Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-04-20
He was the tenderfoot, the Hyphen

"What time you gotg" asked Doc
carelessly.
The other drew forth the watch,
which both Doc and Hawkins recog-
nized at once.
"Come go on around to the saloon
with u.s." Hawkins invited.
The tenderfoot readily accompanied
them. They entered the saloon, passed
through 1t and went on into a side
room, which was Used as a pool parlor.
The room was filed with practically
every man in Rio.
After entering Hawkins shut the
door and locked 1t, while the prisoner
looked about him uneasily.
"This is your watch, amt 1t, Con-
ner?" Doc demanded, drawing 1t from
the tenderfoot's pocket.
There was no question about It A
dozen of those present spoke up to
identify it. The prisoner looked from
one to another, as If uncertain of what
to expect next.
Court Is now In session." announced
Hawkins, seating himself upon a chair
behind the billiard table.
Hawkins, who had been accepted as
judge, began the proceedings In an or
derby manner He designated the Doc
as prosecuting attorney and appointed
counsel for the prisoner.
First there were introduced charac-
ter witnesses. Shorty, who was ex-
cused as foreman of the jury long
enough to testify, stated that the prfs-
oner had come into the hotel, register
ed as Reginald McC. DePuy-Howard'
and ordered a room with a bath.
After Shorty had been dismissed and
returned to his place among the jury
men a roomer at the hotel was called
to the stand.
He testified that he had gone into
the strangers room the night before
to borrow a cigarette paper and that
he found the other preparing to go
to bed. The prisoner-so the witness
swore-was attired in a pair of blue
pajamas.
After other damaging testimony the
prisoner himself was allowed to take
the stand. He conducted himself in a
self possessed, even smiling manne
1t seemed that he regarded the whole
affair as a kind of mock court.
The doc walked up and down the
narrow space In front of the witness
chair, his hands stuck deep down into
his pockets In the name Of a famous
district attorney he had seen while on
a visit to the eastern part of the cOun-
try.
Finally he stopped before the pris-
mel and assumed even a more threat
ening manner
"Do you deny that the watch was
found in your possession?"
The prisoner shook his head.
"And you have heard the testimony
| of Conner and the others who have
identified the property as belonging to
Conner" continued the doc. "You
have also heard Heavy Taylor testify
| that you talked to him about Conner
| only a few hours before the time of
| the robbery and that you asked him
where Conner lived. Do you deny
the Conversations
Again the prisoner shook his head.
"Give the court your account OF
how you came In possession Of the
watch"
\ "Well," the prisoner began, II left
the hotel about twilight and went for
a walk. around town. l passed along
| the road where Conner lives and saw
him come out of the house and stoop
and put the key he'd locked the door
with under the front steps. I waited
about until after he had gone away,
and then went on into the yard, got
the key and entered the place. 1 went
on through his apartments'-
Ellis what?" demanded Hawkins.
ST went on through his rooms until
I came to one that 1 found the watch
in. 1t was lying on the chiffonier."
Hawkins banged his fist upon the
table before him.
ST fine you $40 for contempt of
| court" he announced. "That makes
the second time you've tried to get
gay with the court In the last few
seconds"
st found the watch" the prisoner
repeated, put it in my pocket and
left without disturbing anything else
In the room. l came on back to the
hotel and was intending to go to bed
when you gentlemen found me-"
"Umr' murmured the doc reflective.
ly, slightly taken back by the prison
er's frankness. "And what are you
doing III here, trying to disguise
| yourself as a cowpuncher in this
clowns makeup, anyway, and where
did you come fromT"
"T came from back east" the other
answered, land I'm on the way to the
ranch Of a cousin of mine about thir-
ty miles farther on. l had an attack
of pneumonia this past winter, and !
thought I'd just spend a month or two
out in this climate"
"And what do you claim is your