Passaic City record., 1893-01-28

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and came to
miserable end.
For several minutes nc one spoke. A
last, the lawyer said:
q ssGold is worse than an enchanter; /!
is demon. As you said, judge, men
will sell their very souls for its posses
sion. If any one of us could be given
the power of seeing all the passions and
motives of men laid bare, it would drive
him crazy in day. If what men con.
ceal could be opened to the light, how
men would recoil from their own doings
It is only by concealment that the petty,
the mean, the dishonest can be satisfied
with themselves"
EtsVery true," said the judge, still in
clined to be silent.
Another spell of musing, which was
broken by the lawyer. s'I once had a
queer experience in my own practice, in
fact as odd case as ever knew. One
of my first clients ih New York was a
wealthy, retired merchant, named Ber-
trand. He lived very simply, alone ex-
cept for his housekeeper, In retired,
but very respectable part of the city. He
had a nephew, Frank Bertrand, broth
er's son, whom he regarded as scape-
grace, and with whom he was not at all
on good terms.
$ ssFrank seemed to me to be modest,
sensible sort of fellow, and I wondered
at the old mans feeling towards him,
when he was the only relative he had in
the world. My curiosity aroused, pom
dered the matter somewhat, and came to
the conclusion that the fault was the old
mans, not Franks. He was rather high
spirited and wilful about making his
own way in the world and doing as he
pleased with himself, instead of allowing
his rich uncle to dictate what he should
do. This seemed to be the extent of
his offence, so far as I could learn. The
old man was testy and choleric, and
childish about having his own way Ia
family trait, guess), and not only for
bade the nephew the house, but required
me to make his will, cutting Frank off
with only very Insignificant sum. All
the rest of his large property he gave to
his housekeeper, because, as he said, she
had been kind to him, and would take
care of him as long as he lived. talked
with Frank about this disposition of the
property and advised him not to throw
away such a chance but to attempt a
reconciliation with his uncle, so he might
change his will. The young fellow was
obdurate and would promise nothing.
He was an artist and his whole soul was
in his work. This his uncle detested
more than all else as species of vaga-
bondism he could never tolerate. No
reconciliation was possible while this re-
manned, and could not help admiring
the boys energy and spirit when he de-
clared he would not give up his profes-
sion for all the fortunes in New York.
He said he had no ill will against his
uncle, his property was his own to do
with as he pleased;. he spoke pleasantly
of his uncle's peculiar notions, his tenn
per and his weaknesses, and mentioned
the housekeeper kindly as one who had
treated him well. AS he left my Office ]
said to myself, We'll, Frank Bertrand,
you deserve a fortune if you don't get
one. A man has reason to be proud of
such a nephew as you.'
ssNot a month after that interview
word was brought me that Mr.. Bertrand
had been found murdered in his library.
I summoned the best detective / knew
of and FASTENED to the spot. An en-
trance had been made through the or
dinary passages of the house, as there
was no breaking. The victim had been
struck from behind as hesat in his chair.
The instrument used was heavy one
the skull had been crushed and death
was instantaneous. At first we thought moi
thing in the room had been touched
but the housekeeper called my attention
to the fact that nugget Of gold which
remained attached to piece of its quartz
matrix, the single geological specimen
and curio which adorned the library,
was missing, as well as the little velvet
lined box in which it had rested. Every
thing else was in its usual place as il
nothing had happened there. This was
our only clue, and to my astonishrnen
and dismay it speedily led to the arres
Of Frank Bertrand as the murderer.
81 had formed so good an opinion o
the boy, and his manliness seemed SO Ger
tain, that found it hard to believe tina
he was even accused of numbering hi
uncle. That he was guilty was to m.
mind beyond the bounds Of probability