Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-03-18


about in vain for Randolph Cuttings
carriage. AS it was not to be seen and
as anything in the shape Of hired con-
veyance was an utter impossibility at
Hopeville, set out at brisk walk in
| the direction of Randolph Cuttings
! place, which knew from former visit
was about u miles from the station.
Randolph Cutting and were second
cousins, and the very slight degree of
affection which always existed between
us was not increased materially at the
death Of an uncle of ours, who left his
money to me, and whose will was SO
| involved that there was lawsuit be-
tween Cutting and myself As it hap
pened 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, however, and declared
the will perfectly valid As conse-
quence Randolph Cutting and myself
had not spoken for five years, and /, of
course, had not been near his home until
that eventful day, when hurried down
there in response to his telegram. True,
did think that it was curious thing
for Cutting to do-to telegraph for me
to come down to Hopeville-but on sec
ond thought concluded that some bust
ness of Importance in connection with
certain interests which were still mutual
required that he should see me, and 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 Hopeville was only small
part of the thoughts which crowded my
brain when | was safely seated in the
train and whirling toward Jersey City.
As I have said, Randolph Cutting and
l were bitter enemies, and the evidence
which pointed to my having committed
the crime seemed so b1ackly conclusive
that could almost feel the rope tighten
about my neck When the train stopped
at the next station, trembled in every
limb, fully expecting to see some one
come into the car to arrest me. Nothing
Of the sort happened, however, and /
passed several more stations in safety.
However, did not allow myself much
hope, for ] felt sure / would be appre-
hended at Jersey City. After some
thought concluded that 1t would be
the best plan to go right in rather than
get off at any Of the out of town sta
tions, as there would be much less risk
of being noticed in the crowd which
would get off the train there.
When the train pulled into the Jersey
City depot I made my way with all
possible haste toward the waiting room,
and, greatly to my surprise, was not
molested. Suddenly heard the train
man call out train for Philadelphia,
and, acting upon impulse, hastily Sc
cured ticket and was soon comfortably
ensconced in parlor car on the way to
the Quaker City.
can never describe that night of hor-
ror which Ispent in Philadelphia Some
idea of my feelings may be imagined
when saw in an evening paper dis
patch telling of the murder of Randolph
Cutting, well known New Yorker,
pear his country place, at Hopeyille. N.
7. The account in the paper said that
detectives from New York were at work
upon the case and that, although they
refused to give out any of the facts, they
were in possession of a elew which they
felt sure would enable them to capture
the murderer within few hours.
sought q quiet hotel upon a side
street, registering under an assumed
name, and then endeayored to compose
myself to await results. / hardly think
Islept wink that night, but tossed fe-
verishly upon my bed, wondering wheth-
er had not acted very foolishly in thus
running away when was perfectly in
nocent. Undoubtedly by SO doing had
strengthened the chain of evidence
against me, but, under the circum-
stances, did not see what else / could
do. There was still chance for me, I
thought. Cutting 3 groom was, no doubt,
new one, as his face was not familiar
to me, and he probably did not know
who was. No one else in Hopeville
knew me- had not mentioned my in
tention of going down there to any one
in New York Ny only hope lay in
keeping perfectly secluded until the
thing had blown over, and this thought
could do as well in my hotel in Phila-
delphia as anywhere else.
Then when I would arrive at this
point in my reasoning the thought of
that clew that the detectives were work
ing on would come to me, and would
break into cold perspiration from nerv-
BUSINESS and anxiety. How I ever got
through the night cannot tell. As soon
as could get into my clothes in the
morning procured morning paper.
There found a fuller and more thrill
ing account of the murder, most of
which / SKINNED through hurriedly
until / reached the following words;
Detectives Warden and Seabury Of
the Pinkerton force reached Hopeville
shortly after noon, having been tele-
graphed for by Mr.. Cuttings family.
They at once set to work upon a clew
furnished them by Davis, the groom,
who was with Mr.. Cutting when the
fatal shot was fired. Davis was sitting
with his back to Mr., Cutting, but hap
pening to look toward the side of the
road he saw man, whom he recognized
as a discharged servant Of his employ
er, level pistol at Mr.. Cuttings head
and fire. Mr.. Cutting fell to the ground,
and Davis jumped to his masters assist
ance, only to find him instantly killed
The horse had taken fright and run
away, when Davis, happening to look
up, saw a figure in the roadway. In
stinctiyely he ran toward him, but the
man darted behind the hedge and Davis
lost sight of him. He was unable, how
ever, to identify the murderer fully
when he was arrested by the detectives
late last night. The man, whose name
is james Simpson, was found in an
empty hay shed, not two miles from the
scene of the murder. When confronted
with his crime he became panic stricken
and made full confession. I"
And that was the nearest ever came
to being hanged. Alfred Stoddart in
Philadelphia Times.