Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-10-09

i Warden smiled grimly, and stroked
his tawny mustache. 1 was a young
lawyer at the time, and had been re-
tanned to defend the prisoner by the
Widow Millen. A more fascinating
creature 1 never beheld, and l was not
surprised that so many of the sterner
sex fell victims to her smiles.
Hugh Warden told me frankly that
Mrs. Millen had turned the heads OF
half the men in the country, and that
his was one of them. Fortine seemed
to be the favored one, however, and he
(Warden) was in the dumps over it.
My first interview with the pretty
widow impressed me with the frivoli.
ty of her nature. She was keen and
cutting in her remarks about Hugh
Warden, and assured me that the ar.
rest of Fortine was planned for the
purpose of Kidding him (Warden) of a
dangerous rival.
"But, madam" said I, "somebody
murdered Bates"
ayes, agree with you there" ad-
mitted she. II have not been idle
while Hugh Warden has been at work
to ruin Oscar. I have found the
weapon from which the bullet was
fred, and it is not Oscars pistol"
"Go on" said I, as she came to a
full stop. "What about the pistol
I did not know that it had been found"
eyes, it has been found. am to be
a witness at the trial, and the weapon
shall be produced, never fear"
When the trial came off Mrs. Mil
len was a witness, and a most impor-
tant one, as she had intimated she
would be. By this time I had discov-
cred that Grace Millen was infatuated
with Fortine, and that she hated bis
accuser, Hugh Warden.
The evidence against the prisoner
was purely circumstantial, yet it was
very strong, and might have prevailed
had not Mrs. Millen torn it to shreds
on the stand at the last. The widows
testimony was of truly astounding
nature.
She had been a veritable sleuth in
hunting up evidence to save her lover,
evidence that could not fail of its ef-
feet. She produced the revolver from
which the fatal shot had been fired.
One chamber alone was empty, and
the bullet taken from the brain of the
murdered man was shown to be of SIM
Iilar calibre to that of the weapon.
This in itself would not have proved
much, but when the witness followed
this with testimony to show that the
pistol was the property, not of the man
on trial, but of his jealous rival, Hugh
Warden, there was sensation.
More than this, she stated that on
the evening in question Horace Bates
called on her; that while she was en-
tertaining him Warden looked in and
went away muttering. When Bates
Quilted her presence she heard high
words without, and looking outside
saw that the two men were quarreling.
She became frightened, and decided
to 90 to the house of neighbor, half
a mile distant, to spend the night.
She had entered the woods on we'll
beaten path when the sound of voices
fell on her ear. She would have
fled back to the house had not her
name been mentioned by one of the
speakers. She went cautiously for
ward. The moon was shining bright
Ily, and she saw two men standing be-
meath tree.
She recognized them easily as the
foreman and Hugh Warden. They
were quarreling and bandying her
name. Suddenly Bates sprang at the
throat of the other, and was shot
through the head for his pains. She
saw Warden fire, and then she fled
back to her room once more. She was
too terrified to speak of her nights
adventure for long time. Recently
she had kept the secret, intending to
speak at the trial as she was now do
ing.
As I have said, the widows evidence
was astounding. I watched the face
of Warden, and saw it blanch to a
deathly hue. He rose to his feet and
walked to the side of the speaker, say
ing as he reached her:
"My God, Grace, why have you
done this ?"
She did not reply or look at his star
tied face. Her evidence fell like d
bombshell. The accused was set free,
and Hugh Warden was soon behind
prison walls to answer for the crime OF
murder. 1t is not necessary to dwell
on the case. Warden was convicted
and sentenced to the penitentiary for
life.
People in general seemed satisfied
with the outcome. Warden was not a
congenial man; he had few friends,
and was morose and vindictive by ma
ture. Not many doubted. When
Hugh Warden was taken away not a
person accompanied him to the train !;
not one soul among his late compan-
ions was there to bid him farewell.
Oscar Fortine made friends every
where, and it was relief to the pub
lie in general to know that he was an
innocent man. He remained at the