The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1910-11-05

/
q day - would Influence one With
suicidal intent to commit the act. Bot
all this crumbled before the mastery
handling Of the matter Of the m0tive
for the crime. BY Cruikxhank's death
Dresser would poasess the girl be
loved and q fortune. II Cruikshank
lived Dresser would lose the fortune
| Nevertheless II was generally .ad-
mitted that the conviction Of Adrian
Dresser was due to the ability Of the
prosecutor. who tossed fact aud fiction
up before the jury 70 rapidly that they
could not distinguish between them
However this may be. he was con
victed.
Ono day a few weeks after the con
ciusiou Of bis trial Dresser received N
call from his counsel.
~ have good news for you." said ths.
attorney.
HAS your petition for new tria,
been granted7"
"Befter than that"
| Dresser WAS then told that the real
murderer OF Cruikshark had agreed to
make confession provided the matter
could be kept from the public and n
light sentence imposed. The matter
had been arranged. the confessed muir
derer had gone before the court pri
vately. had been sentenced and sent
to suite prison for ten years. Ores
ser could not understand how this
could be done 10 private. but his coun-
sci finally convinced him that the state
| k1ud S2,,,,A =, mn ~ hnd fSons,
accomplished.
As soop US the prisoner was freed
be sought the girl he loved. confident
that his vindication would restore the
status thar had existed between them
before his conviction. What was his
distress to learn that she had gone
away, leaving word that her action
was to escape. 20 far as possible. the
horrors under which she had suffered.
She had left no address. stating that
she did not wish to be followed by any
communications. In short. she was In
tending to bury her Identity In q for
eign land.
Meanwhile the key to this complica
ton Of untruths, for thus far there had
been nothing true developed. remained
In hiding. Had It been endowed with
mind doubtless 1t would have long ago
come out from little corner where
1t was ensconced and show that
though very insignificant In itself. It
was really Of far more Importance than
the brilliant juggling Of the state pros
ecutor or the diagrams Of counsel for
the defense. But 1t was waiting for
something's northeast wind With a
downward slant. one Of those winds
that may be supposed to blow nobody
/ amy good. But at last It came and
from u corner OF a chimney dislodged
a bit Of paper and sent it whirling over
the door. II had been blown up into
that chimney by north wind on the
day Cruikshank died and In the very
room In which be was supposed to
have been murdered. A maid came
into the room and. seeing the paper on
the door. picked It up to throw 1t Into
wastebasket: but. seeing writing on
1t, she had the curiosity to read 1t.
my goodness gracious!" she ex-
claimed and rushed out Of the room
with her find. which she showed sue
cessiveiy to every one In the house.
It was a communication written and
signed by Roger Cruikshank stating
that he was about to take his own life.
he gave no reason for the deed.
When this paper was shown Dresser
1t seemed to him that he had fallen
into a maelstrom of puzzles. He had
been legally convicted Of Cruikshanks
murder. another person had confessed
the crime. and here wax indisputnhle
pruof that Cruikshank had killed him
self
Hurrying to his counsel. he showed
him the new bit of evidence proving
concluaiveiy that the person who had
confessed the crime had done SO false,
ly. As soou as the lawyer read the
missive a sudden nood of Joy swept
over him.
This enables me-" he said. ito make
confession. told you that the con
viction Of the person who Is serving
term In prison in your stead was OBJ
tanned without publicity. This would
have been impossible. 1t has simply
been unknown to you. and you might
at any time have learned 1t II you had
taken the palms. This Is all have to
tell you at present. As soon as this
falsely confessed murderer Ia released
you shall know the rest" e
One morning Dresser received word
that II he would call at his attorneys
office he would meet the person who
had confessed to Cruikshank's murder.
He hastened there and suw. with
happy smile on her face. bis beloved
Florence. The two ran to each others
embrace.
where have you beenr asked
Adrian.
I'm prison"
"ln prison.
"Yes. had as much motive for
1 kI1IIcr ehns AcuA ,o,, (l.,<