Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-05-13
THE TEXAN CHIEF JUSTICES STORY
How an Invalid Husband Revensed thu
Betrayal OF His Home.

The Alamo Plaza in San Antonio !.
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 Mann?'
Now. | had never heard Of Mann, sc
naturally | asked:
What about Mann"
40 be sure! You are a stranger il
this part Of Texas, and this rare bit Of
tragedy has never reached you. Let
us Re seated"
In every well-planned place for rest
and recreation there are seats or rest
ing places. and the plaza is no excep-
ton. The Chief Justice chose n very
comfortable one under banana tree,
aud, after lighting a cigar. continued:
Mann was Postmaster in the little
town OF Mattoon, Ind. He had con-
sumption, and when bis term expired
he came down here 10 San Antonio.
He left his wife and little boy in Indi-
ana OF course 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, il seems.
AT the time was practicing law
One dav Mann came into my office.
had met him before, but had paid but
little attention to him. That day mis-
facs fairly startled me. The poor fell
low was wasted and withered; his eyes
glowed like Goals. and he was yellow
ais saffron. He was so weak it wa,
all he could do to talk above whis.
per.
"'Judge, he said, I'm in trouble
"'Tell me about it,. said.
"'There's a man. he went on. Lives
near me. His name is Chase. and he
runs bricS-yard. He's big fellow
and handsome, not like me-
"When Mann said this he held out
his bony hands and looked Mt them.
They we're 80 thin you could almost
see through them.
"'He's widower He used to come
around my house good deal. and
treated him kindly. Sometimes
would come home and find him there.
He liked my little boy and would trot
him on his knee. | used to do that,
but lately 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 ilamed, and he
said:
.'He fell in love with nv wife, and
they've run off. | am going to kill
him. pray God TO let me live long
enough TO kill him.
"Thcn he was seized with cough.
ing lit, the blood bubbled from his
lips, aad thought he would die then
and there. | poured some whisky
down him, and presently he was bet
ter. advised him to 90 home and let
his wife run of rs often and as far as
she wished.
".Judge.' he said. and his whole
soul was in the words. IN kill him
kill him like dogr With that he
went away.
Several days later I 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. I
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
could almost have forgiven her. Pei
soned herself; aud she was one of the
hest of women, Judge, until she fell.
We'd been married ten years
= y could see he was miserable be-
yond expression and so weak he tot
;ered. He came very near TO rae; his
face almost against mine.
Judge he said, I'm laying for
aim. Killing is too good for him.
with that he broke down, and,
chat with his coughing and strsngling.
same near sinking TO the ground.
called a cab and sen, him home.
That was the last | heard Of him
.or two weeks. Then one morning
iooked at the paper and read in big
ietters: Another Murder! John Mann
Killed William Chase etc. He had
.rep, up to Chase's brick-yard early
,ne morning. He was too weak 10
.arry gun, but he hired Mexican
40 carry IL for him-a big, double bar.
reled shotgun loaded with buckshot-
When Chase came TO work Mann
rested the gun on the fence and shot
him dead.
That's all Of Il. only that they tried
Mann and ] cleared him. Nextday he
lied, and I'm raising his boy. San
Franclisco Argonasi.