Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-03-14

ana looked at II reHectiveiy.
! showed it to you that day down
town merely TO create the impression
in your mind that I had Bruce under
suspicion and had not thought Of you
in connection with the matter. He
probably threw it there thoughtlessIy
in his trouble as he entered the house
on the morning We were all there to
gether. Now 7 am satisfied that you
drugged the poor devil, and l know
that you had the cabman send him to
that resort. That was bad enough in
itself, but when I remember also
that you tried TO fasten suspicion
upon him I am inclined to lose all
sympathy for you which l might
otherwise have. To my mind your
ueachery in that respect is by far the
worst element OF your offense. can
understand how mans infatuation
for a woman may sometimes lead him
TO dishonesty or even bloodshed. and
under those circumstances I an liable
to have a lot Of charity for him. But
when he attempts to put a friend
whom he knows is innocent into a
felon's cell and thus destroy him and
the happiness of a sweet woman, he
does an act unworthy Of any one who
possesses the sembIance of humanity
or decency."
''LeDuc," I cried brokenly. what
ever else I say you may believe or
not as you see fit, but when tell you
this l want you to believe me i'm
plicitly. 1 had absolutely no idea of
trying to fasten it on Bruce. I told
you and everybody else from the be-
ginning in the strongest language
that I could command that I did not
for an instant believe that he could
be guilty. Neither would I have per
mitted him to be punished for the
crime. If he had been tried and con
victed l should have confessed. come
what might. But knew he would not
be convicted, because I was certain
if he had no other alternative he
would tell where he spent the night.
I did not know how he came in pos
session Of the key, and simply told you
of having seen him have it, because
I wished to appear as telling you all
that [ knew, and having no idea but
that Bruce would Immediately account
for it. I admit that I dropped drug
in his cocktail, and that I was the
one who told the cabman where to
take him after he fell unconscious
upon the seat, but that was for an
entirely different purpose than to try
IN in al. him y
conscious merely out Of fear that he
would return to my uncle's house in
another attempt to borrow money and
possibly roll into my bed for the
night as he has sometimes done, thus
interfering with my plans. And had
him conveyed to the place he was
taken to instead Of to where he
was known for the reason that l did
not wish his friends to see him in
that condition and think he was in
toxicated. had no idea that he would
be suspected of this affair, for I did
not know he would be so obstinate
about refusing to tell where he had
been, nor did l know that he would
deny having had the key; while as for
LllC C1odI cue L uGu llOLlIuS " uO W III
it. Therefore I supposed he would
awake in the morning, come away,
and that no harm would have been
done. And when 1 feared that by
reason Of several accidents he was in
danger of being suspected, l said
everything 1 could to clear him ex-
cept to acknowledge my. own guilt. >"
81 am glad that you have explained
that the way you have. l like you a
whole lot the better for it. But how
about your mentioning the fact of the
money to Mrs. Dace, and why did
you cough as you choked your uncle?
Was that an attempt to impltcate
Mackay?"
You may look at it in that light if
you choose. I utterly despised the
man; knew that he would do me all
the harm that he could by far means
or foul, and did not care what hap
pened to him. I did it with the idea
that II might possibly furnish a false
clue for you to tire yourself out ona
Anything more?" he urged as I
paused. Utterly within his power
made this last appeal.
only this knowing that I am a
criminal and by all law should go to
prison for many years, probably to
die there, l have this to say in justi-
fcation of myself. Until l com
mitted this crime l had always been
an honest man with no thought of be-
ing otherwise and with no desire to
of my love for a woman for whom
would this moment gladly give my
life, and because I could see no other
way Of gaining her except by specu-
latiOn, fell into temptation as many
a better man has done. Driven on
ward by a love at whose command l
would have faced hades itself, I used
my own money first, losing $1,000
upon the race in the attempt to win a
large sum, and the rest in the first
break in that stock. In my despera-
ton I committed this crime as the
only means of getting more funds
with which to win that for which l
would have staked my life as readily
as l did my liberty. Had I succeeded,
lived an honest life thereafter; hav-
ing lost I will bear whatever punish
ment comes to me without whimpeT-
ing; and should I live through my
Imprisonment will seek to atone for
my crime in my after life I would
like to have you believe what I say"
His hand fell upon mine as softly as
a wOma0's
4 believe you, Tom, and would
trust you this minute with every
cent I have in the world. As you
know, it is one of my theories
that it is better to save a naturally
honest man who has gone wrong and
make a good citizen out of him again,
than to wreck him by the disgrace of
his having been a convict. You have
/ learned your lesson and have no
fear Of your ever becoming a rogue
again. But you have resigned your
| position, forfeited all claims to con