The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-12-07

pflSeu 10 near tlldI he was Il SHreWu,
business-like man, who was now rich
and influential citizen. DR.. Charlie
waited a day or so, then he conversed
with the men at the post Office con-
corning the death of the stranger so
many years ago, and heard their opin-
ions, individually and collectively,
about it. The strangers death had
been an unusual event in the village
and had furnished food for talk for
long time. 1t was still fresh in their
memories.
DR.. Charlie was in due time intro
duced to the rich former landlord, and
telling him that he was about to locate
in their beautiful village as their ply
| sician, he was invited to visit him at
his fine place. Mr.. Kelley was very
proud of his worldly goods, and often
remarked how providence had blessed
! him. In his house Charlie had leisure
to study his character for himself, and
it needed only a short acquaintance to
convince him that James Kelley was a
villain, and a desperately slick villain
of long standing. The bright young
doctor was careful to praise everything
about the place, and he artfully drew
Mr.. Kelley into conversation, until he
felt that he knew his man.
Remaining there until he obtained all
the knowledge he could upon the case,
DR.. Charlie babe Mr.. Kelley and the vii
layers farewell and returned to town.
He carried the skull with him. He
went to New York, where he consulted
famous detectives, and two of the most
noted ones were put to work upon
the case. A very clever young lawyer
was also employed, and each in turn
visited the village and inspected and
interviewed to their hearts content.
At last, although the evidence was
purely circumstantial, the former land
lord, James Kelley, was arrested upon
suspicion and carried away to jail. 1t
created a wonderful sensation in the
village. No such excitement had been
known since the assassination of Presi-
dent Lincoln. Many witnesses were
subpoenaed in rapid succession.
Great anxiety was manifested
throughout the county when the case
came up for trial in the criminal court.
Mr.. Kelley was very gravely apprehen-
sive from the first, and when in court
he was confronted with the ghastly
skull with the telltale nail still clinging
to it he turned so pale and trembled so
violently that he was obliged to sit
down. All who saw him felt sure of
his guilt. He was thoroughly fright
ened, and, giving up all for lost, he
stranger. He said he was a hard work
ing, industrious man, and providence
was not kind to him, and he had to
struggle hard to live. One night when
he was so desperately in need of money
that he was discouraged, a stranger ar
rived at the inn and foolishly placed
in his keeping a large amount of money
in gold. This the stranger had received
from a sale of property, and was on his
way to the city to invest it. Not dar-
ing to travel with so large a sum in
cash alone at night, he had sought shell
ter at the village tavern. The poor
landlord had been sorely tempted by
| the SlSll VI lHC SlllIClluS SOlu anu
had put laudanum in the strangers
coffee. Then he had gone in the night
to his room, where he found him sleep
ing soundly, and had committed the
murder by driving a fence nail into
his head. He had washed the wound
very carefully and covered it with hair
He took from the dead man everything
that could in any way identify him
but was careful to leave his watch and
81 little money in his room. The next
imorning after he had prepared fol-
him nice breakfast he went up to cal
him, and he discovered that the
stranger was dead. AS an unknown
; and apparently poor man had suddenly
| died in his house, he took charge Of
! the remains, and no one had ever sus
pected him. But he had always beer
: wretched and had never enjoyed his
lill-gotten wealth, for his conscience haC
, troubled him sorely. He said he was
| glad some one had discovered the truth
at last. for he felt relieved upon con
Tossing. He could never bring himself
I to destroy the papers and deeds he hat
found upon the dead man, but had care
! fully hidden them. He told where they
= were and they were produced in court
James Kelley, former landlord ant
1 murderer, had the services of clevel
5 attorney, who fought his case bravely
. first introducing somnambulism, bu
; without avail; then he tried to Prov
= insanity for his client, but his brillian
' efforts were unsuccessful. He coult
D not save the prisoner. The jury brough
. in the verdict and he was condemned
t found guilty and executed.
The papers that were found and pro
S duced in court proved the dead stran
$ ger to be Lucy's long lost uncle. TIL
4 money he left was given to her with it
a Is years of accumulated interest. TIL
t law decided that
: DR.. Charlie reioiced that he had beer
II instrumental in discovering the muir
l. derer. but said it was his love for anat
omy that brought it about. He is NOR
devoted to his profession than ever
T After the trial was over he again Wis
/; tied the village and went to the gray
II in the paupers' field. With the oil
l. grave digger's valuable assistance