The Portland daily press., 1893-06-20
SOME ODD STORIES.

With Custer-The Foolish Habit Of Car
rying Revolver.
copyright. 1893, by American Press Associa-
toni
ut was very mysterious case from first
to last" SO said every one at the time and
SO thinks every one now who is familiar
with the incidents. The moral of the whole
story is that a man may be declared inno-
cent by jury and yet lose caste in the eyes
of the world and suffer more cruelty than
if he had been subjected to the severest PEN
atty of the law.
Frank Leonard and Harry Dixon were
Virginians. They were Of the same age,
and as their fathers plantations joined they
were thrown together from their earliest
recollection, and 80 grew up to be more like
brothers than friends.
Their education was had in the same
school, and SO their friends were not sur
prised when 1t became known that the two
young men were about to go to Jefferson
college, Pennsylvania, to study medicine
together.
Damon and Pythias themselves were not
more warmly attached to each other than
these youths seemed to be, but love, if not
so lasting, is certainly stronger for the time
than friendship.
Unfortunately for themselves, Frank
Leonard and Harry Dixon both fell in love,
and it was with the same fair Quakeress
When the change came about, they had
already been a year at Jefferson college
and were to have graduated in six months.
Up to this time they roomed together, and
there had never been misunderstanding
between them. But unconsciously the
beautiful girl broke the friendship and tore
their lives apart, and thereafter they had
separate rooms and boarding places, and
they did not even recognize each other in
class.
AS with many southern young men at
that time and not few today, the Vir-
ginians had the foolish if not oowardly
habit Of carrying pistols in peaceful COM
munity, where the law was quite able and
ready to protect them.
It may be well to know in this connec-
ton that just before the young men first
started for the medical college Mr. Leon
ard Franks father, bought two Smith &
Wesson pistols of exactly the same make
and caliber in Richmond and gave one to
each of the boys. This served to complicate
matters, as we shall see.
One evening, SO it was shown in evil
dence, Harry Dixon, looking very much
excited, appeared in Frank Leonard's room.
1t was warm summer or rather spring
night, so that the windows and doors were
open, and everything said by the young
man could be distinctly heard by the board
ers on that floor.
1t is supposed that Leonard rose when
Dixon entered, but be that as it may his
salutation was:
well, sir, what brings you here?"
"You do" replied Dixon angrily.
Il didn't send for you"
mo, nor would have come if you had,
unless you sent for me through second,
which you haven't the courage to do"
Missed Dixon.
well, tell me why you've come" said
Leonard, his voice trembling at the taunt,
but still the cooler of the two.
II have come to know why you have not
kept your word"
What word?"
"Your promise that If / did not visit Miss
White you would not"
II never made such a promise"
"But say you did"
81 could not be such fool as to make
such a promise, nor SO little of gentleman
as not to accept the lady's invitation If she
sent me one."
Frank Leonard, Miss White never sent
you an invitation since you and got to
know each other and parted" said Dixon.
"You must not judge Of her treatment of
me by her treatment Of yourself. Here is
a printed invitation to picnic received to-
day, and as it is formal matter violate
no confidence or etiquette in showing it to
you"
in Dixon's voice was distinctly heard by
number of now very much interested people
Then, Like an echo of the last word, shot
rang out, and body was heard to fall to
the floor.
Fearing to go into the room of the angered
Virginian, the police were called by the
boarders.
Fully five minutes elapsed between the
shot and the arrival of two officers. This
is what they found: Harry Dixon lying
dead on the floor with q pistol near his
right hand, and Frank Leonard standing
over him and trying to force water between
the set, purple lips.
"He shot himselfl'' was Leonard's excla,
nation on seeing the officers.
Neither the officers, nor the coroner's
jury, nor the grand jury believed Leon
alo ooo1y. IL VAcy udos uo WOulu uoG
have been sent to Moyamensing prison and
kept there for five months without bail.
But even five months did not much abate
the excitement caused by this shooting.
At the trial, which lasted 10 days, with the
brokenhearted father of the unfortunate
young man in attendance, the courtroom
was packed.
The case was entirely circumstantial.
The talk already recorded was given in evil
dence. The two pistols were found, one in
table drawer of Leonard's room and the
other on the floor beside the dead man,
with one chamber discharged, which the
bullet taken from Dixon's brain exactly
fitted. But then the same might be said
Of any bullet from either pistol
From first to last Leonard maintained
that Dixon shot himself, but the prosecu-
ton tried to show that from the mans
character this was impossible, and they in
sisted that in the five minutes before the
officers came Leonard had changed the
pistols. al>
Public opinion was much divided as to
the guilt or innocence Of the accused man,
and bets yyera freely offered and taken "a