Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-10-11
Rainforth' sStrange Case.
By WILL LIsENBEE.

by VI ILL ul01NDh1s
| tCopyriEht 1904. by American Press Assoc1a-
| ton.
IT'S my attorney" said Gerald.
i Then to the jailer, 'Show him in i'm
mediately"
Thrusting the manuscript which the
young man had given me into my pock-
ct, withdrew from the room, promis-
ing to be present at the preliminary ex-
| animation.
I 1t is hardly necessary to state that /
was considerably mystified at young
Rainforth g strange conduct, yet saw
no course left but to follow his advice
He was certainly the most interested
party in the affair and would doubtless
do what was most to his own advantage.
My calls kept me busy till near the
middle of the afternoon. Then eating
hurried lunch started for the court
house, not yet having found time to
read the manuscript Gerald had given
me. What strange story the manuscript
| had to tell was very anxious to ascer-
tain, but it was far more important that
I be present at the preliminary.
When reached the little courthouse,
I found it already we'll filled with an
! eager, expectant crowd, all anxious to
catch every detail of the terrible case.
Edging my way through the mass of
humanity, l managed to obtain seat
inside the railing near the prisoner,
where was introduced to Gerald's at
torney, who was one of the great crimi-
nal lawyers of the metropolis.
The attorney for the state was a
shrewd man and possessed great ability
he would make strong fight. What
evidence he was to present against the
prisoner was not known.
| While the prosecuting attorney was
getting ready to open the case Rainforth
called ne to his side, and we conversed
in a low tone for some time. He was
not going to make any fight, he in
formed me, save as far as it was neces-
sary to enable him to be released on
| bail. lie would shortly be in possession
| of evidence, he confidently asserted.
! which would not only result in estab-
| fishing his own innocence, but would Sc
cure the conviction of the real criminal.
| How this evidence was to be obtained
or what was its character he gave no
hint. He would introduce no evidence
at the preliminary examination-in
fact, he had none to offer at present, he
| said-but he felt confident that no evil
dence could be offered against him of
sufficient Importance to prevent his be-
ing admitted to bail.
The first witness called for the prose-
cution was James Marks, who had dis
covered the body Of the murdered man.
His testimony was substantially the
same as that given at the inquest. The
next witness was Jack Peters, the gar
dener at Darkwood Hall.
He stated that he saw the prisoner
passing through the grounds at the hall
about 8 O'Clock on the night of the MUIR
der. He had seen his face distinctly in
the moonlight. He was coming from
the direction of the house and going to-
ward the spot where the murder had
taken place. He did not know the man
at the time. but had seen and recog-
nized him while in Mayburg few days
later. He was positive that the prisoner
was the same man he had seen in the
Darkwood Hall grounds.
The next witness to take the stand
was Webb Davis, laborer. The sub
stance of his testimony was as follows:
my name is Webb Davis. I am a
laborer andgreside on the Bentley farm,
three miles southwest of Mayburg, IN
the state of New York. am employed
as a farm laborer by Mr.. Bentley. 1
was in Mayburg on Sept. 10. came Oh
foot. left for home about O'Clock.
I did not 60 by the road, but to shorten
my journey I took a near cut through
the Darkwood park. When about mid
way of the park and about an eighth of
a mile from the road, Isaw man COM
ing at rapid walk from the direction
of the hall and travelling toward May
burg. stopped in the shadow of tree.
He passed within a rod Of where l stood.
| saw his face in the moonlight. He
did not see me, to my knowledge. rec
ognize the prisoner here as the man seen
in the park.
John Judd, the porter at the Redfeld
inn, was the next witness. I will only
give the leading points of his testimony,
which were as follows:
Il am employed as porter at the Red
field inn. I have known the prisoner
since the list of last July, when he came
to the inn to stay. He is painter and
has two of the best rooms in the house.
He has always paid literally for every