The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-08-19

on the carpet that caused feeling of
horror to creep over me. l tore the
mask from the face and gazed spell
bound upon the pallid features Of
William, my husband.
words can describe the scene that
followed-a scene that is burned into
my brain. After all efforts to restore
him had failed was carried, crazed by
anguish, from the last embrace of my
dear one.
For weeks I was oblivious to oil sur
roundings, and when l awolse to con-
sciousness my mothers loving face
bent over me. After months Of tender
care I was strong enough to hear the
whole sad story and its terrible sequel.
This is the tale they told me:
A terrific storm of snow and wind
ragged for two days after the fateful
night, and Mr.. Thomas was missing
from the town. When the story of the
attempted burglary was made known,
great excitement prevailed and parties
were organized to search for the men,
one of whom, without doubt, was Mr..
Thomas. 1t was conceded that they
could not have gone far, on account of
the severity of the storm, and must be
concealed in some of the mountain
passes. The feeling of indignation was
intensified by the discovery that about
$4,000 was missing from the treasury,
and band of men. known in the west
as vigilantes, vowed to find the treas
urer and, If possible, the money.
After three days search a party of
men stumbled upon a cave in the noun
tains, in the farthest end of which
were stretched two forms, which
proved to be Mr.. Thomas and an un-
known man, but the stranger was
dead from fatigue and exposure. Mr..
Thomas was unconscious and badly
frozen.
They were removed to the town and
after much suffering Mr.. Thomas be-
gan to recover, although his remorse
and anguish were SO great that he
begged to die. At length he was able
to make clear statement of the whole
affair and confessed that he was the In.
stigator of the plot, and William only
an accomplice.
He said that the clock at our house
had been altered by my husband after
his return home in the evening and was
an hour slow, so they were able to be
at the meeting in town at ten o'clock.
the time the attempt at burglary was
committed.
They then came out to the house and
did not dream of meeting with any re-
sistance. They thought the presence
of the peddler would throw suspicion
upon him as an accomplice.
The money secured, the hired ac-
complice was to take it away and both
my husband and Mr.. Thomas were to
appear at the office as usual next morn
ing, and William would give an ac-
count of the burglary and plead the
storm as reason for not returning to
announce 1t the night before. They
were also to make every possible effort
to trace the robbers. It seemed such q
safe way to fortune, and, but for the
unexpected resistance Of the old
peddlep, would probably have suc-
ceeded. Mr.. Thomas himself attempt
ed to go back after the failure of the
robbery in order to shield himself from
suspicion; but, owing to his excite
ment and the storm, he lost his way.
After wandering about until nearly
morning, he knew detection was GER
tain if he returned to town then. so he
determined TO escape with his accom-
plice, but the terrible storm and cold
had overcome them.
The $4,000 he said he knew nothing
about and that my husband must have
appropriated it; but there were muir
murs of skepticism on that point, and
there We're strong threats of venge-
ance, as the more lawless element
realized that the money they had al
most starved themselves to pay in
taxes, was gone, and men who lived in
lonely ranch cabins with hardly the
necessaries of life and none OF its COM
forts, met In groups on the prairies and
vowed to recover the money or have
vengeance.
Mr.. Thomas was held for embezzle-
ment and attempted burglary, and re-
leased on bail to await his trial. He
had gone with bis family for visit Ia
friends in the country and was return
ing to his home, when from among the
sand hills rode Withholding armed
men, closely masked, who surrounded
and seized the carriage and with re-
volvers leveled compelled the doomed
man to dismount; one Of their number
then took his place in the vehicle and
drove the woman and children two
miles toward the town, when he left
them, telling them not to turn back on
peril of their lives.
What was Mr.. Thomas fate was not
known for weeks, although every ef-
fort was made to find him, and if still
alive to rescue him; but one day the
swift flowing river gave up its victim.
Among the dead mans papers were
found certificates indicating that the
$4,000 of county money had been in
vested In q mining scheme which had
collapsed. 1t was surmised that he
knew detection and disgrace must
come sooner or later, and, driven by
this thought, he determined to take
what remained and escape before the
loss would be discovered and he had
induced my William to join him in the
undertaking,
know my dear husband was never
deliberately wicked, he was only over
powered by stronger will, and I can
only pity the weakness which was the
sole flaw In a truly good and noble
character. I know his love for me
never wavered. and the thought that