The Ravalli Republican., 1898-10-19


true for there, lying on the ,,:,,.:r
grass, his hair and clothes sodden
with last nights rain, with upturn-
cd face and with the blade of a
large knife buried deep in his heart,
lay the corpse of Ivan Solenski,
the handsome young tenant of the
Hermitage and suitor for the heart
and ,hand of the lovely Marie Deve
reux Of Forest Hall While the con
stable guarded the body | hurried
for the doctor, who, upon his ar
rival, declared that life had been ex-
tinct for some hours. ..u..@.~.@..
Good heavens!' he calculated.
"tThis knife belongs to Gerald Mer
rilees See, hero are his initials!'
And there, on the silver mounted
handle, were the letters "G. NJ
That evening Gerald Merrilees,
the handsome, well built young own
er of the Home farm and Solenski's
rival for the affections Of the beau
teous Marie Devereux, was arrested
on a charge of murder, upon the
sworn information Of the butler of
Forest Hall, who deposed that, on
the previous evening, Merrilees had
had stormy interview with Miss
Devereux, in which Solenski's name
was mentioned several times, and
that Merrilees had suddenly dashed
out Of the house, nuttering: "I'll
kill him! I'll kill him!' Upon this
evidence, and that of the knife
found in the dead mans breast,
Merrilees was committed for trial
at the Forthcoming assizes about to
be held at the guildhall, Winches-
ter. .asr.-."
Doubtless the reader remembers
the account Of the trial, which was
published SO fully in the daily pa
pers of the time, but in case he may
not recall it to mind I might here
briefly give Merrilees' defense. In
spite of the strong proofs Of his
guilt, he persistently declared him
self innocent and pleaded not guilty.
He fully admitted tho truth of the
evidence Of the butler Of Forest
Hall, and his counsel explained that
he had that evening proposed for
the hand Of Miss Devereux, but had
been rejected, upon which he had
accused her Of favoring the suit of
So]enski, and when she admitted
that she had that day accepted So
lenski his jealousy and rage over
powered him-being very hot
tempered fellow-causing him to
rush from the house; mutterjng the
terribly incriminating threats now
used as evidence against him. After
leaving Forest Hall-his counsel
continued-reason gradually pre-
, vailed, and he proceeded to &C
home, his path lying across the
common in front Of my house.
; Being anxious to arrive there be-
fore the threatening storm broke
and partly to cool his fiery temper
, he ran, but his foot catching in tho
stump OF furze bush caused him
to fall heavily to the ground, an(
! with such force as to render hin
unconscious.
He declared that his pockets mus
have been ritled by some malicious
passerby while he lay in that state
, for whereas he fell on his face
a when he recovered consciousness h,
was lying on his back. He reached
home too weak and dazed to thin]
g or observe, but great was his SUI
prise the next morning to find hi
a pockets empty. Watch, chain, purse
loose cash, hunting knife-whic
he always carried-and everything
a all gone.
q Counsel dwelt strongly upon thi
v fact, and maintained that the accus
cd was not the culprit, but tha
q when lying unconscious the res
:. murderer robbed him, taking, anon
q other things, the knifo used wit
= such fatal effect upon Solenski-
- whose pockets he also rifled-lea1
# ing the murderous weapon in tt
dead man. breast, to divert susp
I cion from himself to it's innocel
s+ owner
: For further details, I must reft
n the reader to the very full repor
n of the trial which appeared in Il
IS local papers at the time, mere7
,t contenting myself with stating tn
NJ the jury smiled, i1r that superciliou
II superior sort Of way common to Il
80 British juror, at tho palpablo wea
4 !. ness of the defense, and, having Sc
ht istied themselves as to the prisoner
"a guilt, after q short considerable
10 they returned their awful verdi
y, of guilty! Gerald Merrilees W
n sentenced to death.
i Some time after the foregoil
events I was sitting up awaiting t
nd arrival Of my wife and son, w
in were returning from London by
u midnight train-or, rather, an eal
tv morning one-reaching Dean S
nd ton at 3 a. NJ, after which tn
ri had to drive the intervening Il
on miles home.
1t was weary work waiting.