The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-06

II SAW MY FArnER's FACE"
only a moment afterwards, as / thought,
when found myself lying in bed in my
room, and Mrs. Lowell-our housekeep-
er-who sat beside me, told me 1t was
morning"
A considerable interval of silence fol-
lowed these words. Then the coroner
asked:
"Do you know anything else that can
help us to find out who committed this
crime2"
Nothing. / was not allowed to leave
my bed during that day. only know
that my brother is innocent. That
should be clear to everyone
Us il not true that he and your Ia
ther had quarreled?"
"They had disagreed. but never to the
point of violence, or near ii. Even
when my brother first came home, a
year ago, and when he-when his hab-
its were not always such as my father
approved, there was never moment
when l had cause 10 fear that Will
would SO far forget himself as to raise
his hand against our father. My broth
er is gentleman, sir, rs every man OF
my family has been, so far as know
when you speak OF your brothers
habits" said the coroner, you mean
that he was intcmperateT
at is true, l am sorry to say. That
was the cause of his leaving home.
But his appetite was disease of which
he has been cured. He Is now entirely
recovered"
She spoke proudly Of her brother,
though there was in fnct little enough
to say in his favor. lie had run away
from home five years before, and had
led, by all accounts, wild life in the
west. Somewhat more than year pre-
vious to the crime, he had returned;
and he had since had no other means
Of support except his fathers bounty.
As booked at him where he sat between
q policeman and detective in plain
clothes, il seemed to me that he had
some difficulty In meeting his sisters
eyes.
The coroner glanced at a representa-
tive of the district attorney who sat
near the prisoner. The official seemed
to have no questions TO ask at that
point, and SO the coroner excused Miss
Morrison temporarily.
II suppose there was some medical
testimony before we came IMP" said
to Preole.
4 ''The result of the post mortem ex,
animation was introduced" he replied.
"I can give IL to you in a very few words.
Douglass Morrison died of a wound in
the right side of his head, extending
from the eye backward about two inch
es. Blunt instrument, very little bleed
ing. The only injury was IN abrasion
of the chin on the left side; not serious.
He was big. raw-boned man; very
powerful, and was as active at fifty-sev-
en as most men are at thirty"
Fracture of the skull. / suppose?"
"Yes; but not instantly mortal"
"Then why didn't he raise an alarm?'
"Who knows? The police say there's
only one answer possible; that he
didn't want his murderer to be caught"
I glanced at Will Morrison. His face
had the haunted look of one who carried
q secret which can never be told. His
lawyer, Frank l.. Bryant, sat directly
In front of him. Morrison bent forward
and whispered something over the
others shoulder. The lawyer rose.
II believe II will facilitate the investi-
CATION" he said, "if my clients case is
presented at this point. At the pre-
liminary examination on Wednesday
I was unwilling to disclose it. but it is
now so strong can no longer hesitate.
To establish my clients complete in
pocence at an early stage of these pro-
ceedings will remove an element of
doubt and error. But IL can be estab-
lished beyond question"
II am willing that the prisoner should
take the stand" said the coroner.
4 Accordingly, William Morrison took
tho position which his sister had just
left. The oath was administered, and
the usual Introductory questions were
asked. Coming down to the main facts
at issue Morrison stated that he had
spent the evening of Tuesday playing
cards with four young men in the offire
of one of them. by previous agree
ment. they stopped playing at exactly
half-past eleven. About fifteen minutes
were occupied in settling accounts, and
putting on their coats.
Two Of the young men walked with
him to the intersection OF Waverly
avenue and Brent road. IL must have
been about five minutes before mid
night when they reached that point.
I, was less than fifty yards from the
spot TO his house. He went directly
home.
II was very dark mp 10 the moment
when he opened the front door. Then
the moon came out with great bril-
iiancy and unusual sadd.npess. He re.
marked the phenomenon ms he stood
there. IL seemed az u the heavy clouds
had vanished from the sly In IN In
@fA0xs -