Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-01-21
A Difference in Insanity.
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CONDUCTED by the assistant jailer,
Hartley climbed the iron stairway
and walked down the cemcnted cor
ridor until he reached the door OF his
clients cell. Then, after 4 look which
meant "good afternoon to the officia.
with the big keys, he drew up the chair
which had been left for such purposes
in the corridor and spoke to the dark
space OF the cells interior. n low
laugh, mirthless and dry, came FROM
the farthermOst recess. and after time
man shamb,ed out into the borrowed,
bar-filtered light which came stingil;
from the world beyond the heavy walls.
well, Harry said Hartley. 1--WE
come. Did you miss meg"
The man beyond the bars laughed
again and clapped his hands together
like one applauding. The light which
now shone upon his face showed 1T as
wearing a blank look. The eyes were
wide and white. and they roved about
the walls and upper bars of the cell i'll
i vagrant way.
1--WE been away for three weeks"
said Hartley. But I've been at work OH
the case all the time. The court issued
call for special panel this morning,
and they'll take i; up Monday by the
furthest."
The prisoner laughed again--a caclS-
ling, cracking laugh that mean.
neither Joy nor amusement.
''Come nearer, Harry Hartley com
manded in a low tone.
The man drew near the bars.
The attorney bent closer.
Harry" he said; you've got to
trust me. Listen to me. There's
nobody in the corridor and the
other two solitaires are empty.
There's nobody within sound OF
my voice or yours. DO you under
stand that? All, you're laughing again.
Listen to me. Listen, I tell you. Don't
you know that as your attorney I'm
bound by every pledge of honor to pro-
tect you, however guilty your secret:
Don't yo,l know that you must contide
in me if you expect me to work hope
fully for your acquittal: Don't laugh.
tell you. ! want you to talk to me. J.
want you to be trustful for once. I
want you to tell me the truth. I want
you to tell me why you killed him. This
appearance Of insanity may deceive
your jailers and it may later confuse the
jury, but you must be open and frank
with me. Tell me the story. If you
DON'T
The prisoner leaned downward, till
their faces were almost level and but
an inch of iron separated them. Then
he uttered that low, dry, cherries
laugh.
more.
The hard laugh sprung up again.
I'LL tell it to YOU
The sound suddenly ceased and IL
quick look of intelligence came into the
wild eyes. But in moment the lustre
died out of them and the prisoner
chuckled once more.
''I'll tell you the story" Hartley re-
peated. what do you think I've been
doing during all these three weeks of my
absence? Go on and glare vacantly Il
you want to, Harry. Perhaps it'll do no
harm, but it'll do no good. There's no
body here to see you but me, and no.
body to hear your voice. Listen! I've
been studying day and night. I've been
inquiring into the secrets of the books
that tell of insanity. I've gone into the
three great divisions of idiocy, demer-
tia and mania, and I've probed to the
bottom. And, Harry keene, you're no
more insane than 1 am this minute
Why won't you be candid with me?
Why won't you help me to make up Il
clear defense? Why, we may even rely
on this theory of mental disorder, and
after ] have left the Jail you may pro-
ceed with your manifestations, but
while I am here ! want YOU to be fair
with me- You won't? Well then, lis.
ten to the story of the murder of Fin
ley Hedges. It's the story of your as
sassination of your friend. It's the
story of the most remarkabl the most
mysterious case that ever came mp for
hearing in this district.
II know why you determined to kill
! know that for weeks before
You shot him in the public square yoI
had planned it. / know that you had
mace that discovery concerning your
,oyhoOd's associate which no man can
make without wanting 10 kill. You
'ound ont what many another man has
ound ont and for which he has slain
ia l:erL and has been acquitted.