Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-06-29
copyright. 1896. by J. B. llpplneon Col

tiuS! liz HIS Dttu cHOuSH CTUuDI0 10
me, without my having to face such a
horror as that!"
II am sorry to say 1t looks very much
as if he did it," Hendricks replied. I'm
fact, have rather strong evidence
against him."
Drawing her child to sofa with her,
the woman sat down. Hendricks was
afraid she was going to faint, she had
turned SO white, but when he started
to rise to her assistance she motioned
him back.
Nov understand" she said. HE
went away about three weeks ago, and
would not tell me where he had been.
In fact, it irritated him when we asked
about his absence. Fred!" she cried, as
she held the boy little way from her,
your uncle Tom has killed man. He
is a murderer, and will have to be exc
cuted like any other criminal. That's
what has been the matter with him
lately. That's why he has been so rest
less and unable to sleep, and why he is
SO anxious to read the newspapers. Poor
Tom! He used to be good brother to
me when was girl. Oh, Mr.. Hem
bricks, l can't bear it! it is awful-awful
to think of what may come Of It. Is
there no hope?"
IF he is not brought to Justice, an
innocent man will most likely suffer in
his place." said Hendricks-"a man with
the world before him, a young man en-
gagged to lovely girl. She, too, will
have to suffer. Your brother is with
out doubt guilty, and really see little
chance for him."
you came back to search his room,
1suppose," answered the woman. ..You
know where it is. shall offer no objec-
ton. want to do what is right. If he
has done wrong deliberately, he must
take the consequences"
II shall not search his room," replied
the detective. This is your house;
you are suffering enough already. shall
not try to find, under your roof, evil
dence against him. think can do
without it. only thought you might
not be unwilling to tell me something
about his past business relations with
Strong. suppose your brother has
given you the facts in the case?"
Eyes, he has often done SO, and l will
d, tell you, as well as can, all about it. !"
The woman stroked her sons head
thoughtfully for q moment. then she
went on: really believe this Richard
| N. Strong did my brother great
wrong. They were equal partners in
several small mining ventures in Col
orado 20 years ago and seemed to get
! along pretty well together, but it hap
pened that just at the time they were
trying to get possession of certain
tract of silver mining land which my
| brother was confident would enrich
! them both Tom was compelled to re-
turn to New York on important bust
ness of his own. Now, my brother,
Thomas Farleigh, was known to be an
exceptionally good judge of mineral in
dications, and it often happened that
when he showed interest in property
the owners would refuse to sell at any
reasonable price. So, in this case, Mr..
known in the transfer at all, but that
he leave in his handshis part Of the pur-
chase money and let the property be
made over to him while Tom was in
New York. My brother thought it a
| good idea and consented, leaving all his
savings, something over $4,000, with
Strong, simply on the assurance that on
his return he should have deed to a
half interest in the property.
Strong no doubt meant to be honest,
and I believe only an accident to my
brother prevented him from being so.
On Toms way to New York he fell from
a train at Cincinnati, struck his head
against stone and was taken insensi-
BILE to a hospital. The doctors said his
skull was fractured and he became in
sane. From the hospital had him
taken to private asylum, where / re-
manned with him as long as could.
| After I left Cincinnati Mr.. Strong heard
| of the accident and went to see him.
Ny brother did not recognize him, and,
believing that Tom would never be re-
stored to his right mind, Mr.. Strong
said nothing to anyone about the money
put into his hands by my brother. He
went ahead and organized big COM
pany of eastern capitalists to operate
the mine. They struck rich vein, and
Strong became wealthy at once.
"About five years afterwards a skill
full surgeon trepanned my brothers.
skull, relieved the pressure on the brain
and restored his reason. Tom, of course.
remembered the last transaction with
his old partner, and, hearing OF stropg's
| great success, at once set about trying
to recover an interest in his fortune.
Mr.. Strong was not, I believe. q very bad
man, and he would have been willing
to undo what he had done, but to divide
his profits with my brother would have
been an open admission of guilt, so he
disputed the claim.
''Tom told me often that Strong priv
yately offered him at one time $4,000
as settlement of all claims against
him, but that he had indignantly re-
fused it. Another time Strong offered
him $4,000. They were alone in my
brothers room in hotel in Denver.
Tom answered the proposal by strik-
ing Strong in the mouth and shooting
at him as he ran downstairs.
Strong escaped unhurt, but my
brother was arrested and tried for at
tempting manslaughter. At the trial
Tom made statement OF his wrongs,
but Mr.. Strong brought proof that the
! claimant had been in an insane asylum
and testified that he had never been
wholly restored. He even pleaded for
Toms release on that score, and was
praised in the papers for so doing. Ny
brother was let off with small fine, but
the wrong ranked in his mind, and for