The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-04-01
J Colonel
TODHUNTER
of Missouri
By RIPLEY D. SAUNDERS
Copyright. 1911. by the BObhs-hIerrTIl
Company
zContinued.l

IT wanted to engage her to keep a
close watch on the girl, Lottfe-May
Doggett, sub. 1 did not believe that
Tom Strickland killed Stamford Tuck
er, nor did believe that he was guilty
Of wrongin' Lottie-May. He himself
had told me that the girl confessed to
him that Stamford Tucker had been
maxim love to her secretly. felt sure
IN my own, mind that Stamford Tucker
had been killed for wrongin Lottie-
May Doggett, and this would mean
that he was killed by some man who
loved Lottie-M May and knew that STAN
ford Tucker had wronged her or that
the girl herself had killed him I want
ed somebody to watch that house. and
knew 1 could depend on Aunt Mirandy
Ransom better'n on anybody else"
ibid you see this woman, Miranda
Ransom, sir? ?"
81 did, sub She promised to keep
close watch on the girl and on the
house, and she kept her word. 1t was
through her that 1 learned the news
that sent me away to Rails county
loolxin' for Chickasaw Jesse Dream and
Lottie- May Doggett. subj
do you mean that she learned of
their flight. Colonel Todhunter~
Eyes, sub. She crep' up close enough
TO overhear what they was a-sayin'
when they met in that cIump O. trees
between the Doggett house and the
Ransoms' cabin, sub. She heard all that
went on between 'em. sub. She was
waitin' for me when got home from
Colonel Bill Strickland's the night be-
fore this trial began. and she told me
the whole story"
what did you do then, Colonel Tod
hunter?-
There wasn't but one thing to be
done, sub, If sChickasaw Jesse was to
be caught and Tom Strickland saved
from bein' found guilty of murderin'
STAN Tucker. That one thing was to
follow Jesse Bream and Lottie-May
Doggett without 1os1n' a minutes time
and arrest him befo' he got out o. the
state. suh.''
The witness then confirmed in detail
that part of the girls testimony relat-
ing to the capture OF Jesse Bream-
Did this man, Jesse Bream, make a
confession of his guilt as being the
murderer Of Stamford Tucker %
Eyes. subj And, Furthermore, under
oath, he told a mighty strange story
OF a happenin' that in itself might ha'
hung Tom Strickland"
There was a quick stir Of heightened
dramatic expectancy In the courtroom.
Major Gentry Dryden paused until it
had subsidized.
What was that strange story, Colo
mel Todhunter,'' he asked. (which, as
you have just testified, the man Jesse
Bream told you and the sheriff of
Rails county under oathT'
HE told me, sub, that Tom Strick-
land himself appeared on the scene
of the murder almost the.next moment
As I hollered to STAN Tucker, cpssin'
him and tellin him that was a-goin'
to kin him for havfn' wronged Lottte-
May said Ch1ckasaw Jesse Bream,
STAN Tucker drew his gun and fred
just the mint L fired My shot got
him. but hts'n didn't tech me. When
saw that he was a-layfn' still 1 ran
up to bis body, looked down and saw
that 1 had plunked him through the
head, right between the eyes, and that
he was stone dead Then 1 turned and
started to run down the road to'ards
tho town of Nineveh-
81 hadn't gone any ways hardly
when a man came to'ards me on that
road. When he saw me he laughed,
and the next mint he outs with his
NAR
cause didn't want to be recognized,
and 1 turns and runs straight through
the woods, lOokin' back once or twice.
And that man came to the edge of the
woods, and L heard him laugh and
then nutter like he was drunk and
taIkin' to himself, and then he DELHI
erately turned back on the Black Bot
toms road and went to'ards town."
Did Jesse Bream tell you and the
sheriff of Rails county, Colonel Tod
bunter, that he recognized the man
whom he thus met after hay4 killed
stamford TuckerT'
@tHe did, subj
what was that mans manner"
1T Yves Thomas w. Strickland, sub
Chdckasaw Jesse Bream swears that
he saw him plainly, and he takes his
saith that It was Tom Strickland"
ibid Jesse BFeam tell you what he |
IT'D after that encounterT''
Yes, sub He says that he lay out |
IN the woods for about an hour and |
hat then he went pack on the road |
md came into town and the next day |
ne went to Oklahoma, not gettin' back |
here to Nineveh until the day before /
he trial began, sub
There was a momentary pause.
Colonel Todhunter,'' resumed Major |
Dryden quietly. ''Is there any record
f this con6essfonT'
Yes, sub The confession is written,
worn to and signed by Jesse Bream-
t is attested by two competent wit
4esses- 1t is In the possession of the I
'herif OF Rails county And the sher-
Il Of Rails county has just delivered
he person of Jesse BFeam to the jail
authorities here in Nineveh, sub, charg-
a. him, on his own confession, with
he murder of Sta mford Tucker"
May 1T please the court said Major
Dryden, 1.-The defense will next place
n evidence this sworn confession of
Jesse Bream and ask that the case
gRinst Thomas W. Strickland, charged
With the murder of Stamford Tucker |