The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-11-29

How | Achieved Success


How did l., so young man, acquire
so large criminal practice? Just as
was ready to begin to practice my
profession l read the biographies of
many men in America who had early
achieved eminence From their exam
pie deduced principle, During the
carly years of ones career let him do
ten times the work expected of him."
If Francis Atwater had not gone to
sleep on the train that was tax ing him
to his home in the suburbs and not
gone on to Royalton instead Of getting
out at Millburn he would not have
been convicted Of the murder of Fair
fax Douglas. And quite likely
should have missed an opportunity to
make name as criminal lawyer
But Atwater did go to sleep on the
train and did wake up and get out
three stations above his own.
Hello, Atwater" said his old friend
Douglas as they met on the platform.
What are you doing up here!'
Atwater told him of his snooze, and
rs there was no train down for an hour
Douglas pressed him te go home and
dine with him. Atwatel accepted, and
the two men went home together.
Douglas lived with his mother, who
was away at the time, and there was
no one with him except the servants.
The two men dined together, and after
dinner Atwater kept p. ting off his
departure from train to train till at
last he ~vnsented to remain all night.
At - O'Clock host and guest went up
stairs to their bedrooms. Just before
getting into bed Atwater went to
Douglas room to tell him that he
must take an early train in the morn
ing and could not remain for break
fast Douglas was putting his watch
under his pillow, and Atwater saw, as
the pillow was lifted, revolver.
"For burglars?" asked Atwater, look
ing at the weapon.
NO"
AtWater appeared curious, and Doug
las added that there was story con-
nected with his keeping a pistol under
his head at night and that he always
carried one about him during the day.
Atwater pressed him to tell him why
he did this, but Douglas seemed trou-
bled at the mention of the matter, ex-
cusing himself from giving the story
Atwater forbore to press him further
and went to his own room.
Atwater awoke in the morning
dressed and went to his friends room
to say goodby. A fearful sight greet
ed him. Douglas was lying dead, his
head hanging off the bed SO as to ex-
pose the throat, which was dark pur-
Pile, indicating strangulation. Atwa-
tcr's first impulse was to arouse the
house, but his second was to allow
some one else to discover the murder.
He knew that the man caught with a
murdered person was liable to suSpi-
cion and no one can tell where such
suspicion Will lead. He would depart
as he had intended, saying nothing
about having seen his friend. He left
staircase and. descending. went out of
the front door. He was all of trem-
bic when he got on the train but went
to the city. attended to his duties as
usua! and was going home, expecting
to see Douglas death in the evening
/ paper, when he was stopped at the
door of his Office by policeman. who
arrested him on charge of murder
A maid had gone up the back staircase
as Atwater had emerged from the
chamber Of death and had seen him
leave the room
l was retained to defend Atwater
and got the story have told from
him. but l could not tell such story
to a jury. A murder trial is tilt be
tween the prosecuting attorney and the
accuSed's counsel with weapons ar
ranged for by the court, the judge
handing them their pistols just as a
second will hand pistols to duelists
| had no case whatever. Douglas could
give no reason for being at Royalton
except that he had gone to sleep on
the train He was seen leaving the
victims room and had gone to his bust
ness saying nothing about the murder
The prosecuting attorney made fine
speech, calling the jury's attention to
the wisdom of the Supreme Being who
had sent the maid up the back stair.
case in the nick Of time. Atwater was
convicted and sentenced to be hanged
1t was after the trial that l go,
in my fine work. knew from my eli
ent's story that Douglas had been ex,
pecting an attack, but from whom?
worked night and day till found out
but, finding out, could not prove that
the person I suspected had committed
the murder. One thing of importance
I did find out, though to do SO had to
| play detective. The secret enemy had
sworn to kill not only Douglas, but an
other man. That other man was at the
time of Douglas death in Europe
When he returned l asked him ques.
tons, the answers to which tailed with
what had learned.
One morning I found myself dis
tinguished criminal lawyer. had
slept the night before In the bed usual
~ occupied by Judge Dudley. Just be.
fore daylight man had entered the