The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-04-21

morning anu tnruSJ me INTO tue uuen-
viable position of suspected murder
er. L had received telegram from
Randolph Cutting the man whom /
had Just seen murdered, asking me to
come down Immediately to Hopevlle,
and in obedience to this summons L
had taken M early morning train from
New York. Hopeville is an unpreten-
tious little New Jersey village, if in
deed a country store and two small
houses besides the station could be so
described When stepped out OF
the train looked about in vain for
Randolph Cuttings carriage. As it
WIS not to be seen and as anything in
the shape of hired conveyance was
an utter impossibility ut Hopeville, i
set out at brisk walk in the direction
of Randolph Cuttings place, which |
knew from former visit was about
mile and half from the station.
Randolph Cutting and l were Sec
ond cousins, aud the very slight de-
gree of affection which always existed
between us was not increased mater
tally ut the death of an uncle of ours,
who left his money to me, and whose
will was SO involved that there was n
lawsuit between CGtting and myself.
As it happened by the terms of the
will, most of my uncles property was
left to me, and Cutting tried to have
the will broken upon certain technical
| grounds which are not essential to this
story. The courts upheld me, how
ever, and declared the will perfectly
valid. As consequence Randolph
Cutting and myself had not spoken
for five years, aud !, of course, had
not been near his home since that
eycntful day, when | hurried down
there in response to his telegram.
True, | did think, that it was II curl
Gus thing for Cutting to do-to tele-
graph me to come down to Hopeville,
but on second thought / concluded
that some business OF Importance in
connection with certain interests
which were still mutual required that
he should see me, aud that perhaps he
was unable from illness or some other
cause to leave his home.
This brief explanation of the cause
of my visit to Hopcville was only n
small part of the thoughts which
crowded my brain when was safely
seated in the train aud whirllng tow
ard Jersey City. As | have said Ran
dolph Cutting and | were bitter enc
mics, and the evidence which pointed
to my having committed tho crime
seemed SO blackly conclusive that l
could almost feel tho rope tighten
about my neck. When tho train
stopped ut the next station trembled
in every limb, fully expecting TO see
some ono come into the car to arrest
me. Nothing of the sort happened,
however, aud | passed several more
stations in safety. However, L did
not allow myself much hope, for felt
sure would be apprehcnded at Jer-
sey City. After some thought l con.
cluded that 1t would be the best plan
to go right in rather than get off nj
any of tho out-of-town stations, ns
there would be much less risk of be
ing noticed in the crowd which would
get of the train there.
When the train pulled into the Jer-
sey City depot made my way with all
possible haste toward the waiting
room, and greatly to my surprise
was not molested. Suddenly heart
the trainman call out train for Phila.
delphia, and netting upon impulse
hastily secured ticket and was soor
comfortably ensconced in IL parlor cal
on the way to the Quaker City.
can never describe that night OF
horror which I spent in Philadelphia.
Some idea OF my feelings may be i'm
agined when 1 saw in nm evening pape
dispatch telling of the murder o
Randolph Cutting, we'll known New
Yorker, near his country place at
Hopeville, n. j. The paper said tina
detectives from New York were n
, work upon the case, aud that although
they refused to give ont any of tn
facts they were in possession of clev
which they felt sure would enabl
them to capture the murderer within
few hours.
sought quiet hotel upon sid
street, registering under an assumes
name, aud then endeavored to com
pose myself to await results. hard.