Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-05-24
The Soul Of a Brute
By RODRIGUEs OTTOLENGUI.
Author of "4n artist II, Cri,ne,'' "a Conflict of
Evidence" 1.-THE Crime of the
Century," Etc.
Copyright. 1899, by Rodrigues ottolengui.l

ty years OF penal SerVltude"-that Is
the sentence of my judge. Yet, now
that it is all over, am l guilty of this
crime? 1t is an odd question to be
asked by the prisoner, is it not? Two
weeks ago. when placed on trial, my
plea was Not guilty" AT that time
would have sworn that had nothing
to do with the death of Philip Norton.
Now, strange as it may seem, am my
self in doubt. | have listened atten-
lively to the evidence as it has been |
drawn from the witnesses and l am |
obliged to confess that the jury has
rendered a just verdict, even lenient
one. Would you care to hear that evil
dence which has almost convinced me
-myself-that l am guilty Of a crime
of which up to the Say Of my arrest
could have sworn that l was innocent?
If so, will relate the most important
facts of the trial, after which. if you
still have an interest in the recital, l
| will tell you the whole truth as far as
know it.
| The first witness was DR.. Roberts
| He testified that the deceased had been
drowned. Upon cross examination he
admitted that careful autopsy, con-
Quoted by himself and assistants. had
disclosed no marks of violence.
Arthur Hamilton gave evidence as
| follows: 81 am as much friend of
the prisoner as l was Of the deceased.
| I met them both here at the lake for
the first time this summer l would
not say that the deceased was quar-
relsome man, but he certainly had
high temper. Yes; l have seen an ex-
hibition Of it-once. He was quarrel
ing with the prisoner. 1t was about a
dog. think. though some said that the
dog was pretense, love affair and a
lady being the true cause of animosity.
l did not hear Mr.. Norton make any
threats. I heard the prisoner say. ANY
one who would wantonly injure a dog
deserves no consideration from his fell
low men,. The quarrel was brief. No;
no blows We're struck. That was the
only quarrel. so far as l know. Yes; l
remember Sept. 13. 1t was the day
upon which we found the body Of the
deceased. The prisoner invited me to
go out in his boat. He asked me to get
his oars from the boathouse He asked
for the shorter pair. l could not find
them. 1 brought the longer pair. He
expressed surprise that the oars We're
not in the boathouse. We started to-
ward Deer island. The prisoner was
rowing. Yes; he told me his object in
going there. 1t was on account Of a
dream which he had had on the night
before. He had dreamed that his dog
was dead on Deer island, and he wish
ed to test the matter. The dog had
been missing for ten days. l remember
now that the quarrel Of which l have
testified began by the prisoners accus-
. ing Mr.. Norton of having stolen or kill
ed his dog. The dog was a valuable an
/, imal. 1t was Laverick setter Her
= name was Psyche. What was the first
thing that | noticed at Deer island?
Well, it was the missing pair of oars.
a They We're floating in the water and
), caught in the weeds near the shore.
). No; did not get out Of the boat. The
prisoner did and went some distance
into the bushes. Next | heard a cry,
J, and he came running back. with the
dead body of his dog in his arms. He
!, said he had found the dog exactly
where he had dreamed she was lying
5 dead. He put her into the boat. and
we started for the hotel landing. Did
: l find the body of Mr.. Norton? No; the
Il prisoner saw it first. He called my at
: tention to it. He said. What is that?'
IT Then we rowed closer to it and found
the deceased. The body was caught in
s the bushes. After taking it into the
boat we then rowed back the way we
n had come. That is all l know"
He was then cross examined by my
Fl lawyer as follows:
@. Was the accused surprised ut find
lie ing the corpse? A. | do not know.
. was very much excited
j. @. Did he assist in lifting the corpse
into the boat? Did he shrink from
handling it: A. Yes; he helped me /,
lift the body out of the water He di,
not appear to shrink from it.
Q. Was he surprised at finding the
n oars? A. ! cannot tell you that either
l. He jumped from the boat rs soon a:
- we ran on the beach and went il
,. search Of the dog. took the oars from
" the water while he was gone.
= Q. Do you think the oars might hav,
n foated away from the boat accidental
lie ly, supposing that they had been lief
al in the boat on the night before? A
te Yes, if they had been left in the oar
IS locks. That has happened once before
~ when some careless boys forgot to tax
~ them into the boathouse.
w, wv Q. Did they float far on that occa
. sion? A. About a mile.
ID Q. Deer island is less than a mil
from the hotel. Then you think thes
te oars may have floated from the landin
I'd as far as Deer island? A. Certainl
lc not.
Is @. Why not, since that is less than
e mile away? A. Deer island is to tn
~ northward. The current flows to tn
a southwark.
#. 1t was evident that this witness ha
of no prejudices. He was trying to te
We the truth as far as he knew it. Hi
in story had distinct effect upon all i