St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-12-04
OPELOUSAS LA. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1897.

ton and speeding homeward bound,
knowing Elsie was expecting me. Ihad
avoided the main street, anxious to be
at home; but In smaller street, not
far from the courthouse, met an old
friend.
To my amazement he sprang to meet
me, crying:
"Surely Providence has sent you here
to-dayl Come, we have mot q moment
70 losel"
scome where? What is it2 Elsie9'' 7
cried.
.No. mol There 10 nothing wrong
with Elsie, but they are trying Georges
Hartley for murder, and he saya you
can save him!"
For murderi" T cried.
s@The murder Of his father on the
aad soe April. The evidence 10 over
whelming. Mrs. Hartley sweara that
her husband was robbed Of 5000 on the
night when he was murdered and she
has the numbers of the notes. They
were found on George when he was arr
rested in New York" '
) We were hurrydng toward the cours-
house. but my friend spoke rapidly.
"Mrs. Hartley swears that there was
some noise in the lower part Of the
house that aroused her and she went
down. When she returned the window
had been forced open. the money stolen
and the husband lay on the floor dead,
with q horrible wound on the back OF
his head. George ran away that night
on the midnight train to New York"
We were at the courthouse by this
time and pressed our way through the
crowd, who were listening to the evi-
dence that threatened to hang George
Hartley for murder. made my way to
the seat where the lawyer who was de-
tending him was gravely listening to
the witness on the stand. The prisoner
was looking down as bent over and
whispered to his lawyer, bQt suddenly
looking UP he saw me. Onegreat shout
broke from his pale lips:
Heaven has sent youl am saved"
and fell senseless on the floor. Had he
studied the effect for months heAcould
not have made it more convincing. Not
man In that crowded room doubted his
innocence then.
My evidence was taken, and being a
man we'll known in Bolton, 1t was suff-
cient to prove George Hartley guiltless.
As I told the true story OF the money,
I could zee that the sympathy Of allwas
with the prisoner. All Bolton knew how
hard q parent his father had been.
The Jury were out but e few moments
to return with the verdict: "Not
guiltyl" and George and left the court
room arm In arm, followed by the cheer
ing OF the crowd. We found Elsie white
and trembling In the parlor, waiting
for ua.
"You are not angry because I came
back?" she pleaded, clinging to me. II
heard the news in Boston, and anntie
came home with me. I knew George
was innocent, even before saw him,
and 1t comforted him to see me-" she
said, turning to her lover.
I did not doubt that, asI saw them
clinging together. their faces still pale
with recent sorrow, but glad light
shining In their eyes.
The mystery Of John Hartley's death
has never been solved. His son thinks
he was not murdered but fell and struck
his head. His stepmother's hatred Of
him and the fact that his death would
make her the heiress Of her husbands
wealth were sufficient motives for her
accusation.
By his fathers will, George Hartley
Inherited his entire estate, with q life
income to Mrs. John Hartley that is
punctually paid. He was a far wealthies
man than was supposed and George
Hartley Is to-day one OF the richest men
IN Bolton and the happieat OF husbands
and fathers. Eh, Elsie?
'tHe is here TO answer for himself, j"
she answered, as we sew tall figure
come up the garden path. the figure OF
che man whose innocence I had proved
just in time, ten years before.-N. X.
Ledger. sg@ to.,!