Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-05-06

j cumstantial evidence assumes that I
am guilty, and then challenges me to
| prove that am not. It would be
impossible for me to prove an alibi,
because the time of the killing is not
exactly located. have suspicion of
my own about this case, but I do not
feel warranted in telling what it is.
You would declare it too wildly Inn
probable to merit moments belief.
must think the whole thing over be-
fore l say anything to anybody"
At this moment all further CONVEX
sation was interrupted by the appear
ance of Wright's wife. Warde saw
! that she was q pleasant-faced, rather
good-looking young woman, who had
evidently undergone q hard spell Of
sickness. He further saw that the
meeting between husband and wife
was Of the tenderest character, and
, then he went away.
There was at least one person, he
thought, who believed in Wright's in
nocence absolutely.
On his way back to his Office, he
stopped at the Office of Col. Franklin.
1.-THE colonel will be back at three"
said his clerk, a young man by the
name Of Frank Hillsman. you've
only to wait Is minutes. Better take
chair. Have cigar?"
Hiusman was q knowing young man
with gay, dissipated look, not bad
hearted fellow one would say, but
with an unmistakable tendency to
surrender very promptly to tempta-
ton. He wore jaunty clothes, smoked
villianous cigars, played poker reck-
lessly, and knew every saloonkeeper
in town by his Christian name. He
plumed himself on his wickedness,
and had vague idea that he was q
man Of the world.
Warde accepted his invitation to
wait, but declined the cigar. He had
suffered from Hillsman's cigars be-
fore. Say, Irv,' said Hillsman, ia
miliarly, that's humming murder
case, that Wright business, amt it?"
II should say SO. It's very mys.
FERROUS affair."" replied Wards.
Mysterious? What are you giving
me? Why, it's as plain as the
ASSo VI Mdn Adcos LILO cOlOQeJ
heard all the testimony, and he says
he can see no hope for Wright"
lis the colonel satisfied of Wright's
guilt2"
Not doubt of it,"
Pm sorry to hear that. Does he
intend going into the prosecution?"
Il think not. 1t is scarcely intricate
enough for him. His forte is digging
truth out of a well, not picking it up
on the ground. Besides, since the
facts have come out so strong against
Wright, he does not feel like having
anything to do with it. He's always
been great friend to the family,
you know; and he dislikes the idea
OF prosecuting the son for the MUIR
der OF the father, who was his
friend"
Eyes; eee."
Between you and me, I believe
WTight's family were blamed glad to
get rid Of him, and the colonel kuowa
It."
what makes you think SOP"
why, I'll tell you. Old Wright was
as hard piece of cobblestone as you
ever saw. He treated his wife az
It abe had been his niger, and he
never had pleasant word for any
body at home. He kicked his son out.
you know, and there's his daughter,
Miriam. q perfectly scrnmphous girl,
that he didn't take any more notice
of than II she had been mummy.
The only decent thing he ever did
was to get himself killed, and he
couldn't help that"
What did he ever do to you,
Frank?"
Nothing at all; but didn't know
him9 He used to drive up to this
office every day, never looking to
the right OF left, or speaking to .
soul. All day long it was cotton re-
ports, sampling cotton, thinking cot
ton, and, for all know, eating cotton.
Every now and then he'd go OF to
one of his plantations and spend
few days cussin' out his manager and
niggers. In fact, he was perfect hog
II there ever was one."
At this point Col. Franklin came
In hurrisdly and took Warde into
his private Office. what can do
for you today" he said, throwing
on his cloak and dropping rather
wearily into chair.
u wish to learn your views on the
testimony brought out this mornings
my dear boy" said the lawyer COM
psnionably, II don't want to be
quoted. you understand; but It was
simply awful. 1t looked like the In
terposition Of Providence. I have
hsen 80 Mortified at the revelations
this morning that 1 have about de-
termined to withdraw from the case.
I could not very well prosecute for
murder the son of the man who was
my lifelong friend"
"Do you know, colonel, don't be-
heye the young fellow did It," said
Wards.
"In the face of that evidence this
morning2"
I'm spite Of it; and am going to
discover the truth"
Col. Franklin looked seriously at
Warde as If to see whether he were
in jest or earnest, but detecting moth
Ing humorous in the young mans face
said: "It looks to me like q wild
goose chase, but hope that you will
be able to establish Herbert Wright's
Innocence. It is shocking case as
1t stands"
II have just been up to see him."
what does he say?"
'tClaims to be innocent. He has
some clew or other which I expect
later on to add to those already
have, and with these threads hope
to get at the truth"
ibid he tell you what 1t WASP"
asked the lawyer with evident curl
osity.
mo sir; had hoped to get 1t from
him, but he declined to tell me tust
yet He intimated that what he had
TO say would be Of such startling
character rs TO be considered at first
n