Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-03-08
CHAPTER XXlI.
Found Guilty.

1t woul, be superfluous to recapitu-
late the evidence given at Bow Street,
and which resulted in the committal
for trial upon the capital charge of
Philip Blake and James Blogg. Tom
Webb was ultimately remanded. sine
die for medical report as to his ment-
al condition: while SPIRIT WIS commit
ted as an accessory after the fact.
Moreover, the serious nature of Blogg's
injuries made it necessary to allow a
reasonable limit of time to elapse be-
fore he could possibly be brought into
the court of justice; and, in this de-
lay. two months passed away.
Had Blogg died during this interval
without regaining consciousness, and
had Spratt been possessed of su: =
Gent common sense to keep his mouth
shut. it is quite possible Philip Blake
would have been acquitted, because
the direct evidence against him was,
after all, by no means conclusive. But,
unfortunately for him. Blogg eventual
ly regained his reasoning faculties,
just su. .ciently to realize that he was
dying, and made a full confession be-
fore he actually died. Hearing this,
Spratt, in a panic of terror, offered
himself as "Queen's evidence" and
was accepted by the Crown. These
two events sealed Blake's fate.
Blogg's death-bed confession was in
deed alone su. .cient-if believed-to
have hanged him, especially as it was
confirmed by Spratt and Billy in many
particulars. He stated how, acting on
Spratt's suggestion, he had determined
to shadow" the passenger known as
1,o Md %,so1
the brougham and dog-cart to the
the short, stout man (whom he after
w ards knew as Walsh) of designs up
on he newly-landed PASSENGERS money,
of which he was quite resolved to Sc
cure a good share himself, he Kept a
careful watch upon the house. Late in
the evening, a tall gentleman in even
ing dress arrived, entered the house,
and apparently dismissed the stout
man. who wen taway. Feeling more
convinced than ever that foul play had
been or was going on, he contrived to
gain admission through q scullery
window and, following the sound of
voices in angry alteration, found
himself outside the parlor door The
unmistakable noise of scuft1e pres
emily followed, and he boldly entered
the room.
The Wairora passenger had pinned
the gentleman in evenin gdress by the
throat, and was apparently choking
him. Blogg, himself very powerful
man, at once interfered by throttllng
Arnewood The visitor (none other
than Philip Blake projected by this
diversion to regain his feet, and, in a
frenzy of rage, offered Blogg f10OO to
strangle his late adversary. Whether
the offer Of this large bride really
swayed him, or whether he merely
pressed too hard and too long, through
inadvertence, even at the point OF
death he seemed unable to declare
positively. But the certain thing was
that, when he did relax his grasp,
Arnewood had ceased to breathe.
Murder Quickly engenders friend
ship. Within five minutes Blake and
Blogg were debating how they might
best dispose of the body, as though
they had known each other for years.
Blake insisted upon removing it to as
great distance as possible. upon the
very reasonable grounds that, if Blog2
could trace the dead man to Rodney
Avenue, other might do so. too. The
idea of the hanson cab was Blogg's.
He went to a distant cab-rank. and.
favored by the thick mist drove bold
" off in hanson while its owner
was in shelter. Into this vehicle he
carried the corpse, and, having eX-
changed overcoats and hats with
Blake, the latter took the reins and
drove westward. shortly after mid
night. The horse proved to be an un
usually good one. and Blake ayowed
his intention Of putting at least ten
Il miles between them and Rodney Ave
nue before getting rid Of the body
Putney seemed to be the spot he had
4 decided upon. But the mist presently
thickened into fog, which grew
denser every minute, and their prog
ress, became slower. until they could
scarcely see their way even Mt Walk
a Ing pace.
inst pnst Long Acre. Blake had tt