Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-07

that was truly i'll, yet, in point Of
fact, my cough was brought on by drugs
administered to me by my physician at
MY express desire, and for purposes
which had explained to him. I guess
ID that lad been followed to Philadel-
phia and took care that should not be
too closely watched. as Mr.. Barnes
knows. Yet l expected that after the
affair Mir. Barnes himself would come
to Philadelphia to see me. and my arti-
ficially produced illness was TO battle
him. Bat I am anticipating events.
After the train robbery the woman was
murdered. BY what seemed an odd
chance she was iii the same house where
my wife then lived. / knew that had
been followed from the theater to that
house Ga TIE hight Of the murder. l
knew that other circumstances pointed
strongly to my guilt. But had the adj
vantage over the detective, for l knew
that the man who had stolen the jew
els from the woman, not finding them
when lie returned to New Haven, must
have been furious. Judging the woman
by himself, he would suppose that at
least it was possible that she had taken
them from the satchel herself. Then on
that slim chance might he not have re-
turned 70 the woman, and, admitting
the theft Of the satchel, have endeavor
ed to make her confess that she still
had the jewels: Failing in this, might
he not either in fit Of anger Or to pre-
vent her from 'peaching, as they call
it, have cut her throat"
"You are wrong there, Mr. Mitchell"
said the detective. Tho woman was
killed while she slept. There was no
struggle"
Even Sc, we can imagine the sneak
| going into tie house and killing her
| that lie might search for the gems I'M
disturbed, and also to rid himself of "a
companion for whom he no longer had
| any need. At least, that was the view
| that l took OF it. and, moro than that, /
felt convinced that knew tie man..
at this moment Mr.. Thauret nervous
| ~ reached forth his hand toward his
glass of wire, hut before he could get
it Mr.. Barnes had taken it up and
drained il to the bottom. Mr. Thaurct
| seemed l;vid with wrath, ard q dramat-
| &c incident occurred, unobsarved by the
rest Of the company. Mr.. Thauret turn
| ed toward Mr.. Barnes and seemed on
| the point Of making q demonstration,
| when that gentleman just tipped back
his chair slightly, and meanin2iy ex-
| posed to the view Of his neiShbor the
| cleaning barrel of revolver, which he
held in his hand below the table. This
only occupied moment, and immedi-
ately afterward both men seemed, like
the others, simply interested listeners
to the narrative.
"When l say that l thought that I
knew the man." continued Mr.. Mitch
el, II make statement which it may
interest you to have me explain. In the
first place, saw the fellow who hid the
satchel at the New Haven depot. Still
obtained but momentary glimpse of
his face and would not have been sure
of identifying him. Twill call your at
tention now to the fact that very slight
incidents sometimes lead the mind into
a suspicion, which, followed up, may
elucidate a mystery. Prior to the train
robbery had met man at my club one
night, CT rather had seen him playing
card game, and conceived the notion
that tho fellow was cheating.
within few days of the robbery
met this man again, on which occasion
Mr.. Barnes was present, and an inter
esting conversation occurred. I wa!
standing aside, pretending to be other
wise engaged, but really puzzling ovel
the face of this man, which now seemed
( to me strikingly familiar. OF course
! had seen him at the club, yet despit
! me there was an intuitive feeling that
had seen him elsewhere also. In mo
a ment I heard him admit that he ha'
been aboard of the train on the night o
!. the robbery. and that ho had been tn
|. frs; one searched. Awhile later lie of
fered to wager Mr.. Barnes that variou
theories which had been advanced as t
, the thief's method of secretinS the jew
els were all erroneous. This one remar
satisfied me that the thief stood befor
me. had not then heard of the mul
der. Now it must be remembered tina
was insnared in the meshes Of circun
stantial evidence myself, SO that, bt
sides any duty that l might owe to 81
J ciety, it became Of vital Importance
my own safety that ! should be in pt
sition to prove this man guilty. form
ed o rather bold plan. l made a frlen
|. of the fellow. invited him to my rooi
one night and then accused him OF ha'
ing cheated at the card game. He
first assumed a threatening attitude
I but retained my composure and pc
haps startled him by proposing to for
partnership by which we could flee
; the rich ciCbmen. limited to him tn
q Ireally possessed less money than a
> credited with, and that what did ha'
s l had taken at the tables on the cont
nent. He then admitted that he had
D. SYSTEM and from that time we pos
3 as good friends, though I do not thil
O he ever fully trusted me. I learn,
= from him that his partner in the gar
). where l caught him cheating was e
tirely innocent and made him promi
" not &c rlay with him again. for b,
discovered that the detectives had be