The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-06-27


put before the magistrates in the
course of the week." he said: 'in the
meantime, Mr.. jefferson Hope, have
you anything that you wish to say? l
must warn you that your words will be
taken down and may be used against
you.
"I've got good deal to say" our
prisoner said slowly. ~ want to tell
you gentlemen all about it."
Hadn't you better reserve that for
your trial?" asked the inspector.
81 may never be tried" he answered.
"You needn't look startled. 1t isn't
suicide am thinking Of. Are you
doctor?" He turned his fierce, dark eyes
upon me as he asked this last question.
Eyes, / am" answered.
"Then put your hand here" he said,
with a smile, motioning with his
manacled wrists toward his chest
) did so, and became at once con-
scious of an extraordinary throbbing
which was going on inside. The walls
of his chest seemed to thrill and quiver
as freil building would do inside
which some powerful engine was at
work. In the silence OF the room
could. hear dull humming and buz-
zing noise which proceeded from the
same source.
"Why," l cried, you have an aortic
aneurism!'
That's what they call it," he said,
placidly 81 went to a doctor last
week about It, and he told me that 1t
was bound TO burst before many days
passed. II has been getting worse for
years. got it from over-exposure
and undcr-feeding among the Salt lake
mountains. I've done my work now,
and don't care how soon go, but l
should like to leave some account of
the business behind me. don't want
to be remembered as a common cut
throat"
The inspector and the two detectives
had hurried discussion as to the ad-
visibility of allowing him to tell his
story.
"Do you consider, doctor, that there
is immediate danger?" the former
asked.
"Most certainly there is" I an
swered.
"In that case it is clearly our duty,
in the interests of justice, to take his
statement" said the inspector. "You
are at liberty, sir, to give your ac-
count, which again warn You will be
taken down"
"I'll sit down, with your leave" the
prisoner snid, suiting the action to the
word. This aneurism of mine makes
me easily tired, and the tussle we had
| half an hour ago has not mended mat
ters. I'm on the brink of the grave,
and ] am not likely to lie to you.
Every word say is the absolute truth,
and how you use IL is matter of no
consequence to me-"
With these words, jefferson Hope
leaned back in his chair and began the
following remarkable statement. He
spoke in a calm and methodical man
ner, as though the events which he
narrated were commonplace enough.
I can vouch for the accuracy of the
subjoined account, for / have had ac-
cess to Lestrade's notebook, in which
the prisoners words were taken down
exactly rs they were uttered.
"It don't much matter TO you why /
hated these men," he said; "it's enough
that they were guilty of the death of
two human beings-a father and a
daughter-and that they had, there
fore, forfeited their own lives. After
the lapse Of time that has passed since
their crime, II was impossible for me
to secure q conviction against them in
any court. / knew of their guilt,
though, and determined that should
be judge, jury and executioner all
rolled into one. You'd have done the
same, II you have any manhood in you,
II you had been in my pli ce.
THAT girl that / spoke Of was to
have married me twenty years ago.
She was forced into marrying that
same Drebber, and broke her heart
over 1t. took the marriage ring from
her dead finger and vowed that his
dying eyes should rest upon that very
ring and that his last thoughts should
be of the crime for which he was pun
ished. have carried II about with me
and have followed him and his ac-
complice over two continents until
caught them. They thought to tire
me out, but they could not do it. II /
die tomorrow, as is likely enough,
die knowing that my work in this
world is done, and we'll done. They
have perished, and by my hand. There
is nothing left for me to hope for or to
desire.
"They were rich and was poor, so
that II was no easy matter for me to
follow them. When | got TO London
my pocket was about empty and
found that must turn my hand to
something for my living. Driving aud
riding are as natural TO me as walk
ing, so applied at cab owners Office
and soon got employment. | was TO
bring a certain sum q week TO the
owner, and whatever was over that /
might keep for myself. There was sell
dom much over, but l managed TO
scrape along somehow. The hardest
Job was TO learn my way about, for l
reckon that Of all the mazes that ever
were contrived this city Is the most
confusing. had map beside me,
though, and when once had spotted
the principal hotels and stations got
IN pretty we'll.
"It was some time before I found out
where my two gentlemen were living,
but inquired and inquired, until at
last dropped across them. They were
at clearinghouse at Camberwell,