Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-01-17
Most certainly there u.s." l answer

I'm that case 1t is clearly our duty,
In the interests Of justice, to take his
statement" said the inspector. "You
are at liberty, sir, to give YOUR account,
which I again warn you will be taken
down."
'Ill sit down, with your leave" the
prisoner said. slliting the action to the
word. This allcurism of mine makes
me easily tired, and the tussle we had
half an hour ago has not mended mat
tiers. I'm OH 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 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 methodical man.
ner, as though the events which he
narrated were commonplace enough.
can youch for the accuracy of the
subioined account, for l have had
access to Ilestrade's notebook, in which
the prisoners words We're taken down
exactly as they were uttered.
ut didn't much matter to you why
l hated these men," he said; cts
enough that they were guilty Of the
death of two human beings-a father
and a daughter-and that they had,
therefore, forfeited their own lives.
After the lapse Of time that had passed
since their crime, it was impossible for
me to secure conviction against them
in any court. 1 knew of their guilt,
though, and I determined that should
be Judge, jury and executioner all
,.o1lo6 ;rtn opo Vn,,,1 ,ovo 1o,,o tho
same. if you have any mani BOD in
you, if You had been in my place.
''That girl that spoke of was to
have married me twenty wears ago.
She vas forced into marrying that
same Drebber, and broke her heart
over it. I 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 punished. have car
ried it about with me. and have fol
lowed him aud his accomplice over two
continents, until 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.
'"They were rich and was poor, so
that it was no easy matter for me to
follow them. When I got to London
my pocket was about empty, and I
found that must turn my hand to
something for my living. Driving and
,iding are as natural to me as walking,
50 applied at cab-owner's office,
ind soon got employment. I was to
bring certain sum week to the own
er, and whatever was over I might
aeep for myself. There was seldom
much over, but I managed to scrape
along somehow. The hardest job was
to learn my way about, for I reckon
that, for all the masses that ever We're
contrived, this city is the most confus-
ing. I had a map beside me, though,
and when once I had spotted the prin-
cipal hotels and stations, got on
pretty well.
ut was some time before J. found
out where my two gentlemen were iv-
ing. but inquired and inquired, until
at last I dropped across them. They
were at a boarding house at Gambler
well, over on the other side of the
river. When once 1 found them out
L knew that had then at my mercy.
I had grown my beard. and there was
no chance of their recognizing ME.
I would dog them and follow them I'M
til saw my opportunity. I was de-
termined that they should not escape
me again.
"They were very near doing it, for
I'LL that. Go where they would in Lon
don, I was always at their heels.
Sometimes followed them on my cab,
and sometimes on foot, but the for
mer was the best, for then they could
not get away from me. It was only
early in the morning or late at night
that l could earn anything, so that
began to get behindhand with my en-
ployer. did not mind that, however,
as long as could lay my hand upon
the men wanted.
'They were very cunning, though.
They must have thought that there was
some chance Of their being followed,
for they would never 60 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. I watched them late
and early, but never saw the ghost
Of chance; but l. was not discour-
aged, for something told me that the
hour had almost come. My only fear
was that this thing in my chest might
burst little too soon, and leave my
work undone.
"At last, one evening I was driving up
and down Torquay Terrace, as the
street was called in which they board
ed, when saw cab drive up to their
door. Presently some luggage was
brought out, and after a time Drebber
and Stangerson followed it and drove
off. whipped up my horse and kept
within sight Of them, feeling very ill
at ease, for I feared that they were
going to shift their quarters. At Gus
ton Station they got out, and left
a boy to hold my horse, and followed
them on to the platform. l heard
them ask for the Liverpool train, and
the guard answered that one had just
gone, and there would not be another
for some hours. Stangerson seemed
to be put out ut that, but Drebber was
rather pleased than otherwise. I got
10 nlOgp fO them In the hustle th0t T