The Portland daily press., 1894-06-12

saloon in the place. Though not a man
much thought of, he was looked upon as
an honest and harmless sort of fellow
This man came up, and as he drew near
the horse exhibited the utmost alarm, and
snorting wildly sprang, in spite of the rein
through the crowd, and trembling violent
ly endeavored to escape in anNopposite di-
rection This strange behavior of the ami
NAL was remarked by ALL and several
voices exclaimed in the same breath:
Its Bill Nevins! The horses afraid of
Bill Nevins!'
by graciousp' cried another, 'who
knows but Bill, here, killed the lawyer?
I say, old fellow, go up to the critter and
let him smell the blood on yer hands!'
From his first appearance had kept my
eve upon this man, and no sooner had he
caught SIGHT of the horse than observed
a peculiar expression on his face, and when
the last words were uttered deadly pallor
spread over his features, and he staggered
as he replied:
"Who says I killed Lawyer Hendricks?
It's lie!' and turning abruptly he at
tempted to walk, with all the apparent
nonchalance he could assume, in the di-
rection of his saloon. AS if an electric
shock had struck me, the conviction OF
that mans guilt rushed upon my mind,
and forcing the frightened animal across
the courthouse square till / overlook him
I bent forward in my saddle and shouted
in his ear: J.
"Bill Nevins, I say you murdered Squire
Hendricks!'
Had a thunderbolt struck the guilty
wretch he could not have fallen more sud-
denly to the ground. He was not harden
Cd i,,o &c oh MT If
murder overcane him.
A warrant for his arrest was Immediate
ly obtained, and he was conveyed to prison
to await his trial at the next session of the
circuit court in June, while l was res
quired to remain in the county as wit
ness in the case.
1t was a matter of doubt whether the
murder was done within the jurisdiction
of the courts of Mississippi or of those of
the state of Louisiana, and the prisoners
counsel, it was limited, would plead this
| question of venue in favor of their client. .
The body of the murdered man was
| found on the western side of the road and
some little distance from it, and conse-
| quently within the territory of the state
| of Mississippi. This would be testified to
by both my friend and myself, but at the
same time it could be proved by the ap-
| pearance of the dust of the road that the
body had evidently been dragged some dis
lance to the place where it was discovered
after the deed had been perpetrated. The
vicinity had been thoroughly searched, as
was supposed, and no evidence of the pre-
else locality Of the death scene had been
detected by which the venue could be es-
tablished. In consequence of this it was
feared that the guilty man would escape
the clutches of the law.
Since the discovery of the murder had
not had occasion to pass over the road
where it had been perpetrated, having
transacted my business at Franklinton,
through the kindness of a friend. But a
few days previous to that set for the trial
of Nevins 1 found it necessary to visit
that town myself.
| started from my friends plantation in
company with several gentlemen of the
neighborhood, so that we formed quite a
company of horsemen. AS usual, of late
was mounted on the beautiful bay, which
had been the property of the murdered
lawyer.
When we reached the vicinity where the
bloody act had been consummated, the
animal began to exhibit the same symp-
toms of alarm he had shown on the former
occasion and at the courthouse square.
We had passed the spot where the body OF
Hendricks had been discovered when the
horse, in spite of my guidance dashed in
to the tangled thickets with me, and fore
ing his way through the grapevines and
| overhanging limbs reached the roots of a
large sweet gum, when he stopped, and
paving the ground violently exhibited
signs of excessive agitation.
The gentlemen as well as myself, hay
ing all confidence in the remarkable intel
ligence of the beautiful creature, busted
ourselves in examining the locality, con-
WINGED that this was the very scene of the
killing of his master.
And such it proved, for one Of my com
panions soon picked up large, peculiarly
shaped bowie knife, which was immedi,
ately recognized by several as having beer
in the possession of Bill Nevins shortly
previous to the murder, while on the roots
of the tree were found tangled masses Of
hair.
These facts were sufficient not only tc
prove the guilt of the prisoner, but also es
tablished the venue, thus making all the
initiatory proceedings in the case in stric1
accordance with the forms and require
ments of the law.
On the morning of the trial visited the
prisoner in his cell and stated the recent
facts that had been developed against hin
and conjured him if he was really guilty
to confess the fact at once and no Longer
attempt to stand out against the strong
array of testimony that would establish
his guilt
The man was not hardened criminal
The poor wretch made clean breast of it
Thus it was that noble and affection
ate animal, with wonderful intelligence
not only pointed out the murderer of hi
master, but the very spot where the terri
BILE crime had been committed, thus being
the instrument, in the hands of Provi
dence, of retributive justice New Yorl
News.
Man of Repartee.
. The quickest repartee for which the latt
S. Teackle Wallis of Baltimore was dis
tinguished was capable of taking causti
f1-rr 1oI 70