Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-05-25
MYSTERY SOLVED
BY WOMAN'S WIT
How an Innocent Man Was
Saved From GaIloWS.

his fortune III the west. BlXDy became
a prOspector in Colorado and bought
claim which he worked with man OF
the name of Clark One day Clark took
Bixby to a little pocket of rocks near
the mine and showed him where he
had placed some articles he did not
care to keep on his person. There
were some money, a revolver, gold
pencil case, a bunch of keys and a
picture of a woman.
Il want you to know where these
things are in case anything happens to
me-" Clark said, and, having covered
the pocket with a broad, fiat stone, left
no sign of the concealed articles.
Some time after this Clark was TAX
en- ill and, having no relative to leave
any property to, made a will leaving
his interest in their claim to BiXby,
though there. was then no great appar-
ent value in the hole they were sink
ing. Clark recovered, but the will
was not destroyed.
One day BiXby left the claim for a
day to buy provisions, and when he
came back he found that Clark had
been murdered during his absence.
There was no trace of the murderer,
and Bixby was much puzzled as to
who had done the deed. BiXby went
on digging and finally struck very val
liable ore. Then he filed Clarks will
He had been suspected of Clark's
murder, and now that it appeared he
had a motive he was arrested. He
could not prove that the murder was
committed during his absence and no
one else was known to have an inter-
est in CIark's death. Persons who had
sold him and Clark the claim they had
worked when it was thought to be of
little value, hoping that if BiXby was
hanged they might get it back, manu-
featured evidence against him, and
he was convicted. The usual efforts
were made by his lawyers to save his
life, but they were all failures, and
finally they told him he must prepare
for death
1t was only a few days before the
execution was to take place that
young man, an effeminate, apparently
half witted fellow, entered a saloon
at the county seat where BiXby had
been tried and was to be executed.
Going to the bar he called for drink
and in payment offered a revolver. The
barkeeper while examining it noticed
scratched upon the handle Jarvis
Clark" the name Of the man who had
been murdered. The barkeeper took
the revolver in payment for the drink
and Immediately sent it to the au-
thOrities The young man who had
offered it was arrested, and on his per-
son was found two of the other articles
Clark had buried the gold pencil case
and the picture Of a woman.
The man could give no account of
himself, and since Clark had shown
the picture to several persons they
were enabled to identify it as his prop
erty. Bixby was released and the
young man was put OH trial for the
murder of Clark.
BiXby's lawyers advised him to spare
no pains to convict the accused, thus
vindirating himself. but BiXby declar-
cd that his misfortune had shattered
his nerves and he would go east to
be nurSed back to health by his wife.
The prosecuting attorney had objected
to his being permitted to depart. Blk
by, however. got away before any legal
move could be made to detain him.
He had had plenty of time to reach
a safe distance when the young man
who was about to be tried sent for the
prosecuting attorney. When that Off
cial appeared the prisoner said to him:
I'm not 4 man, I'm a woman and
the wife of the man you hoped to hang
My husband wrote me where Clark
had concealed certain articles. | came
here. found them and produced the re-
vOlver for the purpose which has been
achieved. | had arranged it all with
my husband"
The aStonished official ordered the
prisoner to be examined by a woman
who found her claim to be true.
And now" said Mrs Bixby. 81 be-
lieve the picture of the woman Clark
hid with the other articles TO have
something to do with the murder. Re
lease me. and l will endeavor to find
out"
Mrs. BiXby was released and set
about the task she had assigned her
self 1t was not long before she dis
coyoroJ tho v,io+uro to bo tbot of n ,,,O
man who had left her husband for
Clark. The erring wOman's husband
was arrested for the murder. but he
was not brought to trial. The sympa-
thy of the people was in favor of one
who had simply avenged a wrong in
way that they considered legitimate.
The prisoner confessed that he had
long looked for Clark and when he
found him gave him a fair chance for
his life. But, fearing arrest on charge
of murder. he had fed as far as posi-
bic from the scene of his revenge.
There was great deal of sympathy
for BiXhy. who had come so near being
hanged for q murder he had not COM
mitted and n great deal of admiration
for the woman who had saved him. He
remained in hiding till his wife had I'M
covered the real facts Of the tragedy;
then. on an invitation from the people
of the region. he returned. took up the
work on his mine where he had left 1t
and became rich.
The outcome of the case had a salu-
tary effect on judicial procedure in the
community, the accused being given
opportunity to prove innocence.
A Roland For an Oliver.
Manager-I say, can we get anything