Sistersville daily review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1905-1907, 1905-06-01
THE scAPEGoA1

students got into row with men VINO
lived in the place where they studied
and whom they called ''townies." One
of the latter was shot, and zone Of the
former. a member of the senior class,
disappeared.
Twas that student. That one episode
changed my career, deprived me of my
profession and compelled me to remain
a fugitive from justice for years. More
than this, it caused breach between
me and the girl loved.
One night a party of US were taking
supper in a restaurant when four men
came in and occupied neighboring ia
BILE. We were using college slang and
talking very loud, much to the disgust
! of the "townies," who, it was plain,
had no love for college men. They soon
made insulting remarks, and both par
ties, unwilling to pursue the matter in
the restaurant, left it for the street.
There a fight occurred.
Unfortunately for me, carried a
dirk knife. My doing so was simply
one of the follies Of youth. Boys often
love to carry pistols or knives, which
when they grow older find their way
into junk shops, where they properly
belong. In the scrimmage I drew my
knife, but was knocked down, and 1t
fell out Of my hand. Hearing whistles
Of the police, we scattered, and ran to
nv room In one of the dormitories.
There I was Joined by Taylor Phelps,
nv bosom friend, who was white as
sheet.
"Dick," he said between his gasps for
breath, "you must light out"
"Why So?
"You stabbed one Of the 'townies.'
"Great heavens! Did 1? How do yor
know"
"You dropped your knife, didn't
your
Eyes"
"Well. one Of them was stabbed, and
I saw a policeman pick up knife"
I groaned. My initials were carved
on the handle.
Come: get away as quickly as you
can. They'll be here soon to arrest
you. Here, take this" And he hand
ed me all the money he had about him.
I fed and by fleeing confessed my
self the murderer Of the man who had
been stabbed. He died the next day,
and the offense was therefore one la
BILE to capital punishment. The other
students implicated were arrested, but
were never tried. was supplied with
more means by Phelps and got away
| to South America. He kept on send
ing me money, taking great care that l
should not be traced through his instru-
mentality. His parents were wealthy,
and he had means in his own right, so
that his remittances were no great sac
rifice. Nevertheless my youthful af-
lection for him grew stronger with my
gratitude.
Letters came to me for time from
the girl loved, Jessie Dumont. They
were forwarded through Phelps. But
they became less frequent, and finally
she wrote me that she could only mar
nv me by coming to me, and her cor
ing would probably reveal my hidin
place and bring me to the gallowS.
Therefore there was no choice but to
break with me. But if | were ever
cleared Of the obloquy resting upon me
and chose to claim her it would be diff
ferent.
One day was surprised to see in my
southern exile Evan Wyeth, one Of the
party implicated with me. 1t was a
happy moment, for my life was one Of
misery and the sight Of a familiar
friendly face delightful.
Dick" he said, II don't like this
business Of your being the scapegoat
for what We all had hand In, and I've
come down here to have a talk with
you. Are you certain that you are the
man who did the stabbing"
II never was more surprised In my
life than when / heard that l had done
it."
$50 far as can gather, your knife
when picked up had no blood on It"
What
1T was perfectly clean, but there
was knife picked up by one Of our
fellows that had blood on it. No one Of
us would admit that 1t belonged to
him, so we concluded it must have be-
longed to one Of the 'townies.'"
"WellT"
i've brought it with me to find out
If you can identify It,"
He took knife from his pocket and
handed it to me. The moment | saw it
l recognized a knife had loaned Tay-
lor Phelps when he was going into
camp one summer, and he had never
returned 1t. There was one very large
blade in it suitable for use in the coun-
try. stood looking at it meditatively,
then suddenly became conscious Of the
fact that held the evidence to vindi-
cate myself and put my friend where
he had put me-.