Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-10-10
ever, he had been hailed by a lady

ever, he mad been hailed by lady
living near by-Mrs. Anderson
whose testimony he confirmed. Later
on the colonel had employed him to
go to the Jail and get one of the pris-
oners to slip a white powder into
Wright's food. He had paid negro
whose name he did not know, to do
this. He did not know positively that
the powder was poison, but suspected
that it was. The fannel-shirt man
admitted very naively that he was a
general bird-of-prey, who did all such
odd jobs and chores as this for the
requisite cash. Col. Franklin had
been a particularly valuable client Of
his and had always paid him well;
but when at last he had been cornered
the colonel had thrown him overheard
along with his friends, Padgett and
Hathaway. A contemptuous scowl
enriched the deepening gloom of
Franklin's face as he listened to all
this testimony, but he did not open
his lips. Just how these men were
caught and made to tell what they
knew was revealed further on in the
trial.
Frank Hillsman now took the stand
and told the following story:
Several months ago when Mr..
Wright's safe was robbed, and be-
fore the news was out, [ met Tom
Morris at the N. & l.. depot. He was
just preparing to leave on the out
going train. Seeing me, he came up
quickly and said:
Give got a paper here for the
colonel, but I've been called away
suddenly and will not have time to
see him. [ wish you would give it to
him and say that 1 viii. write about
it. 1t is of the greatest Importance
that he should get it,
81 didn't see the colonel that day,
and the next morning I was mildly
surprised that Morris had been doing
the hght-fingered act. This caused
me to reflect, and [ made up my mind
to look at the paper he had handed
legal document. I found that it was
an old agreement between Wright
and Frapl1lin, and that on its back
were the words John T. Wright's
copy, etc Putting nose and chin to-
gether, [ concluded that Norris had
stolen this paper from his employer.
and that Franklin was aware of it. |
have always had a fondness for old
documents, curious subjects and oc-
cult information generally, and, as
this paper evidently did not belong
to Franklin, [ saw no harm in keep
ing it awhile. 1t was possible, if it
were of value to anyone, that re-
ward would be offered for it, and !
would naturally Get something for
finding it. A few weeks after this /
picked up from the floor of the Office
letter minus an envelope. l ex-
amined the contents, of course, to
see to whom it belonged, and as the
contents were rather surprising,
kept the letter for my collection of
curios in crookedness. I have it
here"
The witness paused and had the
following letter read:
New York May 10th, 49,.
Colonel Franklin: Send me money to
Yokohama through some one in New
York. I leave for the west to-day and
expect to sail for Japan from San Fran
cisco. I have enough money left to
get me to Yokohama. Suppose you got
the paper all right.
yours respectfully,
THOMAS NORRIS
When this letter had been read and
the hum of interest incident thereto
had subsidized, Iillsman resumed his
story: whether Col. Franklin sent
him the money I cannot say; but I
heard no more of that agreement
until two days before Mr.. Wright's
death. Mr.. Wright was in the Office
that afternoon and / heard him tell
Franklin to come to his place in the
morning and fix up matters in &C
cordance with the terms of the
agreement. I heard him say that he
was going hunting in the afternoon
of that or the following day, and he
wanted to settle the business in the
morning. Well, the next morning, Of
the fatal day-it was showing, [ re-
member-the colonel left the Office
after looking over the mail. He Dor
rowed my arctics, [ remember, too,
and he did not return to the office
| any more that day I remember it all
very well, for it was the day Mr..
Wright was murdered, and that
event created great impression
upon me. [ didn't see the colonel
again until the next afternoon. He
was sick then, complained OF having
terrible headache. One thing about
the colonel struck me as strange
he kept his hat on whenever anyone
came in to see him, but in spite of
this / discovered that he had been
hit On the head. | put it up that he
had been on a secluded bum, had got
whacked over the head some way,
and naturally did not want anybody
to find it out He actually bought
himself wig, with which he man
aged to conceal the wound when he
had to appear in court, he was SO
squeamish about it,
The witness at this point was