The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1895-02-05
OF vein in his voice.

reply to come on Immediately and bring
all the proofs of his death. I went at
once to your Office, but found you gone,
as I've said Got copy of your official
return of Williams execution, copy
of The Roundup's account of the hang
ing and a copy of the coroner's certifi.
cate-all properly sworn to. But on
the train happened to think that had
omitted to get certificate of the bur-
ial, and as remembered to have heard
that you attended to that thought
considering the enormous interests at
stake-'twas best to telegraph you to
come on. All expenses paid, of course.
So naturally when saw you here I
jumped at once to the conclusion that
you had come in answer to that call. %
''No, sir, said the sheriff.
"Well, never mind. You're here,
and I'll see that you don't get-left,
said the lawyer cheerily. "I'm retain
ed for Matthew Williams, the present
heir, you know. Funny, amt it, that
defended Peter Williams when living
and am now on the other side when
he's dead? Small world, eh? The ease
comes up in the probate court tomor-
row at 10, and of course you II be there. =
'I'll be thar for sure, " said the sher-
iff grimly.
He was, and with him came Peter
Williams wrapped in big storm coat
of the sheriff's, with the collar turned
up to his ears.
Mr. Wolfe of the local law firm made
a statement of the decease of j. Can
non Piece, of the drawing up and filing
of his will, read it aloud-it was very
short document-and then asked that
the status of Matthew Williams, here
present, be duly recorded as residuary
legatee owing to the decease without
legitimate issue-or any other so far as
known-of Peter Williams, the original
heir.
"You are prepared to present the
proper proofs of the decease of Peter
Williams, suppose?" asked the judge.
Certainly, was the reply In do
ing so, Mr.. Wolfe regretted to say, they
would be obliged to introduce very
delicate and distressing story. The
young man, Peter Williams, it appear
ed had been his uncle's favorite neph-
ew, but had quarreled with him, had
gone out west, and there, passing from
one excess to another, had finally, in
drunken passion, taken the life of a fell
low being in the town of San Topaz, in
the state of Orefornia, for which crime
l,o bod c,,Eorad +ba avtYar1a mana ltv of
the law. Documentary evidence in the
shape of a transcript of the trial and
all of the requisite official attestations
of the execution would be presented by
an attorney -at-law of San Topaz. In ad-
dition to which-by what they could
only regard as providential coinci-
dence-the sheriff of San Topaz was in
court at that very moment.
Then Lawyer Belford was introduced
and read from the transcript of the trial
the personal statement under examina-
tion of the younger Williams as to his
name, age, place of BIRTH etc., and read
also the sheriff's return for the eXecu-
ton. the coroner's certificate of death
and the dull thud" paragraph of The
Weekly Roundup
"We place these in evidence" con-
cluded the lawyer, although they are
almost superogatory in view of the
presence here of the sheriff of San To-
paz, whom | shall now ask to take the
stand. -
The witness chair creaked as Sheriff
Winslow settled his huge bulk between
its arms.
"Your name is Stephen Douglas
Winslow, and you are sheriff of San To-
paz, Orefornia I believer" said Law
yer Belford, smiling pleasantly at his
fellow townsman.
81 am-to both questions.
"You were officially present at the
execution of Peter Williams on the
10th day of July of this year?"
ST was"
''This certified copy of your return Of
the execution is correct in every partio-
ular, is it not?'
''It's k'rect copy"
"You took quite an interest in the
unfortunate young man, l understand,
Mr.. Sheriff, and personally attended to
the disposal of the remains?"
WAL" said the sheriff, slowly
spreading himself over the back of the
chair, there's a young man here who
can answer that question better than
me-.
Lawyer Belford evidently did not ex-
pect this answer, for he hesitated mo-
ment.
''Put the young man on the stand by
all means" said Mr. Wolfe.
Then the sheriff led the muff1ed young
man to the chair and stood beside him
while he was sworn.
"What is your name?" asked Bel
ford, glancing curiously at the witness.
Before replying the witness slowly
turned down his coat collar, and then,
wheeling around in his chair, said,
with difficulty, the catch in his voice
running through all that he said:
"Peter Williams. "
"What!" cried Lawyer Belford and
fell back in his chair, cIutching at his
necktie as though he were going to have
a fit
"Oh, you know me we'll enough,
guess, Mr.. Belford," said Williams,
though you didn t save me from swing
ing. And Mat knows me we'll enough.
too l see, although guess I'm consid
erably more changed than he seems to
be. Howdy, Mat? Sorry for you, old
man, but I've got to knock you out this
time. By the way, too, if there's any
doubling anywhere around this court
room as to my identity, why, just look
at this neck +"
Upon which he pulled off big silk
scarf and showed the lingering shadow
of the black imprint of the hangmann's
rope, whose close hug even the sheriff g
life saving contriyance had not ouite