Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-07-06

| lay upside down firmly wedsed In its place,
| with Its barrel Md across the corner point
| Ing outward at an upward angle. The
| hammer had caught upon the ornamental
scroll work Just above the drawer as It
| fell. To such q point were my faculties
| sharpened by the danger and the holiness
| OF my designs that noted every detail Of
| these facts. knew that this pistol was
! the only testimony to the real facts of
my fathers death.
II put the pistol In my pocket, turned out
| the lights and stole from the chamber of
| death with the full realization that I had
| made myself criminal.
ut is unnecessary for me to tell what
| followed; of the clearer realization Of my
| position that came with reflection; Of the
awful complication In which found had
| involved myself and my innocent sister;
| OF my bitter remorse when 1t was too late.
| May Heaven have mercy on me-
MARION NORTH"
Commonwealth Of Massachusetts,
Essex. SIS.
"Swampseott, June 26 1887.
Then personally appeared before me the
above named Marion North, who made
oath mat the foregoing statement, by her
submitted, is true.
WILLIAM FLETCHER,
Justice of the Peace"
That Is all, gentlemen said Thomas,
as he folded the document-"all that is
written here. hardly need say that do
not subscribe to the lady's idea OF her
fathers purpose in writing his partners
name on the wall. She takes view
lenient as possible to him. But to my
mind that he carried full intention
OF revenging himself upon his recreant
partner from the moment he set out to
load that pistol with the intention OF
shooting him, to the moment OF his
death, Is the only logical construction
to be placed upon his conduct. And
unhesitatingly put North at the head
OF the conspiracy. His daughter-un-
fortunate woman!-let his purpose be
carried out by concealing the evidences
of the accident. In the sequel we see
the mockery of fate; for in the end it
is not Stackhouse, but Richard Fetridge,
who is arrested for the crime"
And indeed, Thomas view of the case
was the theory which came eventually
| to be accepted by all cognizant of the
facts, and though it may not be quite
possible to determine beyond a doubt
the intent of Paul North in writing upon
| the WALL still Mr.. Thomas conclusion,
| that a deadly purpose Of revenge filled
the mind of the dying man, must be,
| in lieu Of something better, accepted as
| final
The profound silence which imme-
.diately followed the reporters words
was broken by Fetridge, who had been
| sitting with his hand shading his eyes
during the latter portion of the reading.
and to think" he murmured, that
it was for this end have been trying
| to keep this scandal from the public
ear! Why, it will be worse, thousand
| times worse" he exclaimed, starting
UP, than if had precipitated the facts
| as | knew them. Then 1t might have
been hushed up. Now that is impos-
sible."
IF you had but had little confidence
in mel" said John Lamm, reproach-
fully. We'll, inspector, what's to he
| done?"
He asked the question little ma
liciously.
How do we know that this state
ment is true?" exclaimed Applebee, who
was but just recovering from his breath
less amazement. Fortunately this wom-
an is already under arrest, and"
"Ah, pardon me, Interrupted Thomas,
solemnly. 'She is not, Inspector
Not arrested" exclaimed the aston
ished official.
"You do not know that woman said
| the reporter, with a sigh, cor you would
have guessed the truth already Marion
North could not survive such a dis
| closure
"She is dead!" cried Fetridge, with
| bloodless lips.
! She is dead" repeated the reporter.
Soon after the witnessing of this docu-
ment she complained of feeling weak,
and expressed desire to lie down A
little later her sister came to me, great
ly alarmed. Marion was breathing
strangely, she said, and her face had
changed color. I suspected the truth
and fastened after physician. When
he commenced his examination he found
this little bit of paper in her bosom:
"'For Gods sake conceal my dis
grace! l have poisoned myself
Richard Fetridge uttered groan,
sank into his chair and buried his face
in his hands.
THE physician privately informed
the officers who came to arrest her."
continued the reporter, that she had
been summoned before a higher
tribunal
And Richard Fetridge could only muir
muir
Heaven pity her and me! God have
mercy on US both"
And so the great case came to an end.
Thomas succeeded in keeping all but
the most meager details from the curl
GUS gaze Of the public 1t was not in
his province to suppress news, but, as
John Lamm said:
"a man will do great deal for the
sake Of the woman he thinks enough of
to marry"
(THE END)