Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1896-03-11
ANOTHER s CRIME.
FROM THE DIARY OF INSPECTOR BYRNEs


That is for neither you nor me to de
termine, Mrs. Tunstall," returned the
inspector, rising II will not detain you
any longer now; you will be informed
when your sworn testimony win be re-
quired hereafter And Mrs Tunstall
went out.
The Inspector resumed his seat, and
addressed himself to the prisoner.
81 was willing" he said, ''for the sake
of your family and friends, to give you
every chance to which you were entitled
You had every advantage of training
and education; but you have lived fool
ish and useless life, and this is the result
of it. You were in need of money in i'm
mediate and pressing need of it; you had
tried every way you knew to get it; you
found those bank notes in your hand this
morning, and you were unable to resist
the temptation to take them. From a
gentleman you became-what you are
nowi"
Inspector Byrnes, said Percy, firmly
but alphabetically, 81 did not commit that
crime. / have lived a bad and useless
life, and no doubt deserve to suffer for
it; but l honestly believe that no tempta-
ton would have induced me to do such a
thing as that. am obliged to you for
suggesting to Mrs. Tunstall that she would
reconsider her accusation; hnt it will be
no satisfaction to me to escape in any
such way If l. cannot prove my inno-
cence, may as well be in Jail as any
where else.
Innocent men are very seldom con-
victed, said the inspector impassively.
''The facts are against you. No one but
you is known to have been near the muff
after Mrs. Tunstall laid it down. You
admit having had it in your hands; the
pocket book was found in your pocket.
It is true that the bank notes were not
found; but the presence of confederate
would account for that. 1t is for you to
judge whether or not your plea should
be guilty"
II am innocent, and that's the end of
it, said Percy II don't expect to prove
it. The evidence is all the other way
Somebody must have taken the purse
out of the muf and put it in my pocket;
as for the notes, know nothing You
say may have had confederate. If
he was near enough to take the notes
from me, he was near enough to rob the
muff; and if he could do that, it would
remain to be proved that he was my con-
federate, or that knew anything about
him. But all that would be in my favor
is guess work, and all that's against me
is fact; so it's bad look outr'
Undoubtedly it is" assented the IS
pector quietly. There was only -
minute when a thief could have taken
the money and left the purse in your
pocket; and that was when you were
talking to Mrs. Tunstall and her back
was turned towards the muff. If any
one had been near enough to put the
purse in your pocket, you could hardly
expect a jury to believe that you would
not have noticed him. -
Percy maintained q gloomy silence for
a moment; then his expression suddenly
ightened and he exclaimed, ''Now that
I think of it, some one did touch me on
the arm, and when / turned round he
asked me if his cane was standing
against the counter. Perhaps he was !
the man.
Scan you describe him?" asked the in
spector indiferently.
Percy shook his head. He had dark
mustache, I believe; he might have been
under 30, but hardly looked at him.
doubt if should know him again.
The Inspector stroked his mustache.
''That will hardly do, said he. ''You
have no defense at ALL The best advice
can give you is to make clean breast
of it. Such defense as that is worse
than nothing"
Probably you are right; but am in
nocent, and will never say the con-
trary," replied the prisoner with a sigh.
$50 far as am concerned. don't care
much what becomes of me. | owe
money can't pay, and-there are other
things. | am sorry for my mother and
sister; but | never was much good to
them; and Judge Ketelle will look after
them, hope.
SIS Judge KeteIle a friend of yours?
He was my fathers partner and is
the executor of his will
do you wish to send for him? There
will be the question of bail to consider.
as well as other matters
II suppose that will be the best thing
I can do; thank you for suggesting it.
inspector"
Don't trouble yourself to thank me
until you find out whether there is oc-
casion for it, returned the chief detec-
tive coddly. He touched bell, made
sign to the officer who entered, and
Percy was led out.
''That boy never took that money!" he
said to himself. when he was alone. |
"Such fellows as he don't steal, least of !
all from the woman they're in love with.
AS for herl"-the inspectors face grew
very stern, and he brought his hand down
heavily on the table. "She is sacrificing
him to pull wool over her husbands |
eyes. Either Nolen's suggestion is the
true one, or else she invented the story
to get rid of him. It's bad lookout; but
let's see if we can't straighten it out!"
CHAPTER VII.