The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-09-17

went down and out and across a field
to Farmer Goodwin's. The soil In the
field was soft, and l noticed tracks
heading for the house had left They
skirted the field and were seldom visi-
BILE. ] did not stop to examine them
| wished to report the murder before
1t was discovered by any one else.
Farmer Goodwin lived two miles
from Mr.. Morton. and when | got there
he and his family were sitting down to
breakfast. | wished him TO come with
me at once. but he said that if Morton
was dead nothing could be done, and
he might as well eat his breakfast
was obliged to wait for him and was
on this account delayed an hour, dur
ing which time was walking the floor
with Impotence and suspense. When
at last he was ready to go with me |
could not help running ahead of him.
When we came to the field | had
crossed | saw a man named Robbins
coming He was STOPPING now and
again to examine something. When We
reached him we learned that the muir
der had been discovered. Having bust
ness with Morton, he had gone to his
house and. no one answering his knock.
had entered the house. His first glance
at me was one of suspicion. He was
examining tracks pointing from the
house They were not the tracks l had
made shortly before. being hundred
nd DBL
gave me ratified me. looked at the
tracks, but scarcely saw them.
l noticed Robbins glance at my feet
The tracks he was examining were not
the same as | was now making but
about the same size. He told us not to
walk on the former, since if left un-
touched they might serve for clew.
He went back to the house with US,
and we held consultation as to what
should be done | proposed to get out
a'horse and ride to the county seat, six
miles distant and notify the sheriff.
Robbins said that Goodwin had better
go instead. My heart sank within me.
for l knew that the suggestion was to
hold me, and that meant was under
suspicion. But Goodwin wouldn't go.
end. since Robbins wife was very i'll.
he consented to my going
| On the way so terrified was / lest |
be tried and convicted of the murder
that seriously considered flight But
| knew ] would be taken and my at
tempt would be sure TO convict me.
rode slowly to the county seat, for
| dreaded to get back to the house with
that terrible corpse in it and to Rob
bins, whom l knew suspected me.
found the sheriff, and together we rode
back. he talking to me all the while
| about the situation at the time the
murder was committed. When l TOLD
him that at my going to bed Mr.. Nor
ton and l were the only persons al
home, l saw his brows contract anG
| from that time forward knew that ht
was examining me with a view to i'm
| plicate me.
When we reached Morton's house tn,
two men | had left were on the porcl
and several other persons were loiter
ing about. AS we rode toward them
noticed that none of them looked a
the sheriff: every eye was on me. W.
dismounted. and Robbins took thu
sheriff inside, motioning to me to re
main without. This added to my fea
that l was to be implicated.
The two men remained inside quit
awhile. When they came out the sher
If walked straight up to me. 1t wa
all could do to stand steady. / wa
conscious of turning white. He put hi
hand on my shoulder and said:
Young man. l shall have to holt
you under suspicion"
''What proof have your" aske'
falteringly
He conferred with Robbins apart
then returning to me said that durinl
my absence my shoes had been takel
out to the tracks Robbins had discov
cred and the soles and heels fitted tn
tracks exactly.
my Godw was my only reply.
Furthermore" added Robbins, you
shoes had on them dirt taken from tn
feld.''
! what shoes7" / asked.