Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1894-05-10

ocation, for which the colo mel through
the sergeant was prosecuting Corbett
You're deal too ready with your
fist, Corbett," cried Massy, in tone Of
irritation, a ddressed to Jim, but meant
for the colonel. ''And with your
tongue, too, my man, Suppose any
thing happened the colonel who has no
end of enemies, words like those Just
heard you use would go near to hang
you"
Not more than three days later Mas
sy had good reason TO remember his
ominous words, for the colonel was
found one morning in the barraclk
yard stabbed through his heart He
had evidently been felled from behind
with the butt of rifle, and then
stabbed to the heart with his bayonet
His soldier-servant, whom he always
now took to him with his friend
lillman's, upon the pretext that his
services were required to wait at table
there, but really as an escort, declared
he had been dismissed by the colonel
upon their entering the barrack-yard,
and that he had heard no sound of any
sort, either of a blow, of cry, or Of a
struggle.
AS the colonel was, perhaps, the
most deservcdly unpopular officer in
the entire British army, suspicion
would hardly have attac he'd itself SO
certainly to c orbett but for two damn
ing pieces of circumstantial evidence.
Corbetts bayonet was found not
stained, or SINE ared merely, but dyed
with blood and the colonel's watch
and chain were found corcea led in the
ticking of his bed. Only Lieut.. Massy
declined to consider this evidence con.
elusive against a man who was known
to entertain and to express such mur-
derous feeling towards Col. Steadman
as Jim Corbett. AS, contended the
lieutenant, no murde rer, however un.
nerved, would forget to wipe off such
easily erasible evidence of his crime,
the pr obability was that the real
criminal, in order to divert evidence
from himself to Corbett had both
smeared Jim's bayonet with blood and
thrust the colonels watch into his bed
ticking.
Everyone else, however, argued that
nearly all murderers committed in their
confusion follies of like incriminat-
ing kind, and also that man so pas.
sionate and so feather Drained as Cor
bett would be more than usually likely
to lose his head under the circum-
stances, to the neglect of the most
obvious precautions But Massey was
as little convinced of Jims guilt as
poor Mary Barry, to whom Jim sent
him as a comforter, when the lieuten-
ant asked him was there anything he
could do for him.
"There's my little girl" said poor
Jim, with sob. She'll take it hard,
sir. If you'd see her, and say never
done it, I'd thank ye kindly, yer honor"
And this simple message the lieutenant
carri ed to Mary, indorsing it strongly
with his own assurance of Jim's inno-
cence.
God bless yer honor! God in Heaven
bless ye!' Mary said, when she could
speak at all. Sure Jim wouldn't hurt
fly, barrin' he was in passion. He'd
no more sthrike man from behind in
could blood and thin shtale his watch
than We would yerself, beggin' yer hon.
or's pardon"
OF this, as I say, Massey was con-
vinced himself, but how convince others
of it. and save an innocent man from
the gallows?
Shortly after his return that morning,
from his interview with poor Mary, to
the barricks, rumor ran through all
ranks that Lieut.. Massey had employed
the most lynx-eyed and sagacious Of
detectives to make a minute examina-
tion of the scene of the murder, which
had been guarded from intrusion ever
since the discovery of the body. Hard
ly had this rumor gone the rounds than
it was followed by another to the effect
that most singular and decisive clew
had been found.
What was this clew? 1t ought, OF
course, to have been kept profound
secret, since its disclosure might put
the murderer on his guard; nevcrthe.
less, through the indiscretion of one OF
the sentinels who were set to guard
the scene of the murder, the secret
leaked out 1t seems that on the
ground-which here was unpaved and
sodden with rain-there were foot.
marks - distinct from those of the
colonel-of boot having peculiarities
so singular and decided as, declared
the detective, would alone go long
way to hang it's wearer. Accordingly
the entire regiment was to be paraded
that afternoon In the barrack-yard to
have their boots examined by the de-
tective.
Before that parade came off, how
ever, the murderer was discovered
Lieut.. Massey had given the non-coms.
strict orders to look out for the first
man who attempted to change his
boots, and Simpson, the late colonel's
servant and escort was caught chang
ing those he wore for cast-off pail
which the colonel had given him. The
corporal set to watch, acting according
to his orders, took the boots and
carried them off, apparently for in
spection by the detective; but once
outside the door he laid the boots dowr
and applied his eye to the keyhole
Through it he saw Simpson shove hi:
bed hastily aside, kneel on the floor
and proceed to hammer home with the
handle of a bayonet a nail in loost
board.
Not many minutes later "the de
tective" carrying the boots and ham
mer, and accompanied by Lieut.
Massey and the corporal, entered the
room and proceeded without word t.
start the plank Simpson had just fast
ened down. Under it were found al
l. o. U. of Hillman's and large sum o
money in notes and gold-the colonefi
heavy winnings at play-for which he