The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-03-16


bones, his coarse features and pale
blue eyes, however, were indicative
of his wicked nature The tightly
drawn lines about his mouth showed
inf1eXibility of will and iron nerve to
carry out whatever he undertook
When ! went forward to speak to
him I recognized Hopper as man
who had been tried and convicted for
passing counterfeit money at New Or
leans several months before. He had
been sent TO the peritentiary at Baton
Rouge, but had escaped during a bat
tie at that point in which the prison
was partially destroyed He made his
way across the Amite river into the
Confederacy where, by standing in
with the commanding Confederate Of
ticer at Vaudeville. he was enabled to
handle and ship out cotton
seated myself beside the wounded
man and took his hand, and never
will l forget the CHASTITY stare with
which he regarded NE as | endeav-
ored to impress upon him the full
realization of his condition and the
duty incumbent upon him My urgent
appeal had its effect. Hopper admitted
that his mind was burdened with q
great crime, which he was willing to
confess. | had set him down as a
scoundrel, but was not quite prepared
to be brought face to face with ono
whose heart was so inhuman as de
iiborately to plan to hang his own
brother
"A few years ego" he said, 4. with
my younger brother. lived with our
widowed mother on a little farm IN
northern Vermont There lived near
us a most estimablc young woman. I
paid her some attention. and in time
fell madly in love with her When l
supposed l had won her affections
asked her to marry me. She refused
and did not deny that she loved my
brother when ! charged her with that
as being the reason for her refusing
me. She was not to blame Shs had
made no promises. ! had merely mis-
taken her sisterly regard and kind
ness to me for affection alone was
responsible for the error"
Here he paused for a moment as If
10 gather courage for what was to fol
low Up to this time he had met my
eyes frankly, but now he shifted his
gaze ard continued:
when she told me she could not
marry me, and made no denial of her
regard for my brother, ! was filled
with unutterabIe rage Calling her
hear,less tiirt, I seized my hat and
left her | was furious, desperate, and
determined to be reyenged. While my
heart was filed with rancor and my
mind with spiteful thoughts. I con
fided my troubles to Malcolm Thorn
son He always was an evil counsellor
but cunning one He dissuaded me
from my plan for Immediate revenge,
and advised me to appear friendly
with my brother in order better to
cary ont a plot which he revealed to
me.
Soon after this my brother an
rounced his engagement to marry
-'al-0 llt-ttI, anu ] ~ lEl4tu MN W eli
with bitterness in my heart. Plans
were made for the marriage and
seemed to take an interest in them.
and to have forgiven my brother and
his fancee my fancied wrongs. But
was only biding my time
when the time was ripe for execu-
ting the plot We had arranged, I man
aged 10 be at work with my brother IN
a field on our farm On the previous
night Thomson and I had placed the
body of a man about my size in hay
stack, which stood near where we
were at work repairing a fence Thon-.
son had obtained the body from a pau.
pers burying ground on the Canadian
side.
My brother left the field that day
Just before dark. remained for the
purpose Of completing the work
When the sun had set and it was dark,
/ punctured a small vein in my arm.
and with the blood besmeared the bit
of the ak we had been using. I cut
off a lock of my hair and scattered 1t
on the bloody blade, and then pitched
the ak into the grass. Reaching be-
meath the body in the hay I deposited
my pocketknife and bunch of keys.
Then | set fire to the stack and hur-
ried to join Thomson, who was wait
ing near by with a horse and buggy.
We drove rapidly away, and l soon
was on my way to New Orleans,
where Thomson was to Join me IN a
few weeks
1t was agreed that Thomson should
first return to the village and stir up
suspicion, which would result in a
search for me and the discovery OF
the burned body Everything turned
out thus far as we had planned My
brother was accused and convicted.
1T was my purpose, when my rival
should be out Of my way, to return
home. and after a time renew my at
tentions to Miss Heath, but | put off
going from time to time. l could not
face my old friends and neighbors.
Through Thomson l learned that my
brothers sentence was committed.
was thankful for that No one ever
will know the remorse | have suffered
for my crime. My name is Andy Bar.
rows"