Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-01-25

est and respectable. But the boy has
steadily gone on, they say, from bad
to worse, and now he has capped it all
with this crime, which, in willful and
unprovoked brutality, was worthy Of
a criminal hardened by twice his
years and experience.
He and another young blade about
as bad as be is, though this one seems
to have been the one who planned it
and led in the execution, went TO the
house of an old man, who lived alone
a little farther up in the foothills to-
ward the Yosemite valley, and asked
to be allowed to stay all night. The
old man took them in, got supper for
them, made them as comfortable as
he could, and in the night they got
up and murdered him, stole all his
monsy-he had just sold some horses
and cattle to the prisoner father
and were preparing 70 skip the coun-
try and 60 to Australia when they
were arrested.
The thing has not been absolutely
proven on young Hopkins vet, but
the circumstantial evidence is so
plain that even if there is nothing
else don't see how he's going TO es-
cape the rope. I've just heard
rumor, though, that there's to be
some new evidence this afternoon
which will settle the matter without
doubt
The room rapidly filled up, and as
we waited for court TO open the news
paper man pointed out one and
another bale old man whose clear
eyes and fresh skin belied his years,
aud told tales of his daring forty years
before, Of the wealth he had dug from
the earth, aud of the reckless ways III
which he had lost it. And at last
came the prisoner and his father.
The old mans figure was tall, erect,
broad chested aud muscular, and his
bearing proud and reserved.
I'm always half expecting to see
that old man get up the newspaper
nan whispered TO me, fold his arms
across that great chest OF his and say
'Rominus sum, and then proudly lead
his son away"
He must have been sixty years Ola
or more. though he looked twenty
years younger. His dark hair and
beard were only sifted with gray, and
he held himself so erectly and with
such dignity, and all the lines OF MS
countenance expressed such force ana
nobleness Of character, that the sug-
gestion Of his appearance was OF the
strength of middle age.
But the boy was painful contrast.
His eye was shifty, his expression
weak and sensual, and the hard lines
of his face and the Indifference OF his
manner told the story OF man old IN
criminal thoughts il not in years and
deeds. For he looked no more than
twenty-five, and might have been
even younger.
The father sat near him, and al
though they seldom spoke together
be frequently by some small act or
apparently unconscious movement
showed a tenderness and affection for
the wayward son that seemed all the
greater by contrast with his own
proud reserve and the boys hardened
indifference.
The new testimony was brought in.
The Sheriff had set a go between at
work with the prisoners, and with his
aid had secured copies of all the notes
they at once began writing to each
other. In these letters, which were
all produced in court, they had freely
discussed their crime and argued
about the points wherein they had
made mistakes. Young Hopkins had
boosted to the other that they need
not fear conviction because his father
would certainly get them clear, and
they had planned what they would do
after the trial was over, forecasting
with joyful an:icipations a course OF
crime and debauchery.
When the Sheriff began to give this
testimony the old mans hand was
resting affectionately on his sons
shoulder. As it went on laying bare
the utter depravity OF his boys soul,
the muscles of his face quivered lit
tie, aud presently, with Just the sug-
gsstion of fliucniug shudder i'll face
and figure he took his hand awayand
shrauk back little from the young
mau. | had wondered as l watched
him il il was a revelation TO him Of
depTavity in his sons heart OF wulcn
ne had not guessed before.
Then the prosecution asked Tor
few minutes recess, ANNOUNCING tnat
1t had new witness To brlng Tor
ward. Aud alter much hurry Ing
to and fro and whispering aud cou-
sultIng among lawyers aud court aud
prison officials young Hopkins ac-
complIce appeared on the witness
stand aud turned States evidence.
He had learned of tue intercepted let
ters, aud, frightened by their prooa-
ble result Tor himself, Lold tue whole
story OF the crime from the tine hop
kins uad first broacned II 10 bin uu-
til they were arrested in San Frau
cisco Aud during the entire nara
! ton of the cold -blooded, brutal aud
cowardly deed old Dan Hopkins sat
with his eyes on the witness "a steady
aud uufliuciug in color aud nerve aud
muscle as il he had been listening TO
| a lecture or q sermon.