Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-12-09

III buo mySCSly WaS SApAoiASA ohA ~AA
fitted in with his own theory OF the
crime. The confession is here given
verbatim:
AFTER years Of preparation I find
that my plans have miscarried. How
ever, / am fatalist, and therefore bow
to the inevitable. I 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 I do not hesitate to sacrifice myself
that she may live and be happy, even
though it be in the arms of man
whom should like to grind beneath my
heel. Yet what has he done to me?
Nothingl He is one of the same family
us 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 It is the finger OF
fate, and yet there are many who scott
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, must be
more explicit. Therefore it will be as
we'll to give a detailed account OF the
sequence of strange events in my life.
"At the outset let me say that my
name is John Lewis, but as that is also
the name under which 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 go back to my youth and relate the
events in the order of their occurrence
II was born i'll Richmond, Va, and
my family was aristocratic. OF course
when the civil war began our sympa-
thies were all with the secessionists.
My father entered the Confederate serv-
ice and soon, BY his gallantry, won
distinction, being advanced several
times on the field until at length he
had reached the position OF colonel. 1t
was during his absence with his regi-
ment that, in the latter part Of 1858,
some prisoners Of war were brought into
Richmond. Some Of these were wounded
and sent to the hospitals. 1t is curious
fact that, however eager men may be in
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 lingering spark within
their veins.
my sister, together with many other
noble women, gave her entire time to
the nursing Of the wounded and so spent
all her days among the soldiers in the
hospitals. Thus when these prisoners
Of war were brought in and the sufferers
placed in the kind care Of these women
my sister met and nursed many Of them.
Among the number was Walter Marvel,
an officer in the Union army. At once
she was attracted to him. How or why
let those explain who disbelieve in fate,
for he was neither handsome nor pleas
ant, either in countenance or manners.
Besides, he was the avowed enemy Of
all that we held to be our sacred right
and for which our young men were
pouring out their life's blood on many
fields. She was one Of the fairest daugh-
tiers Of the south, and it was not sur
prising that Marvel soon found himself
fascinated by her charms.
''After time he recovered sufficient
ly to be removed from the hospital, and
in the natural order of events would
have been taken to prison but for the
interest which my sister evinced in
him. Naturally she possessed much ill.,
fuence with the officers, and she repre-
scented to them that, though we'll
enough to leave the hospital, he was
still so weak that if confined in cell
he would probably not survive. Thus
she succeeded in having him paroled.
So there was opportunity for them to
meet and exchange loving vows, al
though they conducted matters so adroit-
ly that /, who was present all the time
in the home, never suspected the true
state Of affairs.
"At last cume the end Of the war,
and, stricken at heart by the outcome
thereof. my father returned home.
Moreover, he had been severely wound
ed, and his wound, not having re-
ceived proper attention, had never thor
oughly healed. Great care was neces-
sary to insure its not giving more
trouble. Meanwhile it transpired that
during the latter part Of 1854 Marvel
had lured my sister into secret mar
riage, a pitfall into which so many in
nocent and inexperienced women fall,
forgetting that their parents have their
interests at heart, and therefore are en-
titled at least to advise about so i'm
portant step. She would have con-
fessed to my father on his arrival We're
it not for his weakened physical condi-
ton and the danger which any great
excitement might entail.
$50 time passed until at length it be-
came imperative that she should make
the disclosure. She was just about to
confide her story to my father when I'M
fortunately he discovered it himself.
He questioned her and was at first re-
lieved to hear that at least she was q
married woman, but when he learned
that her husband was detested Yam
kee his rage was simply terrific. He
stormed and ragged until his strength
was exhausted, and he fell to the floor
in swoon.
my sister screamed for help, and the
servants rushed in and picked mp their
master. They bore him up to his own
chamber and laid him on his bed, but
an ominous train of blood marked their
y,ropraco from tho room ho1ouy apd
when, in response to a hasty summons,
the doctor arrived be found that the
wound had opened and was bleeding
dangerously. Other surgeons were sum-
moned, and after great difficulty the
flow was stopped, but the loss of blood
In his alraadv 1ueakannd condition left