River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-01-06

the things which YOU dreaded. But the
insanity must be well established aud
iucoutrovcrtiblc. The plan Of commit;
sing the crime aud then suddenly los
inc Tie uiud-aivays the recourse e
the ciowtj-b aud sccond-rate murder
cr,-vould not 90. \ jury looks with
suspicion on case Of insanity which 50
accommodatiHgly reveals itself. Ism
shat what YOU reasoned stopping
suddenly.
The prisoner had been listening with
eager attention and with The fire of IN
tcIligeuce IN his eyes.
Who" he began. and then The per
>pjraiion started from his forehead. IIc
tremb!ed and the hollow laugh sounded
again
You know that's what you thought.
You know YOU were afraid of hanging.
So YOU started ia to establish yourself
ahead Of time For week, before tho
day YOU selected for The killing yon
practiced d system Of progressive
lunacy. The first DAY your actions
were just little ODD, as the people
whose memories 60 back that far now
remember. Aud aftcrNard your alb
sence of mind became more pronounced.
Yes. YOU studied IL carefully You
worked up 30 small ,ioieUces-p petty
fits of disquict lou met Or. Parsons
on the street and struck him and would
not tell why. Not n word 70 Hedges
yet Not word Of accusation TO either
Of them Non acted still as his lifelong
friend. But in hundred little ways
You built u frame Of detail for the
bloody picture which YOU planned TO
paint on The l4th OF October.
That was the day on which you were
to cancel the crime OF Hedges-to blot
out his deception; bat to do it in a per
fcctiy safe way But YOU were afraid.
On how fearful you were that some.
body would find ont! How YOU dread
al the possibility Of somebody else
stumbling on that volume of Granger's
Progressive Insanity. " hich furnished
you with the basis for your calcula-
tions,"
"Whcre-how did = the prisoner
cried. but suddenly checking himself
b., cack'cd hjs di,cordant laugh again.
But Hartley could sec he shiyered
That's all there is to it." said Hart
IN II wanted YOU to be fair with me.
kcenc, but YOU wouldn't. il took mc
'hrsc weeks Of hard labor to get on the
track uf the things. bat know the Sc
crCi OF it. know with what ingenuity
You calculated your every act. All tina.
you did was planned 10 have its bearing
"u ihc coming crime. You made an
Z =
had Your bcine IN an air Of mental dis
order. You %ayr Your mind up to i.
Hos c.eNrriy YOU did it, But always
there was that underlying dread that
somebody would find YOU out and that
them Instead of eNcusing your crime
as righteous punishment of a false
friend. or as the woeful act of crazy
person. YOU would be treated as COM
mon murderer"
The perspiration started out again in
beads on the prisoners brow. His face
previously pale. was now white. His
tccth chartered.
Il r." hc said rhcu suddenly his
eyes giared q ferccr brightness than
ever before
Il just tell YOU this because" Hart
Icy started. but he was interrupted by \
blood-curdliug cry. They'll hang
me-" And Kcene grasped the iron
bars and shook them with giants
strength I'll choke your blabbing life
out first. though. Ila. Hal" Hartley.
with asheu face writhcd out Of his
coat leaving the prisoners hand,
rIasped around the collar. Keene
dragged it into the cell and beat and
chokcd the garment in wild fury. "lIa.
Ua." lie sbriched. You would blab o.
ne would You. after all that prepare
tion Of mine. Die, then, and join
hedges.
Ihc assistant iai,er. having heard the
uncarthlE cry. came rushing forward
~ time to see keeuc triumphantly
stamping tho life out Of the coat.
Hartley Shivercd, but not with cold.
"It's-Hot simulated now" he gasped.
ebf,ago PpnClI