The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-08-26

ellccl upon SolcnShl--WNt'Sc pockets
he also ritled-learing the murtlerous
weapon in the dead mans breast, to
divert suspicion from himself to its in
nocent owner.
For further details, | must refer the
reader to the very full reports of the
trial which appeared in the local papers
at the time. merely contcnting myself
with stating that the jury smiled, in
that supyr.iMls superior sortof way
common to the British juror, at the
palpable weakness of the defense: but
having satisfied themselves as to the
prisoners guilt. after short consider
alton they returned their awful verdict
of "Guilty!' Gerald Merrlees was
sentenced to DEATH
Sometime after the foregoing events,
| was sitting up awaiting the arrival
of my wife and son, who were return
ing from London 10y midnight train,
or, rather. an early morning one
reaching D,aa >:a:i,:r at ll,rrr u. m,
after which they had to drive the in
tervenng five miles home.
1t was weary work waiting. had
finished reading my novel, and was
looking about for something to do
when | suddenly thought of the plates
We had exposed on the night of the
thunderstorm. and had lain und,veI-
opcd and forgotten till now. The
very thiny! | exclaimed. Ill set to
work and dcvclope them at once. 1t
will pass the time nicely"
The first plate developed was Il fail
ure. Why, don't know, for immc-
diately " threw it away and commenced
another. AIR thought. this one
is something like photograph. :"
Truly, it was 4 most wonderful photo
of lightning: the wavy lines of fire
there Were four. >prinyiny from one
sten-Strcaminy down from the dark
and angry heavens right on to the
earth. where the trees of the New For
est in the background were sharply
silhoucttcd against the tongues of fire,
from which little Si,ir-strrams spread
out in all directions. | felt, and still
feel. proud of that photograph, for it
caused no little excitement in the
scientific world. The next plate was
Il bit of Il mystery to me, for it was 4
negative Of the landscape in front of
our house, and | wondered when it
was taken. until remembered that
Donald had asked me to take it is Il
tlash-light landscape View with the last
plate Oh that memorable evening of the
storm. As development proceeded
and the object, became more and more
distinct was surprised to see several
human figures portrayed in it. With L
magnifying glass | gave it :. closer eX-
animation. the result of which made
me tremble with excitement
"Good Heavens" | exclaimed; this
is a photo O! the murder of Solcnski!'
and indeed it WAS; taken at the ilenti-
cal moment that the crime wa> &, m
mitted. There WAS the whole scene
unerringly depicted on the plate by that
brilliant flash of lightning! examined
the plate more minutely, and the re-
suit was startling in the extreme;
there was the murderer in the very
act of plun-ing the knife into Solenski's s
breast!
The faces of both men were plainly
IistinmuiShahlc. anI-that of the muir
dercr WAS not Gerald Mrrrilrcs, but of
a short. thich-Srt man with 4 heavy
beard: and there, farther in the back
ground. WAS an inanimatr form. with
upturnrl face. ing upon the earth
Good heavens" AGAIN cXclaim, Il.
so MrrrlrrS is innocent, after all!
How wonderful hat We should have
taken ihi, l'hnl""rH pa, and thus he
able to prove his innorencr! To NOR
row | will 20 to Winchester with it,
and procure his release.
Suddenly rrrIrd rs if shot "'To-
morrow, did | say! Why, tomorrow
is the day Of his execution. 1t is to
morrow now, for it is after three
o'clock. In five hours all will he over;
another victim sacrificed to miscarriage
Of Justice" What was to do:
/ Twenty miles from Winchester: with
no means OF communicating with the
authorities to avert the tragedy which
would soon be enacted here | was
with evidence that would save IN in
noccnl mans life and that man n dean
friend too.
! What could do! groancd aloud
/ in my anguish, and great beads of pcrS
piration dropped from my brow.
Just then my wifi; and son returned
/ and were alarmed to sec my aIitated
state, but upon explaining matters, my
witrs ready wit suggested that
/ should ride to Winchcstrr on my bicy.
/ Gle. The very thing, jumped fol
/ JOY. and soon after started on my dark
and lrcarv, but frtriuI ride, with the
/ priceless negative carefully packed t,
/ avoid the risk OF breaking and its ter
/ rihtr consequences.
will not 90 into "details nf hat ride
| for only thrS" who irnie riIlru oven