Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-03-17

TcdiiLe tudt tuo emo was nSdf. nv
appeared to be a man of some educa
ton and refinement His high cheek
bones. his coarse features and pale
blue eyes. however. were indicative
of his wicked nature. The tigAay
drawn lines about his mouth showed
infiexibility OF viii and iron nerve to
carry out whatever he undertook
When / went forward to speak to
him recognized Hopper as a man
who had been tried and convicted for
passing counterfeit money at New Or
leans several months before. He had
been sent to the penitentiary 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
ficer at Vaudeville. he was enabled to
handle and ship out cotton.
seated myself beside the wounded
man and took his hand. and never
will / forget the CHASTITY stare with
which he regarded me as l 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 =
scoundrel, but was not quite prepared
to be brought face to face with ono
whose heart was so inhuman as de-
liberately to plan to hang his own
brother
"A few years ago." he said, Il, with
my younger brother. lived with our
widowed mother on little farm In
northern Vermont There lived near
us a most estimable young woman
paid her some attention, and In time
fell naadly 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 I charged her with that
as being the reason for her refusing
me. She was not to blame She 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 II
to gather courage for what was to fol-
low. Up to this time he had met my
eyes frankly, but now he shifted his
gaze and couffnued.
when she told me she could not
marry me, and made no denial Of her
regard for my brother, was filled
with unutterable rage. Calling her q
heartless firt, seized my hat and
left her. / was furious, desperate, and
determined to be revenged. While my
heart was filed with rancor and my
mind with spiteful thoughts. con
fided my troubles to Malcolm Thorn
son. He always was an evil counselor
but cunning one. He dissuaded me
from my plan for Immediate revenge
and advised me to appear friendly
with my brother in order better te
cary out a plot which he revealed te
me.
Soon after this my brother an
nounced his engagement to MARI,
Miss Heath, and I wished him. vel
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 fiancee my fancied wrongs But
was only hiding my time.
when the time was ripe for execu
ting the plot we had arranged. man
aged to be at work with my brother II
field on our farm. On the previous
night Thomson and had placed the
body of a man about my size in a hay
stack. which stood near where We
we're at work repairing fencs. Thorn
SON had obtained the body from a pau
per's burying ground on the Canadian
side.
my brother left the field that da,
Just before dark. remained for tn
purpose of completing the work
When the sun had set and 1t was dark
| punctured a small vein IN my arm
and with the blood besmesred the BIZ
Of the az we had been using. / Gu
on a lock OF my hair and scattered !
on the bloody blade, and then pitched
the az into the grass Reaching be
meath the body In the hay l deposited
my pocketknife and bunch of keys
Then l set IRE to the stack and hur
Rad m iofn Thomson who WAS wait
ing near by with horse and buggy
We drove rapidly away. and sooI
was on my way to New Orleans
where Thomson was to join me in |
few weeks.
ct was agreed that Thomson shouls
first return to the village and stir III
suspicion, which would result In
search for me and the discovery o
the burned body. Everything turne,
out thus far as we had planned. M,
brother was accused and convicted.
ct was nay purpose. when my riva
should be out of my way. to return
home. and after q time renew my at
tentions to Miss Heath, but put OF
going from time to time. / could no
face my old friends and neighbors
Through Thomson l learned that m,
brothers sentence was committed.
was thankful for that. No one eve
will know the remorse have suifere,
for my crime. My name is Andy Bar
rows"