The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-05-13
THE TEXAN CHIEF JUSTICES STORY
How an Invalid Husband Rcvenscd ths
Betrayal of His Homc.

r. NS 49, hsAtSo 'ee -
night, when the electric lights are
ablaze, it is especially attractive.
One evening the Chief Justice and J
were walking across the plaza.
"Do you Know" he said, that mar
we just passed reminds me of Mannp'
Now, | had never heard of Mann, Sc
naturally / asked:
"What about Mann?"
80 be sure! You are n stranger in
this part of Texas, aud this rare bit OF
tragedy has never reached you. Lei
us be seated"
In every wcll-planned place for rest
and recreation there are seats or rest,
ing places. and the plaza is no excep-
ton. The Chief Justice chose u very
comfortable one under a banana tree,
and, after lighting a cigar, continues:
"Mann was Postmaster in the little
town of Nation. Ind. He had con-
sumption, and when his term expired
he came down here to San Antonio.
lie left his wife and little boy in Indi.
ana OF coursc he liked San Antonio
everybody does-and sent for his
family. They lived in a little house
near San Pedo springs, and very hap.
PLY, it seems.
"At the time ] was practicing law;
One day Mann came into my Office. ]
had met him before, but had paid but
little attention to him. That day his
face fairly startled me. The pool fell
low was wasted and withored; his eyes
giowed like Goals, and he was yellow
as saffron. He was SO weak it was
all he could do to talk above a wits.
per.
Judge he said, I'm in trouble
"'Tell me about it, said.
"'Ihere's n man. he went on. lives
near me. His name is Chase, and lie
runs a brick-yard. He's n big fellow
and handsome, not like me-
"When Mann said this he held out
his bony hands and looked at them.
They were so thin you could almost
see through them.
Hes a widower. Hc used to come
around my house a good deal, and ]
treated him kindly. Sometimes 1
would come home and find him there.
He liked my little boy and would trot
him on his knee. i used to do that,
but lately l haven't the strength
"All this time Mann had spoken
slowly and with an effort. Suddenly
his voice grew higher, his cheeks
turned pink, his eyes famed, and he
said:
ale fell in love with my wife, and
they've u off. / am going to kill
him. I pray God to. let me live long
enough to kill him.
"Thcn he was seized with a cough
ing fit, the blood bubbled from his
lips, aad l thought he would die then
and there. / poured some whisky
down him, and presently he was bet
ter. advised him to go home and let
his wife run off as often and US far as
she wished.
Judge he said, and his whole
soul was In the words, .lil Kill! him
kill him liks q dog!! With that he
went away.
Several days later l met him in
the plaza. He was looking more wan
and more meager than ever. But his
eyes were unnaturally bright.
"She came home, Judge he said,
came home day before yesterday. /
was out and when | went back she was
lying on the bed, stark dead. She was
dressed all in white; her wedding
dress. She looked so sad and pitiful I
could almost have forgiven her. Poi
soned herself; and she was one of the
hest Of women, Judge, until she fell.
We'd boon married ton years.
II could see he was miserable be.
You'd expression and so weak he tot
tered. He came very ncar to me; his
lace almost against mine.
Judge he said, I'm laying for
him. Killing is too good for him.
"With that he broke down, aud,
what with his coughing and strangling.
came near sinking to the ground. /
called a cab and sent him home.
"That was the last | heard of him
:or two weeks. Then one morning 1
looked at the paper and read in big
letters: Another Murder! John Mann
Killed William Chase etc. He had
:rcpt up To Chase's brick-yard early
one morning. He was too weak to
:arry a gun, but he hired n Mexican
10 carry it for him-a big, double bar
relied shotgun loaded with buckshot.
When Chase came 10 work Mann
rested the gun on the fence and shot
him dead.
That's all of it, Only that they tried
Mann and l cleared him. Next day he
died, and Tn raising his boy."-San
Francisco A7DonaHt,.