Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-06-27


locked the box again and replaced the
key in the dead gcntleman's pocket
Then observed a ring upon his finger
l drew 1t off, and with the money and
ring in my possession l fed from the
house in which l had been treated
with unvarying kindness and consid.
Grafton.
II succeeded in escaping unobserved.
and before noon l was at sufficient
distance from ScvenOaks to believe my.
self safe. But ! knew that when the
murder was discovered. and 1t was
found that had fled, the police would
be after me. was therefore very care
full in my movements, and kept myself
concealed during the day, and walked
from place to place in the night. l
managed to get hold Of newspaper
in which read an account Of the mur.
der and description Of my personal
appearance. 1t was long account and
it told everything about the robbery
of the money and the ring. This made
me fearful of keeping these about me,
and being one night on bridge tied
them in Il pocket handkerchief, to
which | attached some heavy stones;
then threw the treasure into the river,
From that night | have no clear re-
membrance of what occurred. suf.
fcrcd great hardships from hunger and
often thought that I should die. At
length, my life being q torture too
great to bear, | determined to 60 back
to Scvenoaks and give myself into the
hands Of justice.
"For all my sins I crave Divine for:
givcness.
81 crave for forgivcSness also of my
master and of my dear mistress and
her daughter for having brought this
distress upon their home.
(SiSncd).
"SAMUEL FLEETWOOD
Straightforward and fatally incrim.
mating as this confession could not
fail to be to the minds of strangers, It
satisfied me less than it had satisfied
the clergyman who had taken 1t down
from Samuel Fleetwood's dying lips.
Certainly that portion of 1t was false
which referred to his drawing the ring
off the finger of the dying man, and his
ring was in my pocket, and, from the
moment l found it there, had never
left my possession. l had hoped that
at rest. J.
the confession would have set my con-
science at rest. 1t had not done so.
My thoughts became presently CEN
tered upon the sealed letter which was
missing from the packet. 1t was for
my eyes alone. Samuel Fleetwood had
declared. Doubtless the clergyman had
it. would proceed to his house and
it. / would proceed to his house ut
once, and ask him for it.
He was at home when arrived, and
did not keep me waiting II moment.
l explained the object of my visit. He
expressed surprise, and said he was
positive he had placed the sealed let.
ter in his pocket.
II have the most distinct remem-
brance," lie said, "of putting 1t there.
The unhappy man set such Importance
upon its reaching your hands without
delay that / was more than ordinarily
careful. AS you opened the packet 1t
must have dropped out Most likely
you will find 1t in your house."
l did not prOlong the interview. Re-
turning to my house, made another
search, with the same result. The
letter was nowhere to be found. /
passed the evening in a miserable
frame of mind. Until that letter was
in my possession / could know no
peace. l determined to make still an
other search after all my household
had retired to rest. l did not see Mile.
Rosalie, and / inferred that she was
in her room, making preparations for
her departure Oh the morrow. To my
wife and daughter said nothing of the
confession, determining to leave the
disclosure till the following day. in the
hope that l should succeed In finding
the missing document.