The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-11-06

which little side streams spread out IN all
directions | felt, and still feel, proud of
that photograph, for it caused no little
excitement in the scientific world. The
next plate was bit of mystery to me,
for it was negative Of the landscape in
front Of our house and | wondered when
ii was taken, until [ remembered that
Donald had asked me to take it as a flash
light landscape view with the last plate on
that memorable evening of the storm. As
development proceeded, and the objects
became more and more distinct, | was sur
prised to see several human figures por-
trayed in it. With magnifying glass [
gave it closer examination, the result of
which made me tremble with excitement.
"Good heayensr' | exclaimed. This
is photo of the murder of Solenski!'
And indeed it was, taken at the identical
moment that the crime was committed
There was the whole scene unerringly de-
picted on the plate by that brilliant flash
of lightning. | examined the plate more
minutely, and the result was startling in
the extreme. There was the murderer in
the very act Of plunging the knife into
Solenski' breast.
The faces of both men were plainly dis
tinguishable, and-that of the murderer
was not Gerald Merrilees, but Of short,
thickset man with heavy beard, and
there, farther in the background was an
inanimate form, with upturned face, lying
upon the earth.
''Good heavensr' | again exclaimed
$50 Merrilees is innocent, after all How
wonderful that we should have taken this
photograph, and thus be able to prove his
innocence! Tomorrow will go to Winches
ter with it and procure his release
Suddenly I reeled as if shot. TO
morrow" did say? Why, tomorrow is
the day of his execution! 1t is tomorrow
now, for it Is after 3 clock In FIVE
hours all will be over; another victim sac
riiced TO miscarriage of justice. What
was | to do? Twenty miles from Win
chester, with no means of communicating
with the authorities to avert the tragedy
which would so soon be enacted, here was
[ with evidence that would save an inno-
cent man s life, and that man very dear
friend too
What could | do? | groaned aloud in
my anguish and great beads of perspira-
ton dropped from my brow
Just then my wife and son returned
and were alarmed to see my agitated state,
but upon explaining matters, my wife s
ready wit suggested that | should ride to
Winchester on my bicycle. The very
thing jumped with joy, and soon
after started on my dark and dreary, but
fateful, ride, with the priceless negative
carefully packed to avoid the risk of break
age and its terrible consequences.
will not 90 into details of that ride,
for only those who have ridden over strange
crossroads on pitch dark night, when a
friend life depends upon their speed and
dispatch, can sympathize with me.
At 6.45 that same morning l rode up
to Winchester Jail and demanded to see
the governor Immediately, and upon being
admitted to his presence showed him the
heaven sent witness which he deemed of
such importance that he telegraphed at
once to the home secretary, giving him
details of my marvellous photograph, with
the result that in this eleventh hour Gerald
Merrilees was reprieved- was saved.
The nature of the evidence that estab-
lished Merrilees' innocence and all partic-
ulars concerning it were kept strictly secret
by the police, who had my negative en-
larged and sent copies of the photograph
whereon the features of the murderer were
clearly portrayed-to all the police stations
in the kingdom, with the result that within
ten days the real cnlprit was arrested in
the foreign quarter of Soho, and upon
being charged with the murder confessed
his guilt, stating that Solenski was an
absconding nihilist, who had fed to Eng
land to avoid carrying out horrible task
imposed on him by the peculiar rules of
that dreaded society.
By so doing his life became forfeited
and to the murderer was allotted the duty
of carrying out the society vengeance.
Hoping to escape, Solenski had lived in
retirement in our village, but was tracked
by his inexorable executioner, who stated
that on the night of the great storm he
had come across the prostrate and sense
less form of Merrilees, from whom he took
everything available, including the fatal
knife with which he stabbed his victim
whom he accidentally met Immediately
after leaving Merrilees- just as the defend
ing counsel had surmised at the trial.
In due time Merrilees received full
and unconditional pardon-for a crime that
he had never committed-and | should
not at any time be surprised to hear of his
engagement to Miss Devereux.
He and [ are the strongest of friends, as
he says he owes his life to me, but [ tell
him that it is not so, hut that he owes it
to the magazine that prompted us to take
the photos on that eyentful night The
Strand.