Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-12-25

tSsNNE fSSNM Atlantic service.
SSFIS8S / had run across
~ Ig~Gszs while the ship was
&s in dock) from Liv-
,SS/z%1Iw&. erpool to my home
MIS|IfGyIhn" near Doncaster to
e p see my sister, Pat.
ty, before her marriage. She was en-.
gagged to young Lieutenant of the
name of Rupert Rowling, the nephew
and heir of old Jonathan Rowling, q
wealthy, eccentric country squire in
Yorkshire, and it was not only good
match for her, but Rupert, whom
had known from childhood-we were
as school together-was one of the
heartiest and most genuine fellows
you'd find in a days walk.
When / arrived at Doncaster l was
surprised to find things all in an up
roar. Old Rowling had, it seemed,
taken some offence at an innocent but
misunderstood remark of Rupert's, and
had flown into terrible passion,
swearing he would disinherit him.
Rupert, who was high-spirited young
cheap, gave the old man bit of his
mind, and they had violent quarrel,
which ended in Mr.. Rowling turning
his nephew ont Of the house and for
bidding him ever to show his face
there again. That was on Thursday,
Q, fortnight before my visit.
On the evening of the quarrel Ru-
pert called on my sister and told her
Of what had taken place, and they
agreed to postpone the wedding fol
the present. He then left, as he start.
ed, for London, where he was due to
join his regiment on the following
Saturday.
The next morning (Friday) every
body was startled st hearing that old
Jonathan Rowling had been found
dead in plantation on his estate. BE
was lying face downward, and had ev.
identity been shot in the back by some
one, the bullet having penetrated to
the heart and killed him instantly
and, on q medical examination, it was
ascertained that the murder-for such
it doubtless was-must have been
committed on the previous night, for
death had taken place many hours be-
fore the body was found,
The fact of the quarrel between the
deceased and his nephew was already
public property, and suspicion at once
pointed to Rupert as the probable cul-
grit. The police soon ascertained
Rqpe1t's movements, which showed
that he had called on Patty, as / have
stated, and that he caught the next
express for London, the time between
his leaving Patty and the starting Of
the train giving him plenty of oppor-
tunitY to commit thd crime had he
been SO minded; and, moreover, his
road from my sisters to the station
took him alongside the plantation in
which his uncle's body was found.
The London detectives we're put TO
work, and they ascertained that Ru-
pert had revolver of the same cali
bre as the shot found in old Rowling's
corpse, and the upshot was that he
was arrested and brought before the
magistrates at Doncaster.
The assizes were just approaching,
and, when I arrived on the scene,
Rupert stood committed for trial ON
the charge of numbering his uncle.
could do nothing to help him, but
I went to the assize town and saw him
in prison. He denied all knowledge
of the crime, swearing to me that he
was absolutely innocent. [ believed
him, but the evidence was overwhelm-
ing. The station master at Doncaster
spoke of Rupert's rushing into the
station in algreat furry, and looking
very upset; and the revolver, which
he admitted he had not used for some
days, had one chamber empty. Many
other things. trivial in themselves, but
awfully black when put together, were
brought out at the trial, and before ]
left / had heard him found guilty by
the jury and sentenced to death by
the Judge. It all seemed like a CHASTITY
dream.
Twas due to return to my ship, the
Monico, and bade Rupert goodby.
I don't mind telling you that l sobbed
like child. I shouldn't have felt it
SO if I could have done anything, even
to try and help him, but I was per-
fectly poweSless.
NV sister. of course, was in terri
BILE way, and I hardly liked leaving
her, but my whole future depended
on my keeping my position in the Red
Ring line, SO l wrenched myself away
and was on board the Monico the next
morning.
We sailed the following day, which
was Wednesday, and the last thing I
heard before leaving Liverpool was
that poor Rupert's execution had been
fixed for Thursday in the next week.
We had heavy cargo of goods and
a lot of passengers, but, / tell you, my
heart seemed heavier when We started
on that voyage than the ship, cargo,
passengers and all.
]. The Monico was considered fast
vessel at that time. She generally
took just over seven days to DO the
passage, and we were due in New York
on the Wednesday evening before
Rupert's execution.
Everything went we'll till the Mon
day afternoon, when one of the steer
age passengers, man of the name of
Charles Cappermole, fell down a
hatchway, breaking his back and re-
ceiving internal injuries, from which
the doctor said he was bound to die
within four or five hours. 1t was very
sad, of course, but couldn't be helped,
and although anything of the sort
puts gloom over the ship, was too
much engrossed in my own trouble to
think much of it. But just after one
bell $3.50 o'clock) the Captain came
60 me.
"Sparton, he said, "you ware tell
ing me about the trouble that your
sisters fance had got into. It's q