Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-08-19
KING SOLOMON'S TOMB.

The little fishing village of Rockport. on
the coast Of the stateof NJ, was strange
ly silent and almost deserted 1t was not
that the men were at sea engaged in their
usual nvocation, for their boats were drawn
up In n long line ON the sands and their
nets were drying In the sun All who
could be spared from their homes had that
morning Travelled over the rocky road that
led To Sedgwick, the county town, situated
some miles In the interior They had gone
10 attend trial which was TO take place
in the court, then Ia session.
Part Of those who made this unusual
Journey were subpunacd 70 appear ms wit
uesses, while the others were drawn 10y
natural interest la the case. One OF their
Iowusmen, fellow fisherman. stood
charged with the highest crime known 10
the law. that Of murder And the victim,
while not "A resident OF the village, had
lived near at hand. and was well known To
every man. woman and child in the neigh
borhood.
Yes. Jack Hastings. the bravest, biggest
hearted. handsomest Of the young men u
the village was accused OF taking the life
OF old Jasper Karch Not one Of the fisher
folk but would have ataked life and honor
upon the Innocence OF Hastings, while,
aside from the natural horror inspired by
his violent death little sympathy was felt
for the murdered man
Jasper karch, the miser. Insurer and
grasping landlord, was the evil genius Of
his simple hearted neiEhbors Impelled
by his greed for gain, he schemed and
saved, stinting himself in the nccessarics
OF life, until at the age OF nifty he WAS pre-
maturely aged and decrepit, lie had never
married and having no relatives in the re
gion lived III house fast falling into ruins,
"A. al.
home On the morning Of the day on
which the alleged murder was committed
the two men were seen upon the beach en-
gagged In an angry culloquy The roar Of
the surf and "A stiff breeze that was blow
ing prevented the other fishermen who
were at work upon their nets aud boats
from understanding the subject OF their
conversation But Jack was seen 10 shake
his list In the face OF his companion, aud
was heard To shout, II would drown you
In the scar
A few minutes later both men entered
their boats, sailing away rs u bound upon
common erfand
That evening Jack Hastings returned a.
usual. but the boat OF jasper karch was
cast up empty upon the shore, 4 hole in It's
bottom seeming 70 indicate that AN nnsuc
cersfui effort had been made to sink IL,
The living Jasper karCh never came back
hts body. 1t WAS supposed, lay buried IN
the sea
Il was well known that an Ill feeling ex-
isted between the men
Jack had his little romance PRETTY
Polls Anderson was his brtruthcd wife
and II was the intention for the young
couple to he married before the sprinI
had come again,
Polly. with her yellow hair blue eyes
PINK checks aud 1.-THE figure "A true child
OF the sea kings was tue acknowledged
belle Of the village
One day as shg tripped along the roar
past the house Of Jasper karUh, thai
worthy. leaning on his rlcAety gate. called
out 70 her IN n tone OF malicious banter.
so You are going To marry that beg
gar OF Hastings You'd better take IA,
aud stand the chance Of being left ricl
widow
Polly with crimson checks aud nashnl
eyes. hurried on 10 silence. glad TO escap
from one whom sac both feared and dc
tested 80 heartily
JACK was highly indignant over this IN
suit, addressed ii was To his betrathri
ana himself Nnwiug that on the trst ~
portunIty he would teach the old man
lesson he would never forget
The young fisherman was far too ehiyal
greatly It's senior but instead spoke {
ham IN words that stuug old Jasper into
fearful paruNysm Of rage
The vengeance 81 jasper karrh was pre-
verbal No man crossed his path with in
puutty lie NOW began "A system nf pCrsi
cuuon wdich beullme the source Of untoi
trouble and sorrow 10 the young eoupl
and their friends
Il was believed outside OF the yillas
that, driven to extremity, Jack Hastiug
had destroyed his tormeuter
The accused young man was able 10 rel
der consistent aud highly probable DEM
of the grave charge under which he reSte,
He declared that he had parted in ang,
from Jasper karch that morning. but |
had left him alive aud we'll when within
short distance of the fishing grounds II
unsupported testimony WAS, however. Ii
sufficient TO secure his discharge lie ha
been remAnded To jail. aud this pArticuIs
DAY he was TO stand In peril Of his life al
liberty before a jury OF dis countrymen
half mile 10 the south Of the village
mass Of rocks rose In the form Of eli
high above the sea At its foot In the de,
shadow the waves were churued into taaI
on its summit the sunbeams fell bright al
warm, and the light breeze gently sway
the few hardy plants that sprang from /
thin soil
On the cliff. his head projecting over
edge, lay boy Ills garments were ne
and clean, but Of coarse material, aud hi
seen long service as their threadbare CO
ditiou abuudantly testified
He was. perhaps. Gfteeu years Of age, b
glance at his pale. thin face gave the II
preston that he was Older IN mind aud .
perience than in years
The whole appearance OF the youth
dicated that he was not one Of those "
dweit IN the village aud irew their D
aArlous subsistence from the sea Poor
certainly Wan, but u was tile poverty .
great city that was evidenced In his "a
and manner
This was Frank Bryson. n nephew Of
Jerry Anderson He was torn in Ro
port. but on the death Of his father. vi
be was yet babe his mother had b
driven TO seek livelihood In the cit,
Boston
The boy was not strong aud his mot
had sent him 70 tue old home With the n
that the change OF scene and the hrae
sea air might bring the health which
crowded city had denied him
When Jerry Anderson aud hts fan
started for Sedgwick, Frank was lef,
bind. the fatigue Of 30 long Journey !.
seemed TOO great for his enlsebled
dillon.
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