Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-10-19
POKER JOE'S BLUFF.
He Won It, But the Sheriff Had
Him on a Showdown.


mountains during the entire day,
spent its force and died with the gath
ering of the dark clouds that ushered
IN the dreary night With the hush
ing of the wind heavy fall of snow
came on, threatening to blockade the
roads and shut in the little mining
camp from the outside world The
awful stiffness of the night was de-
pressing, but afforded relief from the
terrors of the day.
The well-dressed gamblers and
roughly-clad miners gathered in the
barroom of the Lake City hotel, spoke
in low tones over their cards and liquor,
choosing their language in Difference
TO the presence of the ladies of the
house, who had fed in fear of the
storm to seek that association with
men, which, to the female mind in
distress, is equivalent to protection.
The ticking of the dirty-faced clock
over the back bar, the rattle of chips
in the nervous fingers of the players,
and the frequent clatter of the bar.
Keepers shoe heels on the uncovered
floor as he served his patrons at the
gambling table, were the only sounds
that disturbed the quiet of the place.
Maj. Downey, editor of the Lake City
Register, and Clare Smith, high sheriff
OF the county, entertained the ladies
with discussion of the mysterious
murder of Mrs. Mary Josephus, com
mitted in Denver on Sunday night,
discovered by the police on Tuesday
night, and detailed in the daily papers
of Wednesday morning, which were
being read on Thursday night in sew
eral of the mining camps of the San
Juan district. The interest in the
crime, SO far as the mining camps were
concerned was conferred in the opinion
expressed by the Denver papers that
the murderer was the husband of the
victim-a migratory gambler, whose
residence might be in any of the dozen
camps or towns of that district. The
police, with expressions of contempt
for the opinions of the reporters, main
tanned contrary view and INDUCED
in theories without submitting any
possible clew to a solution of the
mystery.
Sheriff Smith opened the discussion
with the sweeping assertion that the
Denver reporters possessed keener
perception of the motives and clearer
comprehension of the methods of Grim
inals than the combined Denver police
and detective departments, with all
their boosted reputation, were capable
of. 1t was matter of surprise to the
ladies that the major, being a news
paper man, should take issue with the
sheriff on this proposition; but the
major was no more partisan of the
city press than was the sheriff be.
lever in the infallibility of the police.
Sheriff Smith expressed the opinion
that organized police departments de.
Eends too largely on an assumed knowl.
edge Of the habits of criminals, while
reporters grasp the original possibili.
ties of crime. He was convinced from
his own limited experience, through
extended observation in the detection
of criminals, that murderers, unlike
suicides, are originators, not imitators
And this conviction, applied to the
case under discussion, led him to the
conclusion that the press opinions OF
the motive and method of the murder
er contained the elements of probaLil
ity, while the theories advanced by the
police were beyond the bounds OF
reason.
Then you agree with the reporters,
said the major, with rising infection
OF doubt, that the incidents of the
crime are strongly suggestive of the
probability that it was committed by
the woman's husband, who deserted
her several years ago."
81 certainly do" replied the sheriff
"and am convinced that the motiv,
contemplated both revenge aud rob
berry, while the method employed wal
the result of long and patient deliber
alton, which involved knowledge O.
the woman's habits and possession,
that could not have been acquired BY
any other than her husband, who
since deserving his wife and two chill
dren-one of whom was absent at tn,
time of the murder-has no doub
been living within the state. That h,
is resident of this section of the stat,
is by no means improbable. Fo- in
stance, how many men are there il
this room whose real name and pas
history are known to you?'
The major admitted that there wa
only one of whom he could speak will
any degree of assurance, and that on,
he was proud to say was himself IL,
further admitted the possibility, /
not the probability, that the murders
of Mrs. Mary Josephus might then b,
enjoying the shelter of the Lake Cit,
hetel or sweltering under the broilinl
sun of an Arizona desert, according t,
his preference for climate.
one,of the ladies ventured to ask tn
sheriff If he really entertained the sus
picion that the murderer was at tina
moment present in the room. She wa
somewhat relieved of a vague horro
that crept over her when Sheriff Smitl
replied that he had not yet spotted
anyone of whom he could entertain
such suspicion.
The major, having failed of even tn
opportunity to impress the ladies wit
his proposed defense of the polio
theories-and inwardly agreeing wit
the sheriff--retired to the faro-tabl
and placed two-bit piece on the hig
card, repeating the play until it ha
produced enough of its kind to enabl
him to purchase q stack of white chip
at the regular price of two dollar.
Then the major sat down to the game
which he rever INDUCED in with an
other motive than Willing away tn
dreary winter nights Sheriff Smitl
having recently become possessed {
an exceedingly large official fee, feI
justified in indulVinC in the more e,