The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-05-08
SHE
SAVED
HIM
By MAY c. ETHERIDCE

"John, I've something to say to you.
You're a good fellow, and l have nc
family. l have some stock in the
Hope Mining company that is valuable
and other securities. They're all in
this tin box. There is also a will in
the box leaving all l possess to you."
"Why, Mr.. Hathorn," said John Muir
ray, surprised, "what in the world put
that into your head? I've been work
Ing for you only six months, and you
never saw me before l came to you
and asked you for a position In your
store. Besides, you are a healthy,
strong man. liable to live thirty or
forty years longer"
''Ill tell you, John. You've told me
about that wife Of yours in the east
and that little kid you set 80 much
store by. Something tells me that I've
not long to live. If l were to die to-
morrow there wouldn't be a person in
the world to- claim what i left. II l
will it to you you can bring your fam
fly out here and go right on with the
store. 1 might as well make some one
comfortable. mightn't 1? Come with
me-"
He took John to his bedroom over
the store, pulled up a plank in the
floor, put in the box and relaid the
~n1D,lx vNIh1r tho fu,n want 1nyyn.
stairs and resumed their work. That
night John Murray wrote his wife in
the east and told her Of the bequest
that might some day come to them.
1t was about three months after this
that John, who took care Of the books
and the cash, made up a deposit Of the
cash that had come in during the week
for the bank at the county seat,
some ten miles distant. While riding
through a narrow defle a man sprang
upon him and before he could draw
his revolver disarmed him and. taking
out a rope. bound him hand and foot.
Then, appropriating the money he car
RED, he left John beside the road and
made of in the direction Of the store.
John remained as he was several
hours before any M came along to
release him: then he returned to re-
port the robbery. Entering the store,
he found it deserted. Looking about
the place. he found Hathorn's dead
body in the barn. with a little hay
thrown over 1t.
Here were two troubles John had
to report to his neighbors, though the
first was nothing in comparison with
the second. His story looked very un-
likely. 1t seemed more probable that
he had made up the story about having
been robbed, had appropriated the
money himself and had murdered his
employer. The store stood alone, with
NO house within q mile. John was ar
rested and tried, and. though the evi-
dence against him was purely circum-
stantial, it insured his conviction, and
he was sentenced to be hanged.
One day a woman entered a jewelry
store at the county seat, where John
was awaiting execution, and offered to
sell u watch. The jeweler noticed on
the case the initials E. l.. II. He ask
ed the woman IL these were her ini-
tials, and she admitted that they were
not and looked frightened. This excit-
ed the suspicion Of the ieweler, and lie
kept the woman parleying till he could
learn more of her. Then it occurred
to him that the initials were those of
Mr.. Hathorn, whose murder had ex-
cited SO great a connection in the COM
munity. He sent for an officer, and
the woman was arrested. Having
been put through a sever examina-
ton, she broke down and confessed
that she had murdered Hathorn and
carried of the watch with her. But
she claimed that plumber had not been
her object, averring that Hathorn had
married and deserted her.
There were two opinions as to this
confession. the one being that it was
untrue, the other that it was genuine.
Those who maintained the latter view
were supported by the fact that Muir
rays lawyer had brought evidence to
show that Hathorn had feared some
secret enemy. This turned the scale
against the woman, though Murray
was not Mt once released. AS soon as
he was he went to the Jail where she
was confined to have a look at her.
He was astonished to see his OWL
wife.
: Fortunately the official that was with
him was behind Murray and the wife
had time to give her husband a warn
ing look not to recognize her before the
came up. During the interview
she also succeeded in whispering to
him: Ely for your life. I will be
MI right" John saw in this q scheme
30 save him and as soon as he left the
jail disappeared. A day or two later
1Grs. Murray recalled her confession.
telling the following story:
She said that as soon rs she heard
&c her husbands arrest she had gone
west. She had had Hathorn's initials
engraved on a watch that belonged to
her brother and used 1t to get herself
arrested. She told Of the tin box of
which her husband had written her
and u,hich .had not hoon roforrod IN nv