Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-06-04

and make good my own escape while |
the opportunity presented itself. 1t
seemed terrible thing to thus fee
had not committed, but | could not
for my life see any other course open.
SO l urged the animal to still greater
speed and pulling up Mt bend in the
road before l reached the station 1
jumped down and ran, just in time to
scramble upon the train as 1t was NOV
ing Off.
1t was curious freak Of chance. II
indeed, it was chance alone, which had
brought me down to Hopeville that
morning and thrust me into the unen-
viable position of suspected murder
err. l had received telegram from
Randolph Cutting. the man whom l
had just seen murdered, asking me to
come down Immediately to Hopeville,
and in obedience to this summons l
had taken an early morning train down
from New York. Hopeville is an ex-
cedingly unpretentious little New Jer-
sey village. il indeed a country store
and two small houses besides the sta
ton could be so described. When l
stepped out Of the train looked about
in vain for Randolph Cuttings car
rage. AS it was not to be seen and as
anything in the shape of Ered con-
vcyance was an utter impossibility at
Hopevilie. l set out at a brisk walk in
place, which l knew from former
visit was about mile and half from
the station.
Randolph Cutting and were second
cousins. and the very slight degree Of
affection which always existed between
us was not increased materially Mt the
death of an uncle Of ours who left his
money to me, and whose will was so
involved that there was a lawsuit be-
tween Cutting and myself. AS it hap
pened, by the terms of the will, most
Of my uncle's property was left to me.
and Cutting tried to have the will
! broken upon certain technical grounds
which are not essential to this story.
| The courts upheld me, however, and
declared the will perfectly valid. AS a
consequence Randolph Cutting and my
self had not spoken for five years, and
l, of course, had not been near his
home until that eventful day, when l
hurried down there in response to his
telegram. True, did think that 1t
was curious thing for Cutting to do
to telegraph for me to come down to
HOpeville, but on second thoughts
concluded that some business Of i'm
| IN, connection with taj n in,
terests which We're still mutual, re-
Quired that he should see me, and that
perhaps he was unable from illness OF
some other cause to leave his home.
This brief explanation Of the cause OF
my visit to Hopev!lle was only small
part Of the thoughts which crowded
my brain when was safely seated in
the train and whirling toward Jersey
City. AS l have said, Randolph Cut
ting and l were bitter enemies, ant
the evidence which pointed to my hav
ing committed the crime seemed 81
blackly conclusive that could nj
most feel the rope tighten about my
neck. When the train stopped at thu
next station trembled in every limb
fully expecting to see some one come
into the car to arrest me. Nothing OF
the sort happened. however. and
passed several more stations in safety
However. l did not allow myself mucl
hope. for l felt sure l would be appre
hended at Jersey City. After som,
thought l concluded that 1t would b'
the best plan to 60 right in rather thar
get of at any out-of-town stations. Al
there would be much less risk Of bein,
noticed in the crowd which would &c
Off the train there.
When the train pulled into the Jerse,
City depot l made my way with al
possible haste to the waiting-room. ant
greatly to my surprise l was not mo
Tested. Suddenly heard the trainmal
call out train for Philadelphia, an
acting upon impulse hastily secured
ticket and was soon comfortably Ell
sconced in parlor car on the way t
the Quaker City.
can never describe that night O
horror which l spent in Philadelphia
Some idea Of my feelings may be imag
ined when I saw In an evening paper
dispatch telling of the murder of Rar
dolph Cutting. well-known Ne,
: Yorker. near his country place at Hope
vile. n. ]. The account In the pape
said that detectives from New Yor
were at work upon the case. and tina
, although they refused to give out an
; Of the facts. they were in possessio
Of clew which they felt sure woul
= enable them to capture the murdere
, within few hours.
, l sought a quiet hotel upon a sid
: street, registering under an assume
name and then endeavored to compos
G myself to await results. I hardly thin
al <4lT