The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-10
THE AWFUL SENSATIONS
THAT BEsET A MAN WHO HAS SENT
ANOTHER TO DEATH.
Sleeping or Waking, the Spectre Is
Always by His Side-The
story of a Sheriff.

What are the sensations of one who has
sent the spirit of a fellow mortal out of
this life into the inscrutable darkness of
the beyond? This grewsome but none the
less fascinatingly interesting query might
find answer readily enough, for in every
community there are some who have ex-
perienced the dread sensations, but few
are willing to discuss the awful subject.
Nothing is better known than that veterans
of wars will always shun, as they would a
rattlesnake, fnterrogatories relating to
whether they ever killed a man in battle.
Assembled around the CHEEKY campfire they
will talk long and loudly of the terrific en-
gagements in which they have been partic
ipants and of the dreadful slaughter sus-
tanned by the enemy, but not word about
the percentage of that slaughter which
might rightfully be attributed to each mar
rator. What is the reason for this diff
fdence, If war is right and just and its
wagers engaged in praiseworthy occupa-
ton?
A man who was once United States dis
trict attorney for the district of Kentucky.
at Louisville, threw flood of light upon
day with his stenographer. The stenog-
rapher had often noted the fits of unac-
countable irritability which would seize his
chief without the slightest warning of their
approach. One day the district attorney
was pacing the richly carpeted floor Of his
private office in the wild, reckless manner
of a Gagged hyena. To inquiries relating to
affairs of business he would return short,
angry responses.
NEVER KILL A MAN.
Suddenly he paused in his awe-inspiring
march about the room, and. turning his
face full upon the young man, said hurried
ly and with intense feeling: my boy,
whatever you do, never kill man. Let
him insult, abuse you, spit upon you-any
thing but don't, for the sake of your peace
of mind forever afterwards, don't stain
your hands with human blood. 1t is aw-
full, terrible, beyond the power of words to
describe" Once more he took up his
weary, ceaseless pacing around the small
circuit of his office, with head bowed and
face bearing marks of some strong inter-
nal suffering. Again his burden grew
greater than he could bear alone and the
goading Nemesis enthroned within his
brain again drove him to speech. 81 want
to tell you story" said he, land when I
am through you will understand the mean
ing of my strange outburst few moments
ago. When 1 was a young man, about
your age-twenty -one-I was working
peacefully on a farm, enjoying life as well
most young fellows situated as / was
One day a United States deputy marshal
with an armed posse, in search of a des-
perate offender against Uncle Sans laws,
came by the place where 1 was working
and asked me to join his party. The spirit
of adventure ran high within me at that
time. and 1 eagerly embraced the opportu-
some information about the hunted man
which the rest of the posse knew nothing
about. and i managed to get separated
from them, with a view to pursuing my
own ideas unaided. 1 found the little cabin
where the desperate was concealed. and.
armed to the teeth, strobe bravely up to
the door and knocked. / confess that when
heard that knock my heart rose up in my
throat for a little while. Almost instantly
the door was thrown open, and the hunted
man made furious lunge at me. We were
involved in life and death struggle His
efforts were bent towards getting his re-
volver directed against my body in order
that he might quickly end the contest.
After the lapse of all these years
say to you, from the bottom
of my heart. 1 wish he had sue
ceeded. But he did not. In some way-I
cannot tell you how, for 1 don't know
I got the pistol turned towards his left
side and pulled the trigger. With a groan
1 shall never be able to get out of my men,
Org he relaxed the terrible hold he had
upon me and rolled over lifeless in the dust
of the road. would gladly give, IL had
it, millions of dollars to blot from my mind
that terrible picture of a fellow-being lying
dead before me. his blood flowing in hor-
rible stream from the wound had inflicted
upon him with my own hand. OF course
when the rest of the posse found out what
had done they showered praises upon me-
saying that I had done wonderful thing
in Kidding the country of such a desperate
criminal.
ST could not then. nor have been able
to since, regard my act in an other light
than as the murder of man. 1t may
sound improbable to you, but I declare to
you solemnly that from that time to this
Il
rest. Always that frightful vision stands
between me and perfect sleep. In the dead
of night, when every one else around the
house is buried in slumber, my conscience
drives me from my bed onto the floor.
where pace up and down. sometimes the
| whole night long. just you have seen
| me do this afternoon. 1t is not often that
| tell anyone what have told you, for it is
| a subject do not. care to discuss but oc-
| casionally the weight OF my grief becomes
| too much to be borne alone"
The confession made by this man aroused
| the curiosity of the young man who heard
| it and he afterwards made many inquiries
to verify or disprove it. He not only found
| that the particular instance related was
| true in every detail. but that others have
| had the same experience. 1t does not seem
| TO matter whether the killing was done in
| self-defense or in carrying out the man.
| dates Of the law-the deed leaves an i'm
preston upon the perpetrator which can
| never be effaced.
| SHERIFF'S DUTIES.
| Sheriffs in position, to furnish COR
| roboration of the story herein related, IL
| they could be induced TO talk or the tonic.