The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-25

SMITH WAS NOT A MURDERER.
Circumstances and the POpuIace
Were Against Him.

From the New York Sun.
c. Washington Smith, a law-abiding cit
izen of Brooklyn, having been on pur-
chasing tour for his wife, found his re-
sultant bundle, including a box of big blue
grapes, so unwieldly and of such impos-
sihle shape that when he took the car
for home he put 1t on the seat beside him.
Just as the car started Brooklynward a
fat German entered, started up the aisle,
was caught by the swing of the car as
it whirled around the curve, and with a
wild leap landed upon Smiths bundle.
"Oxeuse me, now" he apologized, strug-
Cling heroically to rise. 81 hope 1 didn'i
do some harms"
81 hope you didn't" said Smith, "bul
there isn't any armor plate on that pack
age"
He picked 1t up and looked at 1t with
concern. Under the weight of the fat Ger
man 1t had assumed a still more astonlsh-
ing shape than before, but IL hung stoutly
together, though the Italian paper in which
1t was wrapped thrust forth its headlines
prominently into view. As Smith set It
down a reddish spot appeared at one cor
ner Ii was the life-blood of the crushed
grapes beginning to ooze through This
he didn't see, but he did see an elderly
ward, look intently at the bundle with a
face of excitement and alarm, say some
thing to the man next to her.
mo" said the man In tones of incredu-
lous establishment. ut isn't possible He
wouldn't dare"
Then he, too bent forward and bestowed
a long, lingering look at the uniformed
parcel That naturally caused every one
else in the car to get interested, and for
the next few moments all eyes were TO-
cused on the spot.
Whispers became audible.
1T might not be the man. We don't
want to be in too much of hurry"
Everything points TO him. Look at the
shape of the bundle"
And the manila wrapping paper around
It,"
Yes, and the copy of the italian news
paper, the Progresso."
I'VE might make a rush at him all at
once"
Probably he's armed: such a deperate
character as he is
ooh, don't have a fight or shall faint -
(This from the elderly woman)
mo- ] don't want any row on my car
(This was the conductor) when we
come to policeman I'll have him get
on the car and go on over, and If he
wants 10 arrest the man, that's all right"
That's the head. sure enough. That
point sticking out there is the nose most
likely"
Perhaps he means to go out on the
platform and throw il into the river when
we get to the middle of the bridge"
isn't 1t horrible to be right in the same
car with such a monster"
Meantime a small, sharp-eyed man who
sat about yard away from him on the
came side Of the car, had been edging up
gradually and now he trust forth his hand
and touched the package. Drawing his
hand back, he proclaimed loudly:
"It's bloodp'
There was a reddish purple stain on his
fingers. Smiths first thought was that
there must have been a pin concealed in
the bundle upon which the fat German
had punctured himself when he landed 80
nopportuuely. This was swallowed up in
wrath at the action and tone Of the man
who had made the announcement.
what business is 1t Of yours?" he de-
manded, turning upon the man 50 saw
agely that that individual almost fell out
OF the door.
Al this point the German, who had been
absorbed in a German evening paper al
the further end Of the car, took a hand
in the proceedings. He looked al the pack
age, then at Smith. then at the package