The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-03-23
SHE
SAVED
.;s aase...s HIM
--r---- a4--- ----
BY MAY c. ETHERIDGE

You're good fellow, and | have no
family. I have some stock in the
Hope Mining company that is valuable
and other securities. They're all in
this tip box. There is also a viii 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 'or position in your
store. Besides. you are healthy,
strong man. liable to live thirty or
forty years longer
TN tell you. John. You've told. me
about that wife Of yours in the east
and that little kid you set so much
store by. Something tells me that I've
not long to live. If were to die to-
morrow there wouldn't be person in
the world to claim what / left IL
will it to you you can bring your fam
fly out here and go right on with the
store / might as well make some one
comfortable, mightn't /? 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
plank. Then the two went down.
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 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 man sprang
upon him and before he could draw
his revolver disarmed him and. taking
out rope, bound him hand and foot
Then, appropriating the money he car
ried, he left John beside the road and
made off in the direction of the store.
John remained as he was several
hours before any one 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 it.
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 I'M
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 a mile. John was ar
rested and tried, and, though the evil
dence against him was purely circum
stantial, it insured his conviction, and
he was sentenced TO be hanged
One day woman entered a jewelry
store at the county seat, where John
was awaiting execution, and offered to
sell watch. The jeweler noticed on
the case the initials Il. l.. III. He ask
ed the woman If these were her ini-
not and looked frightened. This excit- |
ed the suspicion Of the jeweler, and he
kept the woman parleying till he could |
learn more of her. Then 1t occurred
to him that the initials were those of |
Mr.. Hathorn, whose murder had ex-
cited so great commotion in the COM
munity. He sent for an officer, and |
the woman was arrested. Having |
been put through a severe examina- |
ton, she broke down and confessed |
that she had murdered Hathorn and |
carried off 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 1t 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 at once released. AS soon as
he was he went to the jail where she
was confined to have look at her.
He was astonished to see his own
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
man came up. During the interview
she also succeeded in whispering to
him: ely for your life. / will be
all right" John saw in this scheme
10 save him and as soon as he left the
jail disappeared. A day or two later
Mrs. Murray recalled her confession,
telling the following story:
She said that as soon as she heard
'f her husbands arrest she had gone
west She had had Hathorn's initials
on watch that belonged to
her brother and used it to get herself
arrested. She told Of the tin box of
which her husband had written her
and which had not been referred to by
counsel in the trial since
he will it contained would show a mo
i've for the murder by Murray.
Attended by court officials, Mrs. MUIR .
'ay went to Hathorn's room in the
store, and the box was found. Be
tides the articles in 1t already men
toned was paper on which was writ /