The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-01-05

pie and the detectives, through which |
meant to point to young Marvel as the
murderer, forgetting that science would
prove that death had been instantane-
Gus and therefore that the victim had
nos had time to make such an accusa-
ton.
eWhen first bought this house, fore
seeing the necessity for this crime,
caused this secret room to be construct
ed, to do which it was only necessary
to close up the closets which originally
opened into the adjoining rooms fiere
I had everything that ] would need IN
this emergency, and therefore came to
this room and quickly shaved off my
beard. Then washed out my hair and
eyebrows, using liquid which / kept
specially for this purpose. Thus they
were restored to their natural red color
and would easily prevent my Identified
tion. Any resemblance in face or voice
I hoped would be accepted as natural
inheritance of a son from his father. /
left my own clothing in my sleeping
room to give color to the theory that / had
retired. The dead man S effects packed
in satchel, except his oyercoat, which
slipped ON over the sailors suit which
had adopted. Ieasily caught the train,
which passes Lee Depot at 10:S9, and
thus it will be seen that the crime oc-
CURED while virgie and young Marvel
were together across the river. Ileft the
train at Epping. Here fate favored me,
for hotel man gave me a lift in his
wagon and claimed that he recognized
me as young Marvel So admitted that
he had guessed my name. Leaving
him, went TO the old house belonging
to Marvel, and here burned the arti-
cles that had in the satchel, among
which there must have been some wire,
which Burrows afterward, to strengthen
his theory, erroneously claimed was a
part of a set of false whiskers. Next I
hid the pistol and the piece of plate
which had my name engraved on 1t and
which broke from the satchel- In rear
ranging the stones I did SO in such a
clumsy way that any one would discov-
er what was hidden beneath.
1T was now but half past IL, and,
thinking there was sufficient time be-
fore me, I threw myself ON the bed and
tried to sleep. 1 had not been there
more than two or three hours, however,
when heard some one enter the house
started up and sprang to the window.
The boughs of huge elm were quite
near, and I easily stepped into the tree.
Here I remained hidden by the dense
foliage, for, despite the danger, / could
not resist the curiosity to know who it
was that was in the house. In very
few moments a light appeared, and l
clearly saw that it was Young Walter
Marvel himself Everything seemed to
favor my plot. Waiting until his light
was extinguished again and until I
could slip out Of the tree without at
tracing his attention / stole silently
away. I walked to New Market juno
tion, where l boarded the early morn
ing train for New Market, for, though
could easily have continued on to that
place on foot, I wished to give color to
the story which I intended to tell, Of
having come from Portsmouth, by being
seen to leave the proper train. During
this short ride the conductor pointed
out to me two men and told me that
they were detectives It was these same
two that I afterward recognized at
the saloon, when the squire informed
me- that he was taking detectives to my
house. I was startled, not rnnaturally,
to learn that experienced men would be
Oil the scene Of the crime so early, and
III my agitation I almost betrayed my
self, as know, because Burrows ques-
toned me afterward.
Another unexpected event was when
my dog recognized me at the house and
plainly showed his friendship. Strange
as it may seem, this possibility, obvious
as it should have been, had net even oc-
Cured to me. A man who commits
crime always overiooks something. l
was so taken by surprise that scarcely
knew what to do, for the animal is so
savage that it would, of course, look
strange to the squire to see him fawn
upon stranger However, made a
lame attempt at explanation, but poor
as it was it served to lull suspicion.
'sThat night, as fate would have it, l
was assigned to my own room, and,
thinking over the whole affair, it sud
denly occurred to me that post NOR
tenn would reveal the fact that one
wound had caused instantaneous death,
and, for all that could tell at that tine
the other might Ge Of the same charac-
ter. However, I saw at a glance that
the only way to explain the presence Of
the paper which I had written would
be by supposing one wound to have been
made By either of the shots which had
been fred from the lawn. In that event
the position of the wound on the body
would lead the detectives to search for
the corresponding hole through my
clothing. I therefore determined to Sc
crete these garments in this apartment,
and to let their disappearance be part
cf the mystery.
Everything went as / had planned,
\