Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1894-06-07
'sMost certainly there is" 1 an

LII GHdt case III Is clearly our duty,
in the interests of justice, to take his
statement" said the inspector. "You
are at liberty. sir. to give your &C
count, Which / again warn you will be
taken down"
''I'll sit down, with your leave" the
prisoner said, 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 1 am not likely to lie to you.
Every word I say is the absolute truth,
and how you use it is a 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 m~ethodical man
ner, as though the events which he
narrated were commonplace enough.
l can vouch for the accuracy of the
subjoined account, for l have had &C
cess to Lestrade's notebook, in which
the prisoners words were taken down
exactly as they were uttered.
1T don't much matter to you why I
hated these men, he said; Its 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, it was impossible for me
to secure a conviction against them in
any court. 1 knew of their guilt,
though, and I determined that I should
be judge, jury and executioner all
rolled into one. You'd have lone the
same, if you nave any manhood in you,
If you a been IN my place.
THAT girl that I spoke of was to
AVE married me twenty years ago.
She was forced into marrying that
same Drebber, and broke her heart
owe it. l took the marriage ring from
her dead finger and I 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 it about with me
and have followed him and his ac-
complete over two continents until 1
caught them. They thought to tire
me out, but they could not do it. If 1
die tomorrow, as is likely enough, I
die knowing that my work in this
world is done, and well done. They
have persisted, and by my hand. There
is nothing left for me to hope for or to
desire.
'sThey were rich and l was poor, so
that it was no easy matter for me to
follow them. When l got to LondOn
my pocket was about empty and l
found hat / must turn my hand to
something for my living. Driving and
riding are as natural to me as walk
ing, so l applied at a "a owners Office
and 500 got employment. l was to
bring a certain sum a 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 |
reckon that of all the mazes that eve
were contriyed this city is the most
confusing. | had a map beside me,
though, and when once l had spotted
the principal hotels and stations | got
on pretty we'll.
1T was some time before l found out
where my two gentlemen were living,
but I inquired and inquired, until at
last l dropped across them. They were
at a clearinghouse at Camberwell,
| over on the other side of the river.
When once l found them out l knew
that l had them at my mercy. | had
grown my beard and there was no
chance of their recognizing me. ]
would dog them and follow them until
/ saw my opportunity. I was deter
mined that they should not escape me
again.
"They were very nea doing it, for
all that. Go where they would about
London l was always at their heels.
Sometimes I followed them on my cab
and sometimes on foot, but she forne.
was the best, for then they could not
| get away from me- 1t was only early
in the morning or late at night that
could learn anything, so that / begar
to get behindhand with my employer
/ did not mind that, however, as long
as 1 could lay my hand upon the mel
I wanted.
"TheY were very cunning, though
They must have thought that there was
some chance of their being followed,
for they would never go out alone
and never after nightfall. During two
weeks / drove behind them every day
and never once saw them separate
Drebber himself was drunk half the
time, but Stangerson was not to be
caught mapping. l watched them late
and early, but never saw the ghost of
chance; but I was not discouraged, fol-
something told me that the hour ha6
almost come. My only fear was that
this thing in my chest might burst a
little too soon and leave my work un,
done.
CAT last, n evening l was driving
up and down Torquay terrace, as thu
street was called in which they board
ed, when l saw a cab drive up to thei
door. Presently some luggage wa:
brought out, and after a time Drebbel
and Stangerson followed it and drov,
off. whipped up my horse and KEEP
within sight of them, feeling i'll a
ease, for / feared that they were going
to shift their quarters. At Eusto1
station they got out. and l left
boy to hold my horse and followed
them on to the platform. 1 heard then
ask for the Liverpool train, and tn,
guard answer that one had just gon,
and that there would not be anothe
for some hours. Stangerson seemed t.
be put out at that, but Drebber wa
rather pleased than otherwise. go
so close to them in the hustle that
could hear every word that passed be
tween them. Drebber said that he ha,
a little business of his own to do, an,
that if the other would wait for him h
would soon rejoin him. His companio.
demonstrated with him, and reminde
him that they had resolved to stick to
gether. Drebber answered that til
matter was u delicate one, and that h
must go alone. could not catch wha
Stangerson said to that, but the othe
burst out swearing, and reminded hir
that he was nothing more than hi
: paid servant, and that he must not pre-
5 sumo to dictate to him. On hat tn
secretary gave it up as a bad job, an
; simply bargained with him that if b
{ miSSad the aSt train he ShQlld rei0i