Mexico Missouri message., 1906-05-24

OF MY 0eaA9uN mat I nQLeQ GNENy ueltLtA "
these facts. / knew that this pistol was
the only testimony to the real facta Of
my fathers death.
Il put the pistol in my pocket, turned out
the lights and stole fScm the chamber o.
death with the full realization thar had
made myself a criminal.
1T ts unnecessary for me to tell what
followed; Of the clearer realization OF my
position that came with rejection; OF the
awful complication IN which found had
involved myself ana my innocent sister;
OF my bitter remorse when II was too lRta.
May Heaven have mercy on me.
MARION NORTH"
Commonwealth Of Massachusetts,.
Essex, S.
"Swampscott. June Is. 1851.
Then personally appeared before me the
above named Marion North, who made
oath that the foregoing statement. by hsI
submitted. is true.
civilian 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 1 do
not subscribe to the lsdy's idea Of her
fathers purpose in writing his partners
name on the wall. She takes a view
lenient as possible to him. But to my
mind that he carried a 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
l 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 moekery Of fate; for in the end it
| is not Stacl1house, 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 filed
the mind Of the dying man, must be,
in lieu of something better, accepted as
final.
The profound silence which iame-
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
IL was for this end l have been trying
to keep this scandal from the public
ear! Why, it will be worse, a thousand
| times worse" he exclaimed, starting
up, than If had precipitated the facts
as 1 knew them. Then it might have
been hushed up. Now that is impos-
sible."
IF you had but had little confidence
in met" said John Lamm, reproaeh.
fully. well, inspector, what's to he
done?"
He asked the question a 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, j." interrupted Thomas,
solemnly. She is not, inspector"
mot 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 deadl" 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 a 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. suspected the truth
and FASTENED after a physician. When
he commenced his examination he found
this little bit OF paper in her bosom:
For Gods sake conceal my dis
grace! have poisoned myself"
Richard Fetridge uttered a 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 a great deal for the
sake Of the woman he.thinks enough OF
to marry"
CTHE END)
DOG LEADS a sLEEPWALKER
Lowell MASS. NewFoundlsn Fo1Iow,