Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-04-16
A REPORTERS YARN,

IL wouldn't go. l told him it was littl
Mllly's birthday, and the youngster
had set their hearts on having me spen
the evening with them. Icouldn't toucl
him even with that Said he was shor
handed and couldn't spare me. Con
found these city editors! The good ma
ture is all blue penciled out-of them. /"
You're always grumbling, Jim. I
you don't like the little inconvenience
OF newspaper work, why don't you &c
INTO something else? 1t was your owl
desire to get on the police beat, and yo,
ought to take all that goes with it goot
naturally. Quit your growing and tel
us story by way of penance. We hay,
a couple of hours before us yet. ("
Jim loved to tell a story. He baf
been reporter for many years, most 0,
the time on criminal, and he had an ex
perience for nearly every day in the
year. His face cleared, he refilled his
pipe and stuck his feet on the table. His
three fellow morning paper men fol-
lowed his example and amid the curls
OF smoke this is the story Jim told
them:
Zone morning about Is years ago
Richard Johnston of the firm of John
ston & Calvin, a very wealthy eastern
lumber concern, was found dead in his
Office. He had told his wife the night
before he wanted to look over the books,
for things were not going quite to his
satisfaction. The big ledger lay spread
out Oh the desk, his face buried in it's
blood stained leaves. The head had been
almost split in two, and the cut was so
clean 1T was evident All ak had been the
instrument used. The detectives went
to work at once, and within "a hours
Fred Wilson had been arrested on suspi-
cion. He was a cousin of the murdered
man aud had been out Of work long
time. He had never been in any kind Of
trouble with the police, but he had
character for shiftlessness, and it was
no secret that he and Johnston had had
some words few days before over a
loan he had begged. He had been heard
to say that man who had heaps of
money and would not help his relatives
might better be dead. A glove was
found in the office that was identified
as his, and, to make the chain of cir
evidence complete he had
paid number of bills the very morning
ihe murder was committed.
His lawyers admitted their client
lad gone to the Office, but denied any
quarrel had taken place. The very re-
verse had happened, they claimed.
Johnston had arranged the visit and had
expressed his regrets for being so severe
o his cousin, finally giving him money
'nough to clean up his debts and make
. fresh start. This defense, in the opin-
on of the judge, the jury and the news
,apers, was SO daring that it was re-
,arded as overshooting the mark. One
uryman, however, was a little doubtful |
nd stood out for manslaughter in the |
rst degree. The others yielded, the
erdict was so rendered, and Wilson
vas sentenced for life. When asked if
70 had anything to say, he replied that
e had told his story through his law
ers; that he still adhered to it, and
hat, If there was u just God above, its
ruthfulness would be proved some day.
10 went to prison and was forgotten.
II tell you, boys, that case bothered
lie more than little bit. | never at
ny time believed Wilson was guilty,
trong as the evidence was. I had sew
raj talks with him, and he never wav-
red in his story, no matter how tried
trip him up I spent most of my
'isure time following imaginary clews.
was no use, and gave it up after a
w months.
Five years afterward Calvin, John
on's partner, died suddenly, and,
Tough obituaries were rather out of my
he, for l was still doing criminal, I
ked for the assignment on account Of
y previous interest in the firm. I had
hazy idea that Calvin had known
ore OF the affair than he had pretended.
q those lines I Allowed up my old
int, and I was not bit surprised to
nd out from one Of the servant girls ,
at small bottle had been found in
9 hand Of the dead man. I ran down
lat side Of the story at the start and ;
owed the doctor up in great shape, for
had given certificate for heart fail
q, having been induced to do SO by {
alvin's friends. Then I wanted pic |
re, but the deuce picture was to be ,
ID. Finally an old friend Of Calvin's
ID me there was large crayon OF the {
mberman in the lodgeroom where I
ey met. Calvin had been one Of the 1
st presidents. and on retiring, shortly s
ter the death of his partner, had pre- j
lted the lodge with this picture, fol- !
wing a custom in vogue in that par /
ular body. The man who told me Of i
was one Of the trustees, and he offered
60 to the room with me and let me
We the portrait. I did not want, of
lrse, to bother with the frame, 90 III
oceeded to take out the back. While ! !,
y doing SO the trustee looked for some !
apping paper, and was alone. Talk =
out luck! Luck wasn't in it. I am not ),
igious, as you know, but / have had
Lueer feeling about that affair ever
&c. ] found folded parchmentlike =
Der between the picture and the back, :.
! you can bet I hustled it into my :
'ket darned quick.
2 Just imagine, boys, how my heart !
it until I got to my room. wasn't y
rried then. I locked the door and got = :,
my precious paper. It was a com. !,
lation will and confession, and thu y
was the strangest part Of :.
Calvin gave his reason Tor hidinQ a 81