Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1910-09-29

HANGED AN INNOCENT MAN.
EVERY ineidsnt On ere Remarkable
Sequence et Events Seemed 90 peins
Coneiusiysly 90 Che 0uiis 90 Harry
sissss VINE Nss Asssssd ~ alsrdsr.
IL begnn In the Blue Horse tavern.
ON the highway leading 30 Albany.
Toward the ciose O. IN autumn day
hair aosen men sat An the old bar4
room dzscusszng events which then
were heading 20 the outbreak OF the
American Revelation. At such q time
arguments were very likely 20 be rath-
er more vigorous than ordinarily would
J be the ease And this was no excep-
ton. Fearing that tronbie might re.
suit. one Of the men exclaimed: '-Come.
Wiekiifre. stop this. Such q dispute
70 nonsense."
Wiekliffe was an ugly ioohsng fellow,
shert and Stout. with q dark. sailow
fAce. black eyes. low. wrinkied fore
head and iips that barred bis teeth on
occasiens liks q dog preparing TO bite.
ny quarrei o. with Harry Blake"
he snaried. at d none Of your affair. +"
swell. wicklifre," Blake cried good
naturediy. '.ff you win quarrel. Z won't
k'n say no more"
Evidently wickiffSs was bent on
trouble. for he muttered something
which brought o cry Of '.Shamer' from
svery ono I'm tAs soom. Biake's face
became deadly, pale. ~wickiifre," he
said steadily, Il didn't hear what you
said. but dare you 10 repeat II. II
you do and thsses one tmproper word
In Il. this hoar win bs ths bitterest OF
yoar LIE"
Once more the Offensive words were
hung at him. and In an instant Blake
had seized wickiiffs and thrown him
across the room. For q moment he
lay stunned, but presently. his face
dark with hatred, he. rose and, shak.
ing his fist at Blake. exclaimed:
you mag take your measure for q
coffin. You will need one"
mot before you.T vas Blaks's reply
Shortly after the quarrel wickliffe
left the Blue Horse for his home
Blake. whose road lay I'm the same dI
rection, followed soon. Ten minutes
later two more Of the ioiterers, also
going over the highway taken by
Wsckifffe aud Riake. started on their
homeward way.
The last two travellers had ridden
several miles. talking earnestly OF the
stirring events which then engaged
mems minds. when q loud cry was
heard at n little distance. In O moment
it was repeated.
"MercyP the voice pleaded, and then.
"Oh, Harry"
'Can Blake be settling scores with
WicklineT exclaimed Grayson, one of
the two riders.
In O moment they had galloped
around q copse Of trees at O bend 10
the road. Within twenty yards OF
them, on his back In the dust, lay
Wickliffe dead. Bending over him
stood Blake. grasping q knife driven
to the haft I'm his bosom
Taken red handed" Grayson cried.
while Walton, his companion. himself
q magistrate. sprang from his horse.
exclaiming. ~Biake. charge you with
murder"
why. . didn't KIM him." Blake said
earnestly. 'You are mad. found
Wickliffe lying dead and was about to
pun this knife from the wound when
you came up."
Grayson shook his brad. IL wish I
could believe you, Harry" he said.
'but a. hope % be saved Z saw you
stab him. did"
It would be hard TO imagine a situa-
tion more likely 70 convince q Jury Of
the prisoners guilt Conan Doyle In
his widest faneies IN deduction never
presented more damning evidence TO
Sherlock Holmes and DIR. watson-the
quarrel In the Blue Hose tavern, the
epithet resented, the fight, the counter.
threat Of death. the departure Of both
while their temper yet was warm and
than the terrible tableau on the high
way.
What might man expect even now
With the. thousand loopholes that the
law provides for escape7 There could
z be only 'one cancellation, now. as then.
and that conclusion the Jury reached
without leaving the courtroom. Biake's
pFUtestations were vain. He died on
the scaffold declaring bis Innocence.
Tshraa rnor.tsra after fha ayasruffon fha