The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-02-08
CHAPTER VI
A sURPRIsE OF A cLEw?

4 1ef6 Super11Gen0SH5 JeWeti Hitn u
sinking heart, for / knew only too well
what would happen at De We're Gar
sdens Once, indeed, turned back to
follow him there; but, after all, what
good could I do; I could not ward off
even fer an hour the storm of trouble
that was about TO break over that un-
happy household
Some time adterward, when the edge
Of the agony had been dulled, Mabel
told me- Of what occurred. OF course
George was not at home, nor could his
whereabouts be given. a Venetian glass
dagger was admitted to have hung until
recently on the wall of his room. The
superintendent asked to see Georges
photograph and this tailed with the
descriptions of him given by the bus
conductor and by those Of the pursuing
crowd who haG! given information. 1t
was further admitted that George had
left the house the previous evening IN
dress clothes. His friendship with the
unhappy woman was not denied.
The chain OF circumstantial evidence
seemed complese, and warrant was is
sued that same night for the arrest Of
George Fenson for the murder of Har-
riet Staples. Ilariier in the day a YER
dict Of willful murder had been brought
in by the ccroner's jury.
The suspense and agony Of the next
few days for Mabel and her parents
were simply awful The father and
mother were bowed down In terrible
grief. ME-. Fentcn entertained no doubt
of mis- sons guilt, his connection with
the murdered woman having fully pre-
pared him for believing the worst, and
it was pitiable to see the old man
crushed by the awful blow. Mrs. Fen
ton was utterly prostrated. but her anx-
iety was all For her boy. She never
spoke Of the murder, but sat all day IN
her room pitsously asking each new
comer whether there was any news OF
George Mabel alone in that house pre-
served an appearance Of calm. Her pale
drawn cheeks, her anxious eyes, told OF
her inward suffering, but she moved
about seemingly unconscious Of the
blow that had fallen, busy with her
household duties.
At last there arrived the news OF
Georges capture. and it came almost as
a relief to Us. Better this than the
dreadful uncertainty which had hung
over Us like an awful nightmare. The
moment Mabel heard Of his illness she
announced her determination of going
to nurse hi:n, and, accompanied by
maid, she set off for Yorkshire to the
wilds of Craven. She would not hear Of
my going with her on her journey. I
must stay in town to look after her fa-
ther and mother and arrange for the de-
fense.
In weeks time George was fit to be
moved. He was brought up to London
and formally charged before the police
magistrate with the murder Of Harriet
Staples. Chiefly on the strength Of my
reluctant evidence he was committed
for trial at the Cid Bailey.
All the while the unhappy lad stout
II maintained his innocence, but his
solicitor and counsel were in despair.
Against bis own improbable account of
what actually had taken place there
was arrayed a mass Of overwhelming
evidence, from the conclusions of which
it seemed impossible to escape. 1t could
be proved that he had been in the habit
of waiting for Harriet Staples, and that
shey had often been seen together.
There was evidence that on the night
in question they. had been out for
walk, and that in Back Saville street,
on their return, high words had passed
between them, while the very presence
Of the dagger pointed to premedita-
ton. A clearer case there could not be
made, and it seemed certain that unless
other important evidence was forthcom-
ing the prisoners life hung by very
slender thread. At the earliest moment
possible / obtained an interview with
him.
He had indeed altered in the last few
weeks, and it was scarcely possible to