The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-02

money he had. I think he robbed my
hther's little private safe, after killing
the old gentleman.
The detective questioned Reid Oak.
burn further, but nothing worthy OF
record was elected after that, and the
Interview was cut short by the arrival of
one Of Paxton's agents, with q note from
The villainous janitor, who requested
him to come to his cell as soon as possi-
BILE, as he had decided to make con-
iession.
"Will he confess the murder? How
will the mystery be e1plained?" won
dered Paxton.
He felt that the denouement was sure
ly near at hand. and he fastened with
out the least delay to the Tombs, where
Levi Kredge vas censnea:
AS soon as he was in Kredge's cell the
Ianitor began: .
Il am going to make clean breast Of
he job. I don't want to be put on trial
lor John Oakburn's murder"
you've come to your senses at last ;"
Yes; now listen"
On the night Of John Oakburn's 3 death,
entered the Office through the real
window where you found my tracks. ]
had found out that John Oakburn kept
a large sum of money In his little safe,
md having q duplicate key to it, I
meant to rob 1t.
I had entered the Office, after forcing
open the blinds and raising the window,
and had robbed the safe and locked it
ap again just as I had found it after se-
curing the money, nearly eighty thou
Sand dollars, on my person, when sud
ienly John Oakburn entered the outer
oflce.
1 had only time to hide behind desk
when he came into the interior Office,
and hastily unlocked his little private
safe.
shall never forget the cry Of agony
he uttered when he discovered that the
safe had been robbed.
He reeled into the outer Office and fell
into chair.
The old man had paid the seventy
eight thousand dollars be drew from the
bank that afternoon, and which belonged
10 Garrison, to save scapegrace son OF
his from arrest. Pratt aud Weeks had
captured that son, and to them John
Oakburn paid Garrison 8 money, intend.
ing to replace 1t with the money which
was in his little safe.
I remember the way the old man NUT.
tered as he sat there after he discovered
The loss Of his money.
Il am ruined, I am an embezzler, ]
have appropriated my employers money
TO my own use, have betrayed sacred
trust. I have kept it a secret that had
saved large sum Of money, and that
1t was in my little safe. My story will
not be credited. I will not live to suffer
this awful disgrace, whose one wish
was to live an honest man, and dying
leave spotless reputation. I will die By
my own hand
It was like that he went on, I almost
remember his exact words. Then he
seized q pen and began to write,
watched him breathlessly, and bad as ]
am, resolved to save his life, to pre-.
vent his committing suicide.
When he had written for some time,
be came to his safe again, and took out
q pistol. He carried the weapon out
into the outer Office, and heard him
BAY:
Il will kill myself in ten minutes"
I saw him sit down, pistol In hand
and watch the clock. The time was al.
most up, and was about to rush out
and disarm him, when he threw down
the pistol saying, Il am afraid saw
that he trembled from head to foot
After that he paced the room for mo-
ment or 30, but finally he picked up the
pen and wrote few lines. Then as u
be had decided, he picked up the pistol
again.
Il cannot face the weapon. The sight
Of the pistol unnerves me. If I could
not see, I might have the nerve to pull
the trigger"
Then he took up the pistol once more,
opened drawer and took out ball O!
twine. Tying one end Of the twine tc
The trigger of the pistol, after cooking it
he placed the weapon in bracket at the
side of the door, where there had been
lamp, and with the cord In his hand
walked back to the table.
Before I could prevent it, and before
fully comprehended what he intended to
10 he pulled the string attached to the
trigger, the weapon, which was an ali
pistol, was discharged without report,
and Oakburn fell dead, shot through the
back Of the head. In his fall he over.
turned the table.
I sprang forward and secured the pa
per which he had written, for surmised
1t was statement that he had com.
mitted suicide.
Then I left the Office as I had entered
1t, taking care to close the window and
the blind behind me. had an idea that
the suicides last written words might
be of value to me in case I was sus.
2ected, and the result proves that was
right, said Kredge.