The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-07-31
HoW ] AeIIigEed Suecess
ioriginaLI

How did I. so young a man. aeqCirl
50 large criminal practiceI Just ~
J was ready to begin to praetice my
profession I read the biographies q
many men In America who bad early
achieved emInence. From their exam
pie deduced principle. During the
early years Of ones career let hun d0
ten times tie work expected OF him
II Francis Atwater had not gone to
RIeep on the train that wns taking him
70 lis home In the suburbs and not
zone on TO Roynlton fnstend OF getting
ont Mt AfiIlburn be would not haTR
been convicted Of the murder Of Fair
tax DougIas- And quite likely {
should have missed an opportunity to
make a name as q criminal lawyer
But Atwater did go TO sleep on the
train and did wake up and get out
three stations above his own
~Hello, Atwator!" said his old friend
Douglas as they met on the platform
what are you doing up hereT'
AtyvaterStold him OF his snooze. and
as there was no train down for an hour
Douglas pressed him to go hpme and
dine with him. Atwater 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 putting or his
departure from train to train TIL at
last he consented to remain an night.
At 10 O'Clock host and guest went up
stairs to thelr 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 remnin for break
fast. Douglas was putting his watch
under his pillow. and Atwoter saw, as
the pillow was lifted, revolver.
''For burgIars?' asked Atwater. look
ing ut the weapon.
Atwater appeared curious. and Doug
las added that there was a story con-
nected with his keeping pistol undec
his head at night and that he always
carried one about him during the day.
Atwnter pressed him to tell him why
be did this, but Douglas seemed trou-
bIed 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 Eoodby. A fearful sight greet
ed him. Douglas was lying dead, his
mead hanging of tue bed so as to ex-
pose the throat, which was dark Pur-
ole, Indicating strnnguIation. Atwa-
ter'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 n
murdered person was liable to suspi-
cJon. 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
the room. turned to go down the main
staircase and, descending, went out OF
the front door. He was all of trem-
BILE when he got on the train, but went
to the CITY. attended to his duties as
usual and was going home, expecting
to see Douglns' death In the evening
paper. when he was stopped at the
door of his Office by policeman. who
arrested him ON charge of murder.
maid had gone up the back staircase
Is Atwater had emerged from the
chamber of death and had seen him
leave the room.
/ was retained to defend Atwater
and got the story ! have told from
him, but 1 could not tell such story
to a Jury. A murder trial is tilt be-
tween the prosecuting attorney and the
| accused COul4SGA NAtH 'Ss.lSS-
ranged for by the court. the judge
hundIng them their pistols just as
second will hand pistols to duelists.
aad no case whatever. Douglas could
give no reason for being at Royaiton
| except that he had gone to sleep on
the train. He was seen leaving the
yictfm's room and had gone to his ousl-
ness, saving nothing about the murder.
The prosecuting attorney made hne
sprcch. calling the jury's attention 10
he wisdom OF the Supreme Being whs
had sent the maid up the back stair
case In the nick of time. Atwater was
convicted and sentenced to be hanged.
It was after the trial that ] got
in INV fine work I knew from my ell
nnt's story that Douglas had been ex.
Meeting an attack, but from whom2 !
worked night and day till found out;
hut. findIng out. could not prove that
the person 1 suspected had committed
the murder. One thing OF Importance
I did ind out, though to do so had to
NAV detective. The secret enemy had
sworn to kill not only Douglas, but an
other man. That other man was ut tne
time of Douglas death In Europe
When he returned / asked him ques-
lions, the answers to which tallled WIN
what had learned.
One morning / found myself a dis
ltingufshed criminal lawyer. had
slept the night before in thu bed usual
~ occupied by Judge Dudley. Just be
fore daylight n man had entered the
room. and I had shot him dead. He
proved to be Tom Keenan, and bad