Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-12-03


siroumstantial evidence. without
offering direct proof of mans guilt,
II weaves a network about him so
plausible and so apparently convinc-
ing that 1t is almost impossible for
him to establish his innocence. Cir
substantial evidence assumes that l
am guilty, and then challenges me to
prove that l am not. 1t would be
impossible for me to prove an alibi,
because the time of the killing is not
exactly located. l have q suspicion of
my own about this case, but I do not
feel warranted in telling what it is.
You would declare it too wildly i'm
probable to merit moments belief.
[ must think the whole thing over be-
fore I say anything to anybody"
At this moment all further CONVEX
satiou was interrupted by the appear
snce of Wright's wife. Warde saw
that she was a pleasant-faceo, rather
good-loolSing young woman, who had
evidently undergone 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.
THE colonel will be back at three"
said his clerk, young man by the
name of Frank Hillsman. you've
only to wait 10 minutes. Better take
a chair. Have a cigar?"
Hillsman was a 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 iaunty clothes, smoked
villisnous cigars, played poker reck-
lessly, and knew every saloonkeeper
In town by his Christian name. He
plumed himself on his wckedness.
md had vague idea that he was a
man of the world.
Warde accepted his invitation to
wait. but declined the cigar. He had
suffer, fro n IIillsman's cigars be-
fore. Sag Irv, said Hillsman, Ia
rase, that Wright business, amt it?"
81 should say so. It's very mys.
terious affair" replied Warde.
Mysterious? What are you giving
me? Why, it's as plain as the
nose on a mans face. The colonel
heard all the testimony, and he saws
he can see no hope for Wright"
rs the colonel satisfied of Wrights
guilt?"
Not doubt of it,"
I'm sorry to hear that Does he
intend going into the prosecution p"
u 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 dislilSes the idea
of prosecuting the son for the muir
DER of the father, who was his
friend
Yes; ! see
Between you and me, believe
WliPht's family were blamed glad to
get rid of him, and the colonel knows
it,"
What makes you think SOP"
why, I'll tell you. Old Wright was
as hard a piece of cobbestone as you
ever saw. He treated his wife as
if she 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, 4 perfectly scrumptious girl,
that he didn't take any more notice
OF than if she had bcen mummy.
The ou'f dec.nt 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 l know
him? He used to drive up to this
Office every day, never looking TO
the right or left. or speaking to q
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 off to
one of his plantations and spend a
few days cussin' out his manager and
niggers. In fact, he was perfect hog
If there ever was one"
At this point Col. Franklin came
In hurriedly and took Warde into
his private Office. "What can I do
for you today" he said, throwing
of his cloak and dropping rather
YEARLY into a chair.
II wish TO learn your views on the
testimony brought ont this morning"
MY dear boy" said the lawyer COM
panionably, ~ don't want TO be
quoted, you understands; but IT was
simply awful. It looked like the in
terposition of Providence. | have
been SO Mortified at the revelations
this morning that | have about de-
termired 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, I don't be-
ieve the young fellow did it," said
Warde.
an the face of that evidence this
morning."
an spite of it; and l am going to
discover the truth
Col. Franklin looked seriously at
Warde as if to see whether he were
IN lest or earnest, but detecting moth
l m 1sl n u n ~