Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1905-07-13
a Woman'S Ruse
(Original.l ]

Many years ago Edward Bixby left {
loving wife and their little ones to seel
his fortune in the west. Bixby becam,
prospector in Colorado and bought {
claim which he worked with ltrsn by
the name Of Clark. One day Clark took
BiXby to a little pocket of rocks neal
the mine and showed him where he had
placed some articles he did not care tc
keep on his person. There were some
money, a revolver, gold pencil case. 8
bunch Of keys and a picture of a wo.
man.
81 want you to know where these
things are in case anything happens to
me-" Clark said, and, having covered
the pocket with a broad, fat stone, left
no sign Of the concealed articles.
Some time after this Clark was taken
i'll and, having no relative to leave any
property to, made a will leaving his
interest in 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 a
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. Bixby went on dig
ging and finallN struck very valuable
ore. Then he filed Clark's will.
He had been suspected Of Clarks
murder, and now that it appeared he
had a motive he was arrested. He
could not prove that the murder was
committed during his absence, and no
one else was known to have an inter
est in Clark s-death. Persons who had
sold him and Clark the claim they had
worked when it was thought to be of
little value, hoping that if Bixby was
hanged they might get it back, manu-.
factured evidence against him, and
he was convicted. The usual efforts
were made by his lawyers to save bis
life, but they were all failures, and
finally they told him he must prepare
for death.
1t was only few days before the
execution was to take place that
young man, an cffcninate, apparently
half witted fellow, entered saloon
at the county seat where Bixby had
been tried and was to be executed
Going to the bar, he called for drink
and in payment offered revolver
The barhecpCr while examining it no.
ticed SCRATCHED upon the handle Jar
Wis Clark" the name of the man who
had been murdered. The barkeeper
took the revolver in payment for the
drink and Immediately sent it to the
authorities. r'he young man who had
offered it was arrested, and on his per
son were found two of the other articles
Clark had buried. the gold pencil case
and the picture of woman. The
man could give no account Of himself. |
and since Clark had shown the picture
to several persons they were eDabled to
identify it as his property. Bixby was
released and the young man was put |
on trial for the murder of Clark.
BiXby's lawyers advised him to spare
no pains to convict the accused, thus
vindicating himself, but Bixby declar
ed that his misfortune had shattered
his nerves and he would go east to
be nursed back to health by his wife.
The prosecuting attorney had objected
to his being permitted to depart. Blk
by, however got away before any legal
move could be made to detain him.
He had had plenty Of time to reach
a safe distance when the young man
who was about to be tried sent for the
attorney. When that Off
cial appeared the prisoner said to him:
I'm not a man. I'm a woman and
the wife Of the man you hoped to hang.
My husband wrote me where Clark had
certain articles. 1 came here,
found them and produced the revolver
for the purpose which has been achiev-
ed. | had arranged it all with my hus-
band"
The astonished official ordered the
prisoner to be examined by woman,
who found her claim to be true.