Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-05-29

formed itself dimly in my mind that
| was an Ismael, and that henceforth
my hand should be lifted against
every other man. was half delirious
with hunger and cold. The snow
whipped me crnelly in the face as ]
plowed along. I was friendless and
miserable, and haunted by visions OF
pale wife and a starving child at
my cherries home.
SO absorbed was in these miser.
able reflections that 1 did not see a
figure approaching through the thick
ening snowfakes and the darkened
woods. Evidently the person did not
see me, either, until we suddenly con-
fronted each other. He was a large
man In heavy oyercoat, and he was
muff1ed up about the face so that it
was impossible to tell who he was. /
had the sensation of man who un-
expectedly meets wild animal in a
jungle. Two eyes of deep and muir
derous malignity were fixed upon me.
In his hand was q heavy stick which
he held as If he intended to make an
| attack. / have no doubt that Frank
lin-for it was he-was even more
startled at my appearance than I was
ut his. In the light OF subsequent dis
coveries I am satisfied that having
committed the crime of murder, he
was terribly excited to run thus I'M
expectedly against the son of the
man whom he had just killed. What
ever his thoughts were, it was my
impression at the time that the per-
son before me wanted to kill me, and
fancied that he was about to make
the assault-for the light of murder
still fingered in his face. He must
| have had somewhat similar feel
ing about me; for we silently faced
each other like two men who had
agreed on duel to the death. 1 was
not much troubled by the prospect
of danger, for had long since lost
the feeling of physical fear. / had a
stout cudgel in my hand and was
desperate anyhow. This condition Of
mind gave me strength and agility.
did not wait for an attack, but
rushed at once upon him. My deci-
sion had been prompter than his, for
he was unquestionably unnerved.
My first blow landed fairly ON his
head. and, to my establishment, the
tall and vigorous looking stranger lay
senseless at my feet. Further blows
were unnecessary. AS he fell some
thing dropped from one of his over
eoat pockets. ! picked it up and
found IT to be watch, This put an
idea into my head-put it there
strongly, hurningly, and when dis
eavered who it was that had
knocked down, 1 did not stop to de-
bate against the thought. I had all
ways regarded Col. Franklin as an
enemy OF the family rather than q
friend. I had been satisfied for some
time that he grew rich off my fathers
unfortunate crime, and that it was
he who kept alive my fathers re-
sentiment against me. cannot say
that reasoned all this out at that
time, but felt that I had felled an
enemy and somehow I was entitled
to the spoils. In plain English, de-
termined to rob the man whom I had
| thus vanquished. In one of his over
coat pockets found knife and the
| cuff buttons which have since been
identified MS my fathers; in his vest
pocket was the watch which has here
been identified as Franklin's; and in
his shirt bosom was the diamond pin
which has figured in this case. These
articles I quickly appropriated. A
pair of handsome sleeve buttons
which he wore attracted my atten-
ton, but they were fastened so firm
ly in as to resist my hurried eff
forts, SO L tore the cuffs promptly
from the shirt. noticed that they
had dark spots on them, which after
ward proved to be blood. In one of
the overcoat pockets found pistol,
but decided not to take it. It was
just about such weapon as that dis
played here, but I would not like to
swear it was the same. He also had
heavy stick, which being useless to
| me I did not take. Having secured
all the valuables on his person, and
satisfying myself he would soon come
to consciousness, I hurried back to
town to, pawn the articles had OBJ
tanned. This did, never stopping to
think Of the danger to myself after
ward. and then hastened homeward
ever the short path. That evening
we had something of feast ut home,
I having made up yarn to my wife
to account for the food bought. I
have here the blood-stained cuffs
with the buttons in them, which did
not pawn. You will see that Col.
Franklin's initials are written on the
linen in India ink"
Wright took from his pocket q
small paper, which he opened, and dis
played the cuffs, which were given to
the jury to examine.
The prosecuting attorney examined
him at considerable length, but could
not shake his testimony.
It was not possible to doubt the
young mans evidence, for II was cor
roborated by number Of minor cir-
cumstances. and hesides, it was Q
complete explanation of the mys-
terry, Franklin had shot Wright
from behind, had perhaps in a sort
OF murderous fury beaten him about
the head with his stick and had then
robbed him in order to create the
! impression that robbery was the mo-
tive for the crime; then while hpr-.
rying away from the scene Of the
murder he himself had been knocked
| in the head and robbed. The testi.