Evening journal., 1905-05-06
A Wonaan's Ruse
anaLl

Bixby 10 a little pocket Of rocks near
the mine and showed him where he had
placed some articles he did not care TO
keep on his person. There were some
money, a revolver, n gold pencil case. a
bunch Of keys and a picture Of a wo-
man.
Il want you to know where these
things are I'm case anything happens TO /
me-" Clark said. and, having covered 1
the pocket with a broad. nat stone, left |
no sign Of the concealed articles
Some time after this Clark was taken
III and. having no relative to leave any |
property TO, made Will leaving his /
interest I'm their claim to Bixby, though !
there was then no great apparent value
In the hole they were sinking Clark re-
covered, but the will was not destroyed. !
one day Bixby left the claim for
day to buy provisions, and when he
came back he found that Clark had
been murdered during his absence.
There was no trace OF the murderer,
and Bixby was much puzzled as to who
had done the deed Bxby went on dig
ging and finally struck very valuable
ore. Then he fled Clurk's will.
He had been suspected OF CiarS's
murder, and now that it appeared he
had a motive hc was arrested. lie
could not prove that the murder was
committed during bis absence. and no
one else was known TO have an inter
est in Clarks death. Persons who had
sold him and Clark the claim they had
worked when Il was thought to be Of
little value. hoping that If Bixby was
hanged they might get It back, manu-
factured evidence against him. and
be was convicted The usual efforts
were made by his lawyers to save his
life, but they wore all failures, and
finally they told him he must prepare
for death
It was only a few days before the
execution was to take place that a
young man, an effeminate apparently
half witted fellow, entered a saloon
at the county seat where Bixby had
been tried and was TO be executed.
Going to the bar, he called for a drink
and in payment offered a revolver.
i The barkeeper while examining 1t no.
tlced scratched upon the handle "Jar-
Wis Clark" the name Of the man who
had been murdered. The barkeepeI
took the revolver in payment for the
drink and Immediately sent it to th'
authorities. The young man who hac
offered it was arrested, and on his per
son were found two Of the other articles
5 Clark had buried, the gold pencil casl
e and the picture Of woman. TIL
! man could give no account Of himself
J. and since Clark had shown the pietur
to several persons they were enabled t
identify it as his property. Bixby wa
released and the young man was pu
, on trial for the murder Of Clark.
Bixbys lawyers advised him to spar
no pains to convict the accused, thu
vindicating himself, but Bixby declal
ed that his misfortune had shattere
= his nerves and ne would go east
= be nursed back to health by his wife
The prosecuting attorney had Objecte
TO his being permitted to depart. BIZ
by, however, got away before any legi
move could be made to detain him.
He had had plenty Of time to reac
a a safe distance when the young ma
who was about to be tried sent for th
!, prosecuting attorney. When that of
cial appeared the prisoner said to him
= I'm not a man. I'm a woman an
= the wife Of the man you hoped to hanl
n My husband wrote me where Clark ha
e concealed certain articles. came her
found them and produced the reyolvC
y for the purpose which has been achie'
- ed. 1 had arranged It all with my hui
" band"
!. The astonished official ordered II
~ prisoner to be examined by a womai
'e who found her claim TO be true.
"And now" said Mrs. Bixby, Il b
y lieve the picture Of the woman ClaI
" hid with the other articles to hay
= something TO do with the murder. r
" lease me, and I will endeavor to Oh
. out"
.. Mrs. Bixby was released and E
u about the task she had assigned he
y self. It was not long before she disco
y cred the picture to be that Of q womi
who had left her husband for Clar
y, The erring woman's husband was O
III rested for the murder, but he was n
., brought to trial. The sympathy Of Z
- people was in favor Of one who hi
~ simply avenged a wrong In a way tn
~ they considered legitimate. The pr
~ oner confessed that he had long look
~ for Clark and when he found him ga
~ him a fair chance for his life. 81
~ fearing arrest on charge OF murder,
- had fed as far as possible from {
scene Of his revenge.
~ There was great deal Of sympat
~ for Bixby, who had come so near bel
- hanged for a murder he had not co
- mitted, and a great deal of admirati
70 for the woman who had saved him.
=. remained in hiding till his wife had 1
- covered the real facts Of the TRACED
~. then, on an invitation from the peol
- OF the region, he returned, took up
work on his mine where he had Il
-. It and became rich.
= The Bixby case produced a 81
=, change FOR the better in the court
"A ~ fore which It was tried. The court b
-. been placed in an absurd position
ii convicting the wrong man, but /
~ 49,. cot ,-frl,f brr ffo fvfof- ~ xvo