Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-03-29
STOPPED in TIME.
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1~~~NNN~NA
AT the time of which am writing |
was living in seclusiOn in u small town
about 30 miles north of London.
was engaged in rather a large literary
undertaking-in fact, | was writing Il
mover. SO engrossed was l with my
task that had 10 time to read even
the newspaper and was quite ignorant
OIL what was going OH in the world 1t
was little after O'Clock one evening
IN April that finished the second vol
ume OF my work. l put on my hat
and coat and started off for an even
ing stroll. l had no sooner stepped
INTO the street than a boy accostcd me
with bundle of papers under his
arm and the request, Buy an evening
paper, sir? | bought one, put it in
my pocket and resumed my walk.
After my return opened my paper
ieisurely-nay, lazily. Presently my
eye caught the following paragraph
headihg. Impending Execution of the
Clinford Murderer"
There is n morbid fascination for
most people in an execution. and so.
yielding to the feeling, | proceeded to
read the paragraph:
"Ihe murderer of the unfortunate
James Itenfrew will be hanged to-
morrow morning mt S o'clock. The
wretched man, whose name-Charlcs
Fenthurst-is now in everybody's
mouth, still persists in his plea of in
nocence."
Here l became deeply Interested
The name Fenthurst was most famil-
lar to me. had formed deep friend
snip for man of that name. He
was n good 10 years my senior and
hau died about two years previously.
knew he had n son named Charles,
Young fellow who had .emigrated to
South Africa early in life and who
was generally supposed to be working
at the diamond mines. Could this be
the same man: l read on.
III Will be remembered that ut the
trial the strongcs circumstantial evil
uence was brought to bear upon Fcnt-
hurst. The murder took place In n
mouse on the outskirts of the small
town of Clinfold. 1t was proved that
Fentllurst was in the habit of fire..
quenting Renfrew's premises, and that
apparently lie was expected on the
evening in question. He was seen
near the place soon after the crime
was committed, and several other
proofs OF strongly condemnatory
character were also laid against him
He has persisted from the first, how
ever, in maintaining that he was alb
sent from Clinfold at the very time
the murder took place. This was about
seven o'clock i'll the evening At that
hOur, lie says, lie was returning from
London. where lie had been spending
part of the day. Only one witness, he
says, could prove this, and that is an
individual who travelled with him as
FAR as P and entered into convcrsa-
ton with him. Advertisements have
been inserted in all the papers by
Fenthurst's legal advisers. for the pur-
pose of discovering the individual in
question, but as no answer has been
Forthcoming. it is generally believed
that the whole story is a myth. AT
any rate there seems but small chance
OF the alibi being proved at the last
moment. The murder was committed
February 9. Since his condemnation
the murderer has been confined in
Silkminstcr Jail. where the execution
will take place"
Astonishment and dismay confront
ed me as laid down the paper. was
the missing witness they had so vain
ly sought. l distinctly remembered
early in February, running up to town
rather late in the afternoon. spending
just half an hour there, and returning
by the first train | could catch. NV
landlady didn't even know but that |
had been out for n longer walk than
usual. l had entered into conversation
on the return journey with the only
other occupant of the compartment, a
young man with small black bag
OH which We're painted the letters &c.
f." remembered all this distinctly.
In order to make sure | snatched IN
my dairy and quickly turned to the
date of the murder, February 6.
There was the entry: Ran up to town
this afternoon. Inquired concerning
material for chapter Z. Saw b for
half hour Returned by 6:42 train.'
The horror of the situation now
flashed upon me. A mans lfe-the
life of an old friends son-dcpcnded
upon me. ] looked ut my watch. 1t
was just IL o'clock. Hurricdly |
dragged on my boots. thinking the
while what should do. My first i'm
pulse was to rush to the telegraph of
flee. Then, with dismay. remember
ed that it was shut for the night after
8 o'clock and that the postmaster took
the $3.50 train to the large town of e,
about five miles off, where lie lived.
leaving the office for tile night in the
charge of care taker. and return
ing by an early train the next morn
ing.
1t was impossible to telegraph Then
thought of going to the police there
were just two constablcs and n SER
geant in our little town, but what
could they do more than II Country
police are provcrbial for the leisurely
"routine" manner in which they set
about the inquiry and 1t would never
do to trust to them. was in de.
spais.
Aid1v fhra1y m NV hat ond r,,obad