The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-10-09

22d. Invent to the Gulf of Mexico, and,
finding the air was helping me, moved
from place to place along the coast,
keeping ever on or near the water until
the LIST of June. l wrote to Elsie, but
heard nothing from her, as was NOV
ing about constantly, and we had arr
ranged that was not to expect letters.
On the Sd of June wac again in Boil
ton and speeding home:7ard bound.
knowing Elsie was expecting me. I had
avoided the main street, anxious to be
at home; but in smaller street, not
far from the courthouse, met an old
friend.
To my amazement he sprang to meet
me. crying:
Surely Providence has sent you here
to-day. Come, we have not moment
to lose!"
"Come where? What is it? Elsie?" |
cried.
mo, no! There is nothing wrong
with Elsie, but they are trying Georges
Hartley for murder, and he says you
can save him!"
For murder!" cried.
"The murder of his father on the
22d of April. The evidence is over
whelming. Mrs. Hartley swears that
her husband was robbed of 5000 on the
night when be was murdered, and she
has the numbers of the notes. They
were found on George when he was ar
rested in New York"
We were hurrying toward the court
house, but my friend spoke rapidly.
Mrs. Hartley swears that there was
some noise in the lower part of the
house that aroused her and she went
down. When she returned the window
had been forced open, the money stolen
and the husband lay on the floor dead,
with horrible wound on the back Of
his head. George ran away that night
on the midnight train to New York"
We were at the courthouse by this
time and pressed our way through the
crowd, who were listening to the evil
dcnce that threatened to hang George
Hartley for murder. made my way to
the seat where the lawyer who was de-
Tending him was grayely listening to
the witness on the stand. The prisoner
was looking down as l bent over and
whispered to his lawyer, but suddenly
looking up he saw me. One greatshout
broke from his pale lips;
Heaven has sent you! 1 am savedI"
and fell senseless on the floor. Had he
studied the effect for months he could
not have made it more convincing. Not
man in that crowded room doubted his
innocence then.
My evidence was taken, and being =
man well known in Bolton, it was sufli-
Gent to prove George Hartley guiltless.
AS / told the true story of the money,
/ could see that the sympathy of all was
with the prisoner. All Bolton knew how
hard parent his father had been.
The jury were out but a few moments
to return with the verdict: Not
guilty." and George and II left the court
room arm in arm, followed by the cheer
ing of the crowd. We found Elsie white
and trembling in the parlor, waiting
for us.
"You are not angry because came,
back p she pleaded, cIinging to me. ~
heard the news in Boston and auntie
came home with me. l knew George.
was innocent, e en- before / saw him,
and it comforted him to sec me-" she
said. turning to her lover.
did not doubt that, as 1 saw them
together, their faces still pale
with recent sorrow, but glad light
shining in their eyes.
The mystery of John Hartley's death
has never been solved His son thinks
he was not murdered but fell and struck
his head. His stepmother's hatred OF
him and the fact that his death would
make her the heircss of her husbands
wealth were sufficient motives for her
accusation,
BY his fathers will, George Hartley
inherited his entire estate, with life
income to Mrs. John Hartley that is
paid. He was far weather.
man than was supposed and George
Hartley is to-day one of the richest men
in Bolton and the happiest of husbands
and fathers. Eli, Elsie?
''He is here to answer for himself
she answered, as we saw a tall figure
come up the garden path, the figure of
the man whose innocence had proved,
just in time, ten years before.-N. Y
Ledger.