The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1894-09-06
stoly than they hadr

down On such an assignment There's
q starter for you, said I, throwing
him the article I had commenced.
Now go ahead and I'll that out with
column description Of the ste8e
Il haven't even visited it, he re-
piled. Nevertheless, he picked W
the pages and read them as If im.
PEELED by some hateful fascination.
Then he took up his pen to make a
few minor corrections Then, as il
totally oblivious Of my presence, he
began to write
LAS sheet after sheet fell from un
der his fingers, l snatched them w,
read them hurriedly, and shot them
down the COPY tube to the compos.
ing-1oom. l read rapidly as an editor
will, taking but small account OF the
matter so long as it ran smoothly,
while l had too much confidence 10
him to question the accuracy OF his
statements only realized that he
was writing a great story-ths
greatest be had ever done. He
seemed inspired with the very in;
uermosJ thoughts Of the murderer,
and under his touch every trivial in.
cident came out with distinctneSs
and cpherency that made the cause
and method Of crime perfectly plain;
First he described the scene with
accuracy Of detail that would have
been impossible for one who had not
studied it closely. The select on OF
the spot be- explained by the fact
that the bright electric light. stream
ing through the windows OF the
power-house, made it impossible for
the passer-by TO see into the shadows.
Thus while impene:rable darkness
screened the assassin, ample light
guided his blow, and, moreover. thu
rattle ana roor Of the machinery neai
by drowned all sound Of the struggle
or the falling body.
The blo:J on the head, he demon
strated, must have been from sand
bag, while the wound through the
heart could only have been made by
one Of those long, fine bladed stilet.
toS Of Italian make. Furthermore:
the fact that this peculiar weapon
was driven home with a firm hand,
after the victim had been stunned BY
a blow on the head, indicated pre-
meditated and deliberate murder,
while the theory Of robbery was dis
proved by the fact that the mans
valuableS had been untouched. The
only tenable theory, therefore, was
that the motive of the murder Wd:
revenge.
"a more mastery analysis Of case
l never read. but here be :branched
on into what / at first supposed tc
be purely imaginary speculations a:
to the wrong which had led the muir
dercr to seek the life Of the unknown
man. These seemed purposely vague
at first. but gathered in strength and
certainty, until ! concluded that he
must have some good foundation f0l
them. Starting with hypothesis, he
soon began to state them as facts.
He described how the dead man, {
once trusted friend, had entered the
home Of another; how, by subtle vile:
and deceit, he had stolen the love OF
wife: then followed an elOpemcut and
the breaking up Of that once happl
home.
"IlS told with the bitterness 0:
tru III how the scoundrel had deserted
the weak and erring woman and lef!
her to perish alone; low the idea OF
revenge had filed the mind Of the
wronged husband: how, himself un-
seen, he had followed every move
ment Of the intended victim for
months and care.u ly plotted his de-
struction; how be had decoyed the
doomed man to the city and to the
very sLot where the murder was COM
mittcd: and how he had destroyed
the only clews-a couple of letters in
The pockets of the dead man-and
finally made his own escape, the Sc
crct safe in his own heart alone.
".ls l read this remarkable tale
through. the convict on forced it up.
on me that this was the absolute
truth. II the writer himself had
committed the deed, he could not
have described it more graphically.
Suddenly the thought flashed over
me-rould he describe such crime
thus without having. in fact. com.
mittcd it?
we were alone in the room. ]
glanced at Jones apprehenSively. He
was writing rapldly-fercely. His
eyes were fixed, but he seemed to be
looking, through and beyond the
paper across which his pen few, at
something fascinating - terrible.
Wien he finished, it was with a
start, as if waking from a trace l
glanced at the last page, where was
tina! confirmation Of my fears
"'Ny God, Jones, is this true?' l
managed to say.
".Evcry word of 1t, as live he
repeated, firmly if family.
Then you have written the war.
rant for your own arrest, l said.
His head dropped on his desk, but
he said not word.
"'JoneS' said /, finally, shaking
him by the shoulder to arouse him to
an understanding Of my meaning,
enough to hang you is already in
type: in our hour the papers viii be
on the streets: in another hour the
police Will be after YOU. Go-make
the most Of your start
1t wa: is l predicted, said the
city editor, after pause. Before
daylight. a detective called on ne to
asc .rtain th. source Of that story.
simply pointed TO Jones' name on the
assignment Look, and they went
after him"
oDid they catch him." asked tbe
cub reporter. eagerly.