The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1899-11-24

about the place, and hesartfully drew
Mr.. Kelley into conversation. until he
felt that he knew his man. s. ss
Remaining there until he obtained all;
the knowledge he could upon the ease.
DIR. 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 We're 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.
a 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 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.
4 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 CHASTITY
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
confessed that he did murder the
stranger. He said he was 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, stranger ar
rived at the inn and foolishly placed
in his keeping large amount of money
in gold. This the stranger had received
from 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 sight of the glittering gold and
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 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
a little money in his room. The next
morning after he had prepared for
him nice breakfast he went up to call
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 been
wretched. and had never enjoyed his
ill-gotten wealth, for his conscience had
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
to destroy the papers and deeds he had
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 and
murderer, had the services of clever
attorney, who fought his case bravely,
first introducing somnambulism, but
without avail; then he tried to prove
insanity for his client, but his brilliant
efforts were unsuccessful. He could
not save the prisoner. The jury brought
in the verdict and he was condemned,
found guilty and executed.
The papers that were found and pro-
duced in court proved the dead stran-
ger to be Lucy's long lost uncle. The
money he left was given to her with it's
Is years of accumulated interest. The
law decided that.
DR.. Charlie rejoiced that he had been
instrumental in discovering the MUIR
derer, but said it was his love for anat-
omy that brought it about. He is more
devoted to his profession than ever.
After the trial was over he again Wis
tied the village and went to the grave
in the paupers' field. With the old
grave digger's valuable assistance "A
careful collection of bones was made
and the skull placed with them and
given a Christian burial Then DR..
Charlie married his sweetheart and
they live very happily, as there is no
skeleton in their Troy Times.