Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-05-01
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
|: 1T FLASHED FOR :
: THROCMORTON !
D Cy BuShrOd C. Washington
9 Copyright, 1909, by McClure's Newspaper g
Syndicate
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES


I'VE have" responded the foreman,
who read aloud the Endorsement on the
back: I'VE, the jury, find the prisoner
guilty of murder in the first degree, as
charged In the indictment"
"William Throcmorton," said Judge
Smithson, with judicial sternness,
"after fair trial, defended by able
counsel, you stand convicted of the
cruel and deliberate murder of Olive
Graham.
"It has been shown that the young
woman had promised to become your
wife. Her parents, confiding in your
honorable intentions, had recognized
you as her accepted lover and the door
of their home was open to you.
while the motive in your crime is
not apparent, the facts which fasten
1t upon you are linked into chain Of
circumstances strong and incontro-
vertible.
You stood with Olive Graham ON
the porch of her home; an instant later
her cry for mercy was heard by her
parents above the storm then raging.
Fastening to her assistance, they
found her murdered body on the slope
of the hill rod from the door.
"You were taken soon after, as 1t
were, red handed, the bloody knife
with which the deed was done having
been found upon your person.
you have pleaded not guilty but
have not disproved a single fact the
state alleged against you.
1.-The penalty Of your crime as by
statute fixed is death. Have you any
thing to say why the sentence should
not be pronounced"
Throcmorton was pink of physic-
al manhood, well knit, erect, with
character as straight as his form. He
held medal from "the management"
and was the wearer of a watch, the
gift of grateful passengers when he
was taken from the wreck of his en-
| gine. "Throc," as they called him,
was more than liked; he was loved by
the grimy roadmen.
| When the last word fell from Judge
Smithson, the character of the man
and the stubborn facts of the case stood
in solemn contrast. In such a contest
character must lose.
The eyes of Throcmorton shone
straight into the eyes of the judge.
There was nothing of bravado in his
manner, neither tremor nor sign Of
weakening
"If it please your honor" responded
the prisoner, rising as he spoke, 't
will shock you and all present when l
say 1 mourn for Olive Graham and am
innocent. But what is it worth to say
1t in the face of the evidence? Had l
sat with the jury l must have come
to their verdict l am ready, your
honor, for the sentence"
Moved by some sudden impulse, the
judge turned to the sheriff and said in
a faltering voice: Remove the pris-
oner and return him for sentence to
the bar of this court. The day and
hour the court will later Indicate"
Old Graham was a pensioned track
inspector, who loved the thunder of
trains and scream of whistles.
He had built his house thirty feet
from the roadbed. Just back of 1t and
extending down to the track was an
abrupt twenty foot cliff of shale, the
perpendicular face of which was
smooth. 1t was in front of it that they
found the body Of Olive.
No. 40 just ran out of the round
house, had backed up and coupled to
the st. Louis express. 1t was Tom
Doyle's pet engine.
Doyle was looking from the cab win
dow for the signal to start. AS an en-
gineer he was a good second to Throc-
morton. He was Throc's next friend
and was to have been best man at his
wedding.
He believed Throcmorton was inno-
cent because he couldn't believe other
wise. But there were the facts, and
when he thought of them there was a
lump in his throat.
Ted Ellie, Doyle's fireman, had just
raked the CRATE when a squad of the
boys came by.
whats the news" asked Ted.
"Throcs guilty an got to swing"
came back from the crowd.
Fifty juries couldn't make me be-
lieve Throc killed Ollie Grah'm," said
Doyle, emphasizing with his fist on
the window sill.
The day had been sweltering clouds
had gathered and the night was black.
1t was down grade, and Tom Doyle,
with hand on throttle valve and eye
on the rails, was ready to slack at
the curve.
The storm had burst and Just as
the engine struck the curve a flash
of lightning and the focus of the head
light met full on the face of the cliff.
The sight Tom Doyle saw made him
reel and grip the lever.
"a letter for Mr. Absalom Conwayw
called out Goggin, the worthy proprie-
tor of a San Francisco gambling den,
putting emphasis on "Mr. Absalom." j"
'That's you, Ab l reckon" he added,
tossing him the letter.