Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-01-29

respectively. Everything eX-Sherln
Watts had told me was vouched for
by the family, and l learned many
other interesting, nay, startling, Incl
dents which in his haste had been
overlooked. 1t is unnecessary here to
enter upon the story OF the crime. 1t
is my purpose to tell what happened
TO Jones-that is, myself.
The other reporters-New York,
Trenton and Philadelphia-had been
to the house before me, and l was sur
prised and rather chagrined that they
should be everlastingly ahead of me
on the trail. AS to what they had dug
up, |, of course, could only surmise.
My honest belief, however, was that l
had all there was in the story.
At midnight l was looking for the
telegraph operator. He had closed his
Office at 1880 and gone to bed at his
home, about a mile and a half away.
| sent for him. He refused to get out
of bed.
"I'll fetch him or make him lose his
place." said my friend, the eX-sheriff
Jumping into his buggy he drove rapid
ly away and in half an hour Mr.. OpeI-
ator, as mad as a wet hen, was at the
key plugging away on my story, which
went over to him sheet by sh eet. He
got red and pale by turns as he pecked
off the manuscript. l could see that
he was amazed, dumfounded, "paral-
yzed." And well he might be! l
learned afterward that he was
protege of the murderer.
In my story | boldly named Brad
well, chief constable of the county, as
the murderer. In a green reporter that
was unwise; in an old stager it would
have been high crime. Bradwell was
the leading politician and Office hold
er in all that part of the country, as
we'll as the richest man Whereabouts.
He had charming wife and several
beautiful children, and was withal the
most prominent of the villages citi-
zens.
The eX-sheriff took me to hotel and
l turned in for the night at about two
o'clock as hungry as a dog and as
tired as a spring feeling. Conscious
of a good days work, slept the sleep
of Just man made perfect. What is
hunger to a reporter who has just done
a splendid murder" and has only one
object on earth at the moment, name
ly. seeing the paper next morning?
was aroused by a frightful banging
at my door, which | had bOlted on re-
firing In a sort of half-stupor
opened it. Three men ent red. One
introduced himself as a justice of the
peace and the others were officers of
the law. They made no hesitation in
apprising me of the nature of their
visit.
The Justice. man of some 65 years
wise-looking behind great goggles, had
my paper in his hand, which shook as
il with a palsy.
In a few words he told me that I had
made a serious mistake in naming as
the murderer of the man in the cram
| berry bog Mr.. Bradwell who was en-
/ tirely above suspicion.
I looked at the paper The story, in
t double-leaded minion-how dear to the
reporters heart is dOuble-leaded min
ion,-began on the last column OF the
first page. with "stud-horse heads,
and made nearly two columns on thu
{ second page. 1t was hot stuff! Th'
, name of Bradwell. the murderer" APP
| pearcd three or four times.
Great Caesars ghost, What an aw
| full thing is cold type! It was glorious
to write that man down a murderei
9 with lead pencil on a sheet of cop!
T. paper. was then a sleuth. hot OF
p the trail as eager as a hound after {
+ fox. But to see it all in biz, black
, cold type! Whew
, And what fool in the Office haC
a dared pass such statements? Was i
+ not violating every rule of the paDe
to call a man a murderer before hi
, conviction? Did we not always us
a., alleged" even when there was no
. the shadow of doubt OF his guilt?
Great goodness me.
@ Eve ave come to inform you tina
o you'd better not go on the streets O
this town to-day" said the justice
your life is in danger You are tn
writer of this article?" he added.
Il am" l said brayely; and II
= guarantee every word of il"
at can't be true, young man. Brad
we'll never committed a crime in hi
= life. 1t amt in the man. He's tn
g leader here in all that's good and no
- BILE, church, Sunday school, charity
hospitas-in everything You've go
the whole town stirred up"
Z where's Bradwell?"
Hes standing at the corner with
u double-barreled shotgun, and you're
q dead man the instant you show you
: head"
e But he doesn't know me at sigh
u Besides, gentlemen, you are not dom
il your duty"
turned seriously upon the two OF
l. ficers.
h This man should be in Jail. II
must be jailed Immediately"
h But there amt no charge agains
him." said the justice. How can W
/ arrest an innocent man."
| was impatient-madly so.