The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-05-04
The Soul Of aBrute
By RoDRTGUEs OTT0LENGUI.
author Of "1ia artist In Crime. ~ Conflict OF
Evidence s'The Crime of the
Century, Etc.
Lcopyright. ls0o, BY R0drigues ottolsngui.l

AlduSlduSuIeF III the uTSC ueSree -
that is the verdict of my jury. Given
ty years of penal servitude"-that is
the sentence Of my judge. Yet, now
that it is all over, am 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 ssNot guilty" At that time
j 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 1t has been
drawn from the witnesses, and l am
Obliged to confess that the jury has
rendered just verdict, even a lenient
one Would you care to hear that evil
dence Which has almost convinced me
myself that am guilty of a crime
of which up to the day of my arrest
could have sworn that was innocent?
If so, / will relate the most important
facts of the trial, after which, if you
still have an interest in the recital,
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 a 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 | was Of the deceased.
/ met them both here at the lake for
the first time this summer. I would
not say that the deceased was quar-
relsome man, but he certainly had a
high temper. Yes; have seen an ex-
hibition of it--once. He was quarrel
ing with the prisoner. 1t was about
dog, think, though some said that the
dog was pretense, love affair and a
lady being the true cause of luminosity.
/ 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; I
remember Sept. IS. 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. / could not find
them. brought the longer pair. He
expressed surprise that the oars were
not in the penthouse. 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. 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 valuable an
imal. 1t was a Laverick setter. Her
name was Psyche. What was the first
thing that l noticed at Deer island /?
Well, it was the missing pair of oars.
They were floating in the water and
caught in the weeds near the shore.
No; l did not get out of the boat. The
prisoner did and went some distance
into the bushes Next l heard q cry,
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
dead. He put her into the boat, and
we started for the hotel landing. Did
find the body of Mr. Norton? No; the
prisoner saw it first He called my at
tention to it. He said, What is thatY
Then we rowed closer to ii and found
the deceased. The body was caught In
the bushes. After taking it into the
boat we then rowed back the way we
had come. That is all know"
He was then cross examined by my
lawyer as follows:
Q. Was the accused surprised at find
ing the corpse? A. l do not know. I
was very much excited.
Q. Did he assist in lifting the corpse
into the boat? Did he shrink from
handling 1t? A. Yes; he helped me to
lift the body out Of the water. He did
not appear to shrink from it.
Q. Was he surprised at finding the
oars? A. cannot tell you that either.
He jumped from the boat as soon as
we ran on the beach and went in
search Of the dog. l took the oars from
the water while he was gone.
@, Do you think the oars might have
loated away from the boat accidental
~, supposing that they had been left
in the boat on the night before? A,
Yes, IL they had been left In the oar.
locks. That has happened once before,
when some careless boys forgot to take
them into the boathouse.
Q. Did they float far on that occa-
sion? A. About mile
@. Deer island is less than a mile
from the hotel. Then you think these
oars may have floated from the landing
as far as Deer island? A. Certainly
not.
@. Why not, since that is less than q
mile away? A. Deer island is to the
northward. The current flows to the
southwark.
1t was evident that this witness had
no prejudices. He was trying to tell
the truth rs far as he knew it. His
story had distinct effect upon all in
court and injured my cause.
The next witness was Miss Martha
Temple. In taking the oath she kissed
the holy book three times and then
made the sign of the cross upon her
bosom. There We're four Catholics in
the jury box, and felt certain that
this was done for effect upon them
How any one can resort to trickery Of