Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-12-31

TeasonaDlc explanation OF that tho
case against him was hardly impaired
by the fact that Franklin was vii
| lain.
Before concluding his evidence with
the statement Of Herbert Wright, Mr..
Everett introduced gunsmith who
testified that he sold Col. Franklin
such pistol as that which was in
evidence. He was then asked to com
pare the ball taken from Wrights
brain and say whether il was the
proper size, and he replied in the
affirmative
The prisoner at the bar now took
The stand amid dead silence. He
was pale, but sclf-possessed. lie
spoke clearly and to the point:
"On the day before my father was
killed called upon him for help.
Ny wife and child were in an almost
starving condition, and 7 could not
get employment. II was hard
wrench to my pride TO beg from him,
hut ] did so. and--was roughly re-
pulsed. The following day rad been
to town to make another attempt to
get work and had failed. Uncle Dick
Norris had always been very friendly
10 me, so in my extremity | con
cluded TO go to him and see if he
could not let me have bit of bread
and some game. of which he usually
had a supply in the house. On the
way back | was cold, hungry, cynical
and desperate II seemed TO me that
The whole world was against me, that
such n thing as kindly heart did
not exist. and that the bad and the
Just only managed TO thrive. My
fathers strict orders prevented my
mother and sister from doing any
thing for me and mine. An idea
formed itself dimly in my mind that
was an lsmael, and that henceforth
my hand should be lifted against
every other man. was half delirious
with hunger and cold. The snow
whipped me cruelty in the face as I
plowed along. 7 was friendless and
miserable, and haunted by visions Of
4 pale wife and starving child at
my cherries home.
so absorbed was ] in these niser-
able reflections that / did not see a
figure approaching through the thick
ening snowhakes 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 ovcrcoat. and he was
muffled up about the face so that il
was impossible 10 tell who he was. I
had the sensation of man who un-
"xprctedly meets a wild animal in n
Jungle. Two eyes of deep and muir
derous malignity were liked upon me.
In his hand was heavy stick which
he held as if he intended to make an
attack. ! have no doubt chat Frank
En-for it was he even more
startled at my appearance than was
at his. In the light Of subsequent dis
coveries I am satisfied that having
committed the crime of lnu'd der, he
vas terribly excited TO run thus un-
cxpectedly against THE son Of the
man whom he had Just killed. What
ever his thoughts were. il vas my
impression a the time that the per
.on before me wanted 10 kill ne. and
I fancird that he was ABOUT % make
the assault for the light of i=Hrder
still fingered in his face. lie must
have had somewhat similar feel
ing about mo: for we silently faced
each other like two men who had
agreed on a duel To the death. | was
not much troubled by the prospect
of danger for had long since lost
the feeling of physical fear. | had a
desperate anyhow. This condition OF
mind gave ne 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 unQucstionably unnerved.
My first blow landed fairly on his
head, and, TO my establishment, the .
all and vigorous looking stranger lay /
senscless at my 'eet. Further blows .
were unnecessary As he fell some
thing dropped from one of his over .
coat pockets. picked Il up and .
found it to be watch, This put an
idea into my hcad-put II there /
strongly, burningly. and when | dis
covered who i was that ! had
knocked down, did not stop to de-
bate against the thought. | had al
ways regarded Col. Franklin as an
enemy of the family rather than a
friend. had hecn 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
| all