The Washington times., 1909-06-01

of a far greater quantity of the acid
in stevens stomach than could be con
tanned in two OF the cough drops.
He talked on thus strain for half an
hour; the jury was interested. but not
convinced The body of Eben was then
introduced by DR.. Lyons He explain
ed that there was a very peculiar cir
cumstance involved in the old mans
faintng.
Evidently Eben hal witnessed a trag-
edy. There was more to the story, he
assured them, than the slight theory
shat Phil had given his uncle poison
in cough drop
The doctor pointed to the Jack of mo
tive on Phil s part and, though his re-
marks We're unnecessary, the coroner
allowed him To continue. as he himself
secuted the accepted theory of the
poisoned cough drops.
All possible details were entered and
discussed. and IL was only after n
long ana heated argument that the jury
brought in its verdict.
Neither Phil nor Bob had realized the
full Importance of this preliminary sit
ting. They both protested Innocence
and were but little concerned with the
jury that was to decide the cause Of
their uncles death.
But when the verdict arrived bOtl.
cousins sat up with a surprise and
alarm that they had not dreamed OF
before.
1t had ali come so suddenly. The
cold, hard voice Of the coroner was an
nOuncing the decision, while clerk
wrote il down:
we find shet John Stevens was muir
Idered between the hours of 9 and 10
O'Clock last night in his room. on the
third floor of his home. The murder
was committed through the agency Of
nitric acid. and the jury is undecided
as to whether Phil Daring or Bob Stew
ems nephews of the deceased commit
ted the crime Tt is believed. however.
that one OF the other IS guilty, and on
that belief the jury recommends that
w IRA mr. no 10 2 nj
both"
Bob huddIed down in shapeIess
heap. The verdict had been so unex-
pected that he lost all control of him
self
PHI. too. had not considered arrest
as a possible outcome. The young fell
death of his uncle, and Bob's suspicion
Of him, that he had thought of little
Now it all came to him with a sud
denness that took his breath away lie
was to be arrested charged with the
mt rider of his uncle, whom he had rev
erenced and loved above everything in
the world.
Even as this thought came to him two
blue-coated officers entered the room.
The coroner showed them their prison.
ers, the warrants were prepared and
read. and Phil Daring was led off to
prison at the side Of HIS cousin, Bob
Stevens.
Neither had a word to say. It had ali
come ABOUT 80 SlsfiltfilA litat BoEif We're
kept busy with the thoughts that trailed
along iu the wake Of this inanticipated
arrest
In the town OF Dutton John Stevens
had always been looked up to as the
greatest and richest man in the COM
munity. IL was a small place, and
when Phil and Bob had come to live
with their uncle they had been accepted
In the same light as ne.
Now to think Of these two you're fell
lows being led through the street hand
Cumed to each other. arrested on the
charge OF numbering their uncIei
Windows opened all along their path
and people poured out to see the great
criminals. The murder OF John Stevens,
for such it had been called by the
cOTOners jury, was the biggest seusa-
ton that Dutton had ever enjoyed.
| To think that their little town should
spring into sudden prominence in such
a manneri
The officers who led the two young
men swelled up with pride 1t was
their biggest day, and they marched
through score OF unnecessary streets
on their way 10 the station house, in
order to flaunt their catch in the faces
Of as many people as possible.
The news spread everywhere by tele-