Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-12-27

called upon Hawkins, and told per
fectly straight story, which rathel
staggered the author of this plot.
The baker said that he had beeI
kneading bread by window which
opened on the alley. He had seen thu
shot fired and could describe the VII
lain. lie did describe him, and tina
description fitted Dlmmock better
than his epidermls.
The baker, however did not pretend
TO have recognized the man. He hat
seen him run up the alley. 1t hap
pened that a flight Of stairs led directly
from Dimmocli's Office into this alley
His threats against Dick were wei
known.
may as well add right here that tho
baker simply lied. He craved noto
rlety. He wanted to get his name into
the papers.
The next day no fewer than dozen
detectives called with additional proof
against the dentist. There was enough
to convict him n dozen times over
Nothing saved him from arrest eXcep,
the diligence with which Hawkins
doomed certain other theories Of tho
crime, inconsistent with DimmOck' S
guilt.
Dimmock, being hampercd in his
search for an aliDi by the fact that he
could not himself remember where he
had been ut that time; consoled him
self with the flowing bowl, and was
popularity supposed to be drowning his
remorse.
Then, one day, there came TO ilaw-
kins' Office, hard-headed, shrcWd old
fellow, who had been deputy u. 5.
marshal OF that district. Capt. JAY
was II different sort of man from the
amateur IIawkshaws who had pre-
coded him. lie looked Hawkins
straight In the eye and said, in calm
voice, 1--WE got your man"
Hawkins spinal marrow was II trifie
cold as he asked, "Who is he"
"John Blank" replied the detective,
with decision.
Then he outlined his case. 1t was
absolutely ironclad. Not II point but
was supported by half dozen credible
witnesses.
Blank had been seen in II saloon near
the alley just before the shooting. lie
had exhibited Il revolver exactly like
that found In the alley, and had said
In the presence Of several men that he
was going out to look for Dick Corbctt.
From the saloon the detective had
traced Blank directly to the alley.
He had next been seen at his board
Ing house, half IN hour after the shoot
Ing, and had been noticcably excited.
He had given information that Corbatt
had been killed, and had afterwards
told Il story of lis whereabouts which
made 1t impossible that he should have
learned anything about the shooting.
The clothes which he had worn on
that dry correspondent exactly with the
bakers description. In size and gen
cral appearance he strongly rcSembled
the dentist.
The effect of this story upon law
liins can be imagined. His nerve was
beginning to weaken, and he had al
most come to the conclusion that con
fesSion was the only refuge. However,
he put Capt. jay off for II hours by
to know that the criminal
was not Blank.
AT the time appointed Capt. Jay re
turned to the Daily News office and
settled the whole business In these
words: "Wc'rc too late, Blank Is dead
1t was true. The man had been
killed In n Chicago freight yard. From
that time the excitement subsidized. 1t
was whispered that Capt. Jay had
found the criminal, and that he was
dead.
Gradually the other detectives nban-
doncd the case.
But Il Blank had not died just rs he
did nothing In the world but Hawkins
confession could have saved him from
the pcnitentlary. Indeed, 1t may be
doubted whether even that would have
saved him, for when, some years later,
that confession was actually printed In
Aurora, nobody believed 1t. 1t was
taken as Il joke.
Which is why remark that by cir
evidence collected In the
usual manner, anything but the truth
can be proven.