The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1904-05-28

Wrlghts safe was robbed. and he
fore the news was out. 1 met Tom
Morris at the N. d t. depot. He was
Just preparing to leave on the out
gong train. Seeing me, he came up
quickly and said:
I've got a paper here for the
colonel, but I've been called away
suddenly and will not have time to
see him. l wish you would give it to
MN and say that ] win write about
IT. 1t is of the greatest Importance
that he should get it,
Il didn't see the colonel that dav.
and the next morning l was mildly
surprised that Morris had been doing
the hght-tingered act. This caused
me TO reflect, and / made up my mind
to look at the paper he had handed
me, which l had supposed was some
legal document. found that it was
an old agreement between Wright
and Franklin, and that on its back
we're the words John T. Wright's
copy, ETC. Putting nose and chin to-
gether, l concluded that Morris had
stolen this paper from his employer,
and that Franklin was aware of it. |
have always had a fondness for old
documents, curious subjects and oc-
cult information generally, and, as
this paper evidently did not belong
to Franklin, l saw no harm in keep
ing it awhile. 1t was possible, if it
were of value to anyone, that a re-
ward would be offered for it, and
would naturally get something for
finding it. few weeks after this
picked up from the floor of the Office
a letter minus an envelope. l ex-
amined the contents, of course. to
see to whom it belonged, and as the
contents were rather surprising,
kept the letter for my collection of
curios in crookedness. have it
here"
The witness paused and had the
following letter read:
New York. May 10th, 49,.
Colonel Franklin: Send me money to
Yokohama through some one in New
| York. l leave for the west to-day and
expect to sail for Japan from San Fran
cisco. have enough money left to
get me to Yokohama. Suppose you got
the paper all right.
yours respectfully,
THOMAS MORRIS"
When this letter had been read and
the hum of interest incident thereto
had subsidized, Hillsman resumed his
story: whether Col. Franklin sent
him the money 1 cannot say; but
heard no more of that agreement
until two days before Mr.. Wright's
death. Mr.. Wright was in the office
that afternoon and 1 heard him tell
Franklin to come to his place in the
morning and fix up matters in ac-
cordance with the terms of the
agreement. 1 heard him say that he
was going hunting in the afternoon
of that or the following day, and he
wanted to settle the business in the
morning. Well, the next morning, OF
the fatal day-it was showing, L re
member-the colonel left the office
after looking over the mail He Dor
rowed my arctics, / remember, too
and he did not return to the office
any more that day. l remember it al
very well, for it was the day Mr.
Wright was murdered, and that
event created a great impression
upon me. l didn't see the colone
again until the next afternoon. He
was sick then, complained of having
a terrible headache. One thing about
the colonel struck me as strange
he kept his hat on whenever anyone
came in to see him, but in spite Of
this l discovered that he had beer
hit on the head. 1 put it up that he
had been on a secluded bum, had go
whacked over the head some way
and naturally did not want anybody
to find it out. He actually bough
himself a wig, with which he man
aged to conceal the wound when III
had to appear in court, he was 81
squeamish about II"
The witness at this point wa
shown a pair of arctics, which he de
clared were his. These were thel
compared with the sketches and fig
ures made by Irving Warde, which
had already been placed in evidence
and we're found to tally Herewith
thus establishing the fair inferenc
that the man who wore those rubber
on the morning of the murder wa
! the man who made those track
which had been studied so sedulousl
! by Irving Warde.
1.-The day 1 quilted the employ o
=, Col. Franklin 1 devoted to celebra1
ing" said Hillsman, resuming his ties
: timony. 81 know that had IN
, agreement 1 have referred to IN IN
: pocket when 1 met Irving Warde
: the restaurant; and / remember say
ing something to him about it, but
!, couldn't swear 1 gave it to him, a
= do not recall everything the
passed; and when ] looked for tn
paper the next day it was gone. Co
+ Franklin has never since that da
: made any demand on me for it, an
In fact / have seen very little
him"
HiIIsman was then questioned r
= 9arding the attempted poisoning
" I.4 xU,.fs,hf He said. We