Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-11-24
At him curiously. Then he called !

| 1t was assumed that ROthWell had got
behind in his accounts. had embezzled
the amount Of which he claimed be
had been robbed and. fearing that if
detected he would lose his Inheritance
had killed the man whose property he
would inherit.
This made a strong case against
him. and there was very little to be
said in his favor. No trace of any
one having attacked Palmer and no
'evidence of Rothwell's story that he
had been robbed appeared. The court
retained charge of Palmer's property,
but allowed the legatee sufficient
funds to pay a lawyer to defend him.
His attorney did the best in his power
for him. but was unable to establish
his innocence. The jury hung for
some time between murder in the
first and second degree, but finally
brought in verdict of guilty of the
former. He was sentenced to suffer
the death penalty.
And so it was that Rothwell, having
escaped death from tuberculosis. hav-
ing reached a condition where he
might bring his sweetheart to him as
| his wife, was doomed to suffer on the
gallows for crime he had not COM
mitted. There are not the delays in
punishment for crime in new countries
there are where the safeguards against
infringing on the rights Of accused
persons are more strictly enforced.
Rothwell was sentenced to be hanged
a few weeks after his conviction. No
new trial was granted. no stay of pro-
ceedings, and the day of doom was
near when something happened.
A young woman stood looking in
through the window of pawnshop in
the town where Rothwell was convict
ed. At the time an officer Of the law
dressed in plain clothes was in the
shop interviewing the pawnbroker
about some stolen goods that he had
loaned money on. The woman entered
the shop and produced a watch on
which she asked for loan. The bro
ker inspected the watch and at once
caught sight of two letters, III. P.,"
on the case.
''Whose initials are those?" asked the
broker
The woman said she did not know.
The detective took hand in question
ing her and. her replies being contra
dictory. took her to police headquar-
tiers. There> after many surmises.
some one noticed that n. P" were
the initials of Henry Palmer. for whose
murder Rothwell was to be hanged in
few days. The chief of police put
the woman through the third degree"
process, with the result of confession
that she had murdered Palmer
Many were inclined to doubt that
the confession was genuine. Had it
not been for the fact that the woman
had attempted to borrow money on a
watch with Palmer's' initials on it lit
tie attention would have been paid to
her statement. She claimed to have
been discarded wife of Palmers. and
it was for this casting off that she had
killed him. The watch was shown to
Rothwell, ard he told the police where
he had seen it. This identified the
woman with Palmer, she was charged
with his murder. and Rothwell was re-
leased. He asked to see the person
who stood in his place and was taken
to her CELL
What was his amazement to recoc-
nize Alice Swain.
Before he had time to betray their
relationship she gave him look that
put him on his guard. She then spoke
to him as stranger. telling him that
If he could get permission to see her
alone she would throw additional light
on the murder. Permission was grant
ed. and the two were left alone.
Not daring to embrace each other,
they refrained. Alice talked about the
murder. but. fearful of being over.
heard. said nothing to reveal the true
situation. Meanwhile she scratched
on bit of paper: @E..
This is plan to save you Luckily you
wrote me of the tin box. came, took the
watch and paWned it to get arrested. Go
away and | will convince them of my in
nOcence. f
1t was agreed between them through
the same medium that Harold should
have week before Alice revealed
the trick. When the period had ex-
PRED and he was safe in hiding she.
called for the lawyer who had de-
Tended him and told him how Roth
we'll had written her Of the interview
he had had with Palmer and of the
tin box showing him the letter-hOw
she had gone to the hiding place.
taken the watch and pawned it, know
ing the man who was at the time with
the pawnbroker to be detective The
attorney soon obtained dismissal Of
the charge against her. and later she:
was set at liberty
She at once went to tile ranch house
and in her. future husbands name
claimed for him his inheritance. Max
ing more thorough examination of.
the contents of the tin box. she found
b IN