Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-12-18
A CONFLICT OF EVIDENCE.
RY RODRIGUES OTTOLENGUI.
Copyright, 1897, by G. P. Putnam's Sons.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE CONFESSION.
Author of IAN Artist In Crime


THE CONFESSION.
As soon as Virginia had departed MIR.
Barnes re-entered the secret chamber,
passing, as before, through the ceiling
of the closet
His first endeavor was to learn how
this man had taken his life. This was
not difficult. A small charcoal furnace
and the strong odor Of gas permeating
the place for some time after he had
opened the skylight, which was the on
" means of ventilation and light,
plainly suggested suicide. This point
being settled, he examined the other
things lying about These were neces-
sarily few, as the place was very small.
The only articles Of furniture were ta-
BILE and q chair unless account be taken
of a small closet nailed against the
wall, in which was stock OF proVl-
sions. He also found suit of clothes.
MIR. Barnes pondered over this for few
minutes, and then the idea occurred to
him chat it was to bring these, the gar
ments which Lewis had worn on the
night of the crime, and for which, it
will be remembered, Burrows had
searched in vain, that the man had ell
tered the secret room OH the night when
Burrows was disturbed by his move
ments.
1t will also be recalled to mind that
the younger detective had a theory
which would in a measure be substan-
tiated # these were found to be perfo-
rated by bullet, as that would tend to
show that the deceased had been shot,
that he had then undressed and retired
to his bed, to be afterward awakened
and killed by a second shot. Mr.. Barnes
examined these articles with interest.
If there were any bullet hole, it would
not fit his own theory of the case. 1t
was therefore with much satisfaction
that he soon determined that there was
none. Next he turned over the papers
with which the table was Uttered, and
soon all ejaculation Of surprise and
pleasure attested the fact that he had
made an important discovery. He held
in his hand bundle of manuscript
bearing the ominous heading, MY Con-
fession," followed by the words, For
Mr.. Barnes, should he find this first. 4"
With impatience and curiosity Mr..
Barnes sat on the one chair and read
the following, occasionally emitting a
grunt of satisfaction as point after point
in the mystery was explained and all
fitted in with his own theory Of The
crime. The confession is here given
verbatim:
AFTER years of preparation l find
that my plans have miscarried. How
ever, l am fatalist, and therefore bow
to the inevitable. / have been bitterly
wronged, but in some degree have had
q revenge Now am forced by the i'm
mutable laws of circumstance to choose
between my own miserable life and
that of her whom love most dearly,
and do not hesitate to sacrifice myself
that she may live and be happy, even
though it be in the arms Of man
whom l should like to grind beneath my
heel. Yet what has he done to me-?
Nothing! He is one of the same family
as the villain who wrecked and destroy
ed the life of my dearly beloved sister.
Beyond that there is nothing. Strange
that mother and daughter should both
love the same namel 1t is the finger Of
fate, and yet there are many who scoff
at the idea of predestination. But as
wish to be understood by the one who
may find this paper, and that one am
confident will be Mr.. Barnes, l must be
more explicit. Therefore it will be as
well to give detailed account of the
sequence of strange events in ny life.
"At the outset let me Say that my
name is John Lewis, but as that is also
the name under which l have passed
since the tragedy of Sunday night I will
add that am the man who is supposed
to be dead. The corpse is that of Walter
Marvel, the uncle of the young man at
present accused of my murder. will
now 60 back to my youth and relate the
events in the order of their occurrence.
II was born in Richmond, Va, and
my family was aristocratic. OF course
when the civil war began our sympa-
-hies wero all with the secessionists.
My father entered the Confederate serv-
Zee and soon, by his gallantry, won
distinction, being advanced several
times on the field until at length he
had reached the position of colonel. II
was during his absence with his regi-
ment that, in the latter part of 1868,
some prisoners of war were brought into
Richmond. Some Of these were wounded
and sent to the hospitals. 1t is Il curious
fact that, however eager men may be IL
battle to destroy each other, after the
fight is over they appear to be just as
anxious to save the lives of those who
may yet have a lingering spark within
their veins.
"My sister, together with many Other
noble women, gave her entire time tt
the nursing of the wounded and so spent
all her days among the soldiers in the
hospita S. Thus when these prisoner!
of war were brought in and the sufferer:
placed in the kind care of these womel
my sister met and nursed many of them
Among the number was Walter Marvel
an officer in the Union army. At cnct
she was attracted to him. How or why
let those explain who disbelievc in fate
for he was neither handsome nor pleas
ant, either in countenance or manners
Besides, he was the avowed enemy o.
all that we held to be our sacred rlgh
and for which our young men were
pouring out their life's blood on many
fields She was one of the fairest daugh
ters of the south, and it was not sur
prising that Marvel soon found himself
f,cc;nato6 nv her charms