Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-10-20
CHAPTER XIV
I'm MY CASE, THE SEA GAVE Up ITS
DEAD

|
At ten o'clock on the morning of the
10th Hugh Gordon and Tom boarded
the steamer for Wilmington, where
they arrived at noon.
Tom had stated at home chat he
was going up the river on the steamer.
but would be back before the time set
for the marriage ceremony
Ills father and mother supposed that
his erfand to town was to procure some
present for one or both of the brides.
Arrived in Wilmington, the two
gentlemen proceeded to the Carolina
hotel to dinner, and at two o'clock stood
on the piazza of a brick residence on
Chestnut street.
Hugh Gordon thumped on the old
fashioned knocker, and a colored girl
opened the door.
How is the colonel to-day?" asked
Gordon.
DE doctor say he much improved;
he in de office; come dis away"
They followed the girl into the office.
smooth-faced gentleman, whose
silvery hair bespoke the fact that he
had passed the meridian of life, was
seated in large rocker before table
on which were arranged before him
numerous papers and law books, while
from the array along the wall it was
evident to Tom that they were in the
office OF an attorney at law.
Good day, gentlemen; will you be
seated? Hester, will you place chairs
for the gentlemen near the tablet"
Colonel" said Gordon, Il trust 1 find
| you much improved"
VERY much, Mr.. Gordon, thank you"
ALLOW me, colonel, to introduce my
friend Lieut.. Thomas Hill.
Indeed, young man, l am glad to
meet you. l have had the pleasure of
lifelong acquaintance with your ia
Their, but suppose that he now thinks
am at the bottom of the sea-
Il remember seeing you often, at orr
home, when a boy, and can assure yen,
my father greatly regretted to hear of
your loss at sea; if remember it was at
the time the Media went down.
The same, Tom. You will excuse me
for calling an old friends children by
their given Names"
Il should wish to be called no other.
colonel
operate? 1 suppose Tom is conversant
with the matter, or he would not be he re
in your company?"
He Is fully so, colonel and together
we listened to admissions by Lathrop of
his guilt"
Here Gordon related all that had
transpircd, The night before, in the
library at Kendall.
He is evidently filled with remo-se
at this time" said Col. Strange, for he it
was.
so much so. that 1 doubt even if the
justice CT the law is mete1 out to him."
You fear suicide, them"
Il should not be surprised at any time
to hear that he had taken his life. I
feel almost certain that he will attempt
it, when he is confronted with the
charge Of numbering his uncle"
Far better should he die by his own
hand" said the attorney. MY poor
friend, Lloyd, distrusted Herbert, but
little did he think that the youth he
educated and raised would prove his
assassin
Colonel, will you please state to Mr
Hill, the circumstances in regard to the
will of the banker"
THAT is soon done: On the goth day
of October, 1929, at just about this hour,
John Lloyd sat where you now sit, and
at his dictation I drew up his will He
desired to have me act as his administra-
tor, in case of his death. I had all ar
engagements made for a trip to Europe,
and stated that sometimes people were
lost at sea, and suggested that he Sc
lect some one else, or leave a vacancy,
until [ returned.
''IIe replied: Leave the name va
cant, Jim; you know more as to my
affairs than does anyone else, and 1
guess L won't peg out before you re-
turn
"'No, John, 1 trust not I said. sor
for many years to come, but should you,
the name being absent would not in
validate the will, and the court would
see that your daughter was properly
protected. In the will was clause leav-
ing Herbert Lathrop $4,000, and Mr..
Lloyd seemed to think that he was treat
ing him very literally. He said as
much. and added: IF at his age he
cannot succeed in life, with the educa-
| IlOn nave given MIN ana So,UOO, ne
probably would not with more.
"'Of course, should live for years
and see proper to make his bequest
larger, can do so, but that is enough
money to place in the hands of young
man of his age
/ Andrew Bligh, passing as had con-
cluded writing the will, called him in.
md he and myself signed it as witnesses;
but poor Bligh went down with the ILL
fated Media, while in my case the sea
gave up its dead, that 1 might aid in
bringing to justice the murderer Of my
old friend.
Herbert Lathrop altered that will.
either directly before or after the MUIR
der.
ut was an easy matter for man
proficient with pen to add a cipher,
and change five to fifty, and it was
done. Then seeing that the provisions
of the will required no bond, what easier
than to insert the name Herbert Lathrcp.
and the handling of John Loyd's for
tune was in his hands.
"The fortune may have suffered much,
!: but trust not. He was so anxious to
call your sister wife that he has hardly
: dissipated much of it, and then, doubt
/ l<..- = Il IL