Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-10-26

He TCtJ dDlCN t3l % Nt
ance presented by the witness had
aroused tn. latent and playful spirit of
humor that was in the crowd Possibly,
rs the day was warm, some Cf them had
visited the hollow tree too often. As
Smythe. the respectable and vera
cioGs witness had. in addition to a
black eye strip Of sticking plaster
running right down his nose and an
ugly trick Of glancing over his left
shoulder every few minutes. it was lit
tie wonder that he was an object Of de-
rision even to that crowd One tail,
travel stained, cadaverous looking ma
tive called out from the front ranks Of
the spectators:
STEADY, Dan. steady No use look
ing over your left shoulder. He's not
really there, you know You only think
Won see him. No use anticipating the
inevitable He'll get You one day, sure
enough
Sergeant have that man arrested
for contempt Of court cried the mag
istrate. This was promptly done to the
no small amusement and evident graft
fcation Of the crowd. The offender was
not popular He had been the forcible
means of making too many Of them
stand the drinks
1t was quite evident that Smythe
was in that condition bordering on what
il felicitously termed "the horrors"
Still. | could not shake the stubborn
pertinacity of this witness, who clung
TO his assertion that the prisoner was
no other than the John Farquharson
he had seen with Sexton, the murdered
man Just then ! found on looking
down that another small piece of paper
had been put into my hat Instructive
ly knew what it was ana who had
caused il to be put there. | picked il
up carelessly and read, ASK Smythe
what he did with the half caste boy
Freddy he used to have with him. and
notify the magistrate that you wish to
have an opportunity Of examining
Smythe later on in order to confront
him with a witness of importance. "
| looked across at Norah Mackenzie
What card was she going TO play now2
But her dark eyes did not betray the
workings of her mind | fancied. how
ever, there was the ghost ~ smile
lowering about her lips.
put some other question TO divert
attention. then asked Smythe suddenly
and with as much significance in my
voice as could be thrown into it what
he had done with the half caste boy
Freddy
The witness glared at me with wide
open, fearful eyes for moment with
ont speaking He was evidently taken
by surprise.
Surprise was on my side now. for
he fell down in fit
81 wish TO give notice. your wor-
ship, that / would like to examine the
witness later on in the day.
"If the witness is in proper condi-
tion TO appear. said the magistrate
'you will have an opportunity for ex-
amining him.
And now tho little crowd was being
rewarded for its patient attendance by
the sight of this unfortunate wretch's s
misery. But fits are not uncommon in
the vicinity Of back block shanties In
relation TO shanties they are purely a
product Of home growth So are grave
yards Savile and brawny trooper
seized Dan Smythe and carried him out
kicking and struggling As If by magic
half q dozen black bottles were pro-
duced from the ingido Of shirts and
brandished before the sick mans face
with the most reckless prodigality. II
was evident that some of the whites.
with praiseworthy philanthropy did
not believe in tempting the innocent
1avagcs outside 10y turning n hollow
treo into temporary wine cellar.
They reasoned that if liquor could put
Dan into such n condition IL could
surely fetch him out again. The wo-
men left the tent and the police mag
istratc declared an adjournment for
lunch / noticed that Norah Maclscn-
zio sent Elsie on ahead and waited out
side for the two-magistrates, who went
with her over TO the camp.
What tho sergeant had said about
tho two Queensland bank notes being
found on, tho body Of the man killed
on Scrubby creek corresponding with
those taken from tho murdered man
Sexton fairly staggered mo. That
Jack had possessed no money | knew
for certainty. had seen him now
that taxed my recollection. t D. what |
looked like bank notes from the dead |
man y pocket and put them back again.
Was il likely TINT if hc had murdered |
and robbed Sexton and wanted 60 lose
his identity. but anticipated discovery
Of his scheme ho would put such in
eliminating evidence na the bank notes
into the pockets of tho man killed 10y
the blacks, Thus virtually proving that
he. John Fnrquharson, had murdered
Sexton2 Tho case was fast becoming |
n mystery even 90 me and balilcd con
lecture.
But Btill ] chccrcd Jack ~ best | |
could AS 30 who the witness WINS That |
Norah Mackenzie spoke of bringing for !
ward something told mo 10 would be- !
unwiso 10 ask questions. Regarding |
Dan Smythos antcccdcnts neither Jack |
nor ! know anything
Before leaving my comrado had the |
satisfaction Of learning that Smytho !
had recovered from his fit. though feel
ing rather queer" as the constable |
who had him in charge aaid. and who !
was pledged 30 produce him in proper !
condition in the afternoon
Ihcn ! went over 20 th' tHinp NH'i', !
in tho duslty shade Of great lcnfy trco |
some little distance removed from the !
others. / saw Norah Mackenzie enter /
tanning tho two magistrates got a /
pnnnildn Of tea from Savilc DAILY was ,
very quiet md indeed. seemed aB If he |
regretted the position in which ho found !
himself Gordon informed me that ho
felt lilso giving him his money and toll |
ing him 30 90. but the circumstance |
hardly juHtiiicd this summary mode OF |
procedure. As IL would have defeated |
my project dim. IL must be- confessed, J
Of ultimate fuliillmcnt for eventually /
discovering tho murderer Of Sexton. ! |
commended his views on this point
Then ! had tall, with Savilo and Cor
don Tho former somewhat briefly told |
mo that the witness Miss Mackenzie |
had referred 10 was O black boy. ut pres
cnt with Percy ana Scrutun, the droy-
crs. who were then on the Macarthur.
| mutt excuse him. lac explained. going /
too infinitely at present into partiou-