St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1894-01-27
hardened by twice his years and expert

Of an old man, who lived alone littl.
farther up in the foothills toward 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 money-he had just sold
some horses and cattle to the prisoners
father-and were preparing to skip the
country and go to Australia when they
were arrested.
1.-THE things not been absolutely
proven on young Hopkins yet, but the
circumstancial evidence is SO plain that
even if there is nothing else don't see
how he's going to escape the rope. I've
just heard rumor, though, that there's
to be some new evidence this afternoon
which will settle the matter without a
doubt"
The room rapidly filled up, and as we
waited for court to open the newspaper
man pointed out one and another hale
old man whose clear eyes and fresh skin
belied his years, and told tales of his
daring forty years before, of the wealth
he had dug from the earth, and of the
reckless ways in which he had lost it,
And at last came the prisoner and his
father. The old mans figure was tall,
erect, broad -chested and muscular, and
his bearing proud and reserved.
''Im always half expecting to see that
old man get up" the newspaper man
whispered to me, "fold his arms across
that great chest of his and say Rom
mus sum, and then proudly lead his son
away"
He must have been sixty-fve years old
or more, though he looked twenty years
younger. His dark hair and beard were
only sifted with gray, and he held him
self so erectly and with such dignity,
and all the lines of his countenance ex-
pressed such force and nobleness of
character that the suggestion Of his ap-
pearance 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 a man old in criminal
thoughts if 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 although
they seldom spoke together he frequent
ly by some small act or apparently I'M
conscious movement showed q tenderness
and affection for the hayward son chat
seemed all the greater by contrast with
his own proud reserve and the bows
hardened Indifference.
The new testimony was brought in.
The Sheriff had set a go-between at work
with the two 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, fore
casting with joyful anticipations a course
of crime and debauchery.
When the Sheriff began to give this
testimony the old mans hand was resting
atfectionately on his sons shoulder. As
it went on laying bare the utter deprav-
ity of his boys soul, the muscles of his
face quivered little, and presently,
with just the suggestion of tlinching
shudder in face and figure he took his |
band away and shrank back little frcm
the young man. I had wondered as 7 |
watched him if it was revelation TO
him of depth of dcpravity in his sons
heart of which he had not guessed be-
fore.
Then the prosecution asked for few
minutes recess, announcing that it had
new witness to bring forward. And af-
ter much hurrging to and fro and whis-
perlng and consulting among LAWYERS
and court and prison officials young Hop
klns' accomplish appeared on the wit
ness stand and turned States evidence.
lie had learned of the interceptcd letters,
and, frightened by their probable result
= himself, told the whole story Of the
crime from the time Hopkins had
first preached it to him until they were
arrested in San Francisco. And during
the entire narration of the cold bloodcd. +
brutal and cowardly deed OF Dan Hon
klns sat with his eyes on the witness as
steady aud unhinching in color and +
nerve and muscle as if he had been lis
tenlng to lecture or sermon.
At last it was all over, the jury listened t
TO the Judges charge and filed out. offs f
hanging, sure" said the newspaper man. t
After that evidence and that charge ,
'here,s only one verdict they can bring '
n. It's good thing as far as the boys
but l do feel sorry for his
governor"
Every one felt so sure that the iurv >,
would soon return that none left their
places, and buzz of conversation soon
lied the room. Old Dan Hopkins sat
With his arms folded, his head erect, and t
us eyes, steady and clear, upon the =
mpty witness chair. There were MANY t.
glances sent toward him. a
hough no one approached or spoke to
i'm, for it was evident from his com. n
ressed lips and frowning brow that he fl
to be left alone. He had moved r
little away from his son, and sat scarce n
ten feet distant on my left. When il
be jury returned, in less than half an a
n hour, he bent upon them the same alb W
racted gaze and unmoved countenance. n
think he had determined, what IL
Ter their verdict, upon his own IL
'urse of actionlong before. b.
The foreman stood up. glanced sadly tr
ward the man who had been his friend w
I'd neighbor for many years. There 81
ere tears in his eyes and his voice 10
'oke and trembled as he gave their in
'rdict, Guilty of murder in the first :.
egree:" Not sound broke the death til
re stiffness of the room as he sat down W
i'd noticed that every face within nv Ill
ew was turned away from the tn
soners box and the old man who sat "a
ar it. The tense strain of the moment an
IS broken bv the prisoners con,sol a.