Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-23

States government has been the means Of
convicting his murderer Gates, you were
the man who made the lying entry by
which the customs swindle was made pos
slble. You were the man who swore to the
false valuations. Don't deny IT, You can't
As soon as wolcott discovered It he made
restitution, little thinking the money that
was kept from the government went not
to the Arm, but into your pocket. ~
mo more; no morew shriekcd the
wretch in his seat Il did It, but It was
not premeditated I swear It before God"
How did you come to visit the house the
night thls-this thing happenedg' asked
Barnes.
Gates lifted up white face and looked
at his questioner pitifully.
II had become heavily involved in stock
gambling" he walled, land was at the end
Of my rope. That afternoon / asked VOL
colt for a small amount to tide me over.
I told him must have II before the banks
opened next day. / confessed that II did
not get II I would be ruined. His unsatis-
factory reply was, See me in the morn
ing That night some devil tempted me
to go to his house to make final appeal
had to have money"
From that point the murderer pictured
the story of his crime with a vividness
that fascinated his hearers. Once or twice
he arose to illustrate some point in his
narrative During the recital he appeared
to forget his own personality in the abb
sorbing interest Of his story II was as II
he were relating an incident in the life Of
another man.
Gates began by telling how he had dis
covered the front door Of wolcotts house
open. Walking in he found himself in the
40 "a lied
softly, but received no reply Gianoing
upward, he noticed a thin streak Of light
radiating from the closed curtains OF the
door leading to the library Once again
he called, but the only response was the
echo of his voice as * came along the
high ceiling stairway. For few seconds
he stood there indeterminate, then, turn
ing sharply, walked up the heavily car
peted steps.
He paused at the landing for a moment,
then, stepping forward, parted the curtains
slightly. The shadowy room was plainly
but substantially furnished. A telephone
occupied a niche in the far side Of the
apartment. A few feet away the old man
sat at a small table, engrossed in writing.
A student lamp with a green shade threw
on uncanny reflection upon his bowed head
and wizened face.
Gates was about to make bis presence
known when his quick eye detected an
open safe, with a pigeonhole filled with
bank notes. Even at that distance It was
plain that they represented a small for
tune. The sight choked the words Of
greeting ere they reached the intruders
lips He stood silent, and a peculiar sensa-
ton passing through his frame caused him
to tremble violently He tried to speak
again, but his heavy tongue refused to do
his bidding. Put money in thy purse"
quoted a demon within him. Quick on
the heels of this thought came a sudden
feeling of resentment against Wolcott.
Here was a man almost on the edge of
the grave boarding up needless wealth.
Bitterly he contrasted this with his own
pressing necessities and barren hopes.
In those few seconds of thought he not
only yielded to the temptation, but planned
every detail of the theft. outside the
circle of the lamp the room was In semi
darkness. The safe was at Wolcott's ell
bow and out of his sight He still bent
over the table. and the only sound to
break the deadly silence of the apartment
was the monotOnous scratching Of his PEN
Gates crept into the room on his tiptoes
He held his breath as he moved step by
step in the direction of the safe. He was
almost within arms length; another move
and he could reach the money and silently
creep out of the house and into the night.
He reached over. and the next second a
large packet was clutched In his trembling
grasp
At that critical moment mis- head came
within the zone of light reflected by the
green shaded lamp and threw the shadow
of his profile on the wall. simultaneously
the old man, pausing in his writing for
word, looked up and beheld the strange
reflection He Jumped to his feet with all
the nervous energy of a quick nature,
and, turning, faced the intruder.
In his haste the sheet of paper on which
he had been writing fell to the floor If
the old man felt any fear he did not show
1t. He Strengthened up his bent form in
an attitude of defiance. The skin about
the long. thin nose seemed drawn tighter
than ever. He peered at Gates with the
searching look peculiar to near-sighted
persons. Like flash look Of Mortified
recognition overspread his leathery coun-
tenance. The thin lips pursed up into an
expression of ineffable contempt.
"You-you BASTARD" he cried, in a chok-
ing voice,
He tried to say more, but the words
would not come. He made one wild, fren-
zied plunge at Gates who stood there like
a man in a trance. The pantherlike spring
of his victim aroused the thief, Gates tried
to thrust him aside, and, falling in this,
reached out his right hand and grasped
Wolcott by the throat. In that moment the
thief was filled with implacable and I'M
reasoning hatred. He pressed until VOL
colts eyes looked as II they would leap
from their sockets. Suddenly remorseful,
he withdrew his hand. Thus released, the
merchant, staggering to one side, made a
rush for the telephone. He lifted the re-
ceiver with a palsied hand but before he
could utter a word fell on the floor un-
conscious.
A feeling Of terror overwhelmed Gates
He dropped down on his hands and knees
and raised the old man to a sitting pos
ture with his back propped up against
the wall Wolcott was unconscious and
gasping for breath. Gates tore away his
collar and cravat by sheer force. He
called out to him to speak, but the head
Of the old man, unsupported, lolled from
side to side. emphasizing its CHASTITY ex-
preston Of horror ana contempt. A glass
of water stood on the mantel. He seized
il and dashed part of il in Wolcotts face.
He tried TO get a few drops down the
throat Of the PROSTATE man, but the
clenched teeth would not open. Suddenly
a culver ran through the body Of the mer-
chant The ewes rapidly becoming film