good to
the community. If my death fulis the
object | have in view then my life has
been well sacrificed; and even if it fails,
the intention will absolve me.
Next | have inflicted great anguish of
mind on an Innocent and virtuous old
man; but here again the agony, even if
it run to martyrdom of one, must be
weighed against the benefit of the many.
For James Thompson himself | have en-
deavored to supply consolation, if not
compensation, in my legacy of $40, 900
and the supplementary sum of $4,000
which / enclose herewith. May he un-
derstand and forgive me.
Perhaps even now you scarcely under
stand what hope to have accomplished
by my death. but will endeavor to ex-
plain. You have heard me speak, you
have perhaps read my written words on
the use of circumstantial evidence.
am convinced that so long rs men are
done to death on indirect evidence so
long must the constant possibility of
judicial murder lie heavy on the con
science of the nation By my death and
Ihompson's conviction hope to awaken
the public conscience to sense of its
shameful burden. If | am successful,
then all has been done well.
Here IS an innocent old man sentenced
to death on circumstantial evidence of
the clearest description, aud but for this
letter his sentence would eventually be
executed.
All that | have done To fix my death