Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1920-12-02


with me. Richard. of course, had not
touched 1t. Each OF us had been Civ
en-. that morning. five hundred dollars
by trustees. That had been the occa-
sion of richards murtlerous dcbaucil.
II Is strange-or is it?-that I never
think Of him as, or ever called him,
DICK.
II arranged the spot as well as
could in the details to suggest that my
drunken and brutal brother had not
only killed me but had disposed of
my body IN the river. When hn.l
done this. relying for success on his
UNCERTAIN memory of the act which
already had terrified him, l left Hart
ley houSp-all is painful memories
and. brutal experiences. the unllappi-
ness had experienced there. the mis-
cradle childhood. the wretched boy
hood ara the young manhood. come
to this fUriive. malevOlent end. And
there resolved that if I got safely
AWAY ard If my design worked ont
successfully, should return to the
S'ifsHne spot some time tn live j0-
vial life where life nrd been so drear
My plans We're not perfect; my
resources and my intelligence for this
sudden meeting of the world were
slender; but my success was beyond
expectation.
"FirSt ] had the satisfaction of
knowing that my brother was taken
for my murder. Circumstances were
all against him, and he was convinced
in his own heart that he had not only
killed me as he SO cften had wished
to do, but that he had disposed of my
body.
'In arranging the spot to indicate
murder had thrown my hat, which
was broken and bloody. down the
bankI 1t had caught on Il projecting
rock. had taken ring off my finger
and had thrown that into the pool
also had thrown in my coat. 1t had
blood on the cellar and shoulders. All
this seemed to me to afford lncnnclus-
i've evidence, but there We're obvious
difficulties in finding body which
might increase Richards troubles.
81 waited in New York, carefully
concealed many months. reading OF
the progress of my murder trial in the
newspapers. It gained some celebrity.
The prosecuting zeal. was tremendous.
and public interest. gathered, acute
My ring was dredged up and was re-
garded as important evidence. The
dredge also drought up some bones
which, as l read in the papers. were
regarded as tish-nibbled remains Of
me.
'Much legalistic argument ensued
I became a case of Importance, involv-
ing principles Of evidence. The super
fetal facts were all against Richard
His confession faced him. The evil
de-lce had arranged damned him.
Our relationship in hate and his
threats against me arose against him.
File thought he had killed me. He knew
he had. There We're many witnesses
against him.
"The only thing helping him was the
lack of a clearly identified body. But
there were vestiges of something
which, in the circumstances. were &C.
cepted as parts of the corpus deficit.
think the prosecution and the jury.
convinced that ! was dead and my re-
inains swept away. were anxious to
meet technically the requirements of
law.
1.-THE story Of our lives together, az
I read it in the testimony Of witnesses
who knew more Of Its terrOrs than l
thought anyone knew, was terrific. 1t
would have damned any aggressOr In
the opinion Of any body of men. Ev.
eryone who knew anything Of the case,
Richard himself included, was con.
WINGED that had been murdered. The
doubt which remained merely served
to get Richard a life sentence instead
Of the gallows. Popular psychology
condemned him. The lack Of essential
evidence was ignored.
II waited until knew what his
fate was, and them. rejoicing, I left
the country. had no prospects and
few plans. but my inclination was to
go to South America, and I followed
1t.
my hatred never ceased. It grew
as Il passion. at first disturbing one
later a satisfactory one. wanted this
man to suffer. Nothing that he car
suffer will properly pay him-at least
it will not pay my scare.
"Some day, know, for I have the
determination, shall return to Hart
ley house as Its owner, although es
teemed an alien, with false name, g
false life and great Joy. What is 9
family that l should not enjoy my per
feet revenge upon this brute who made
fifteen years and more Of my life
in It's most impressionable form, ar
undesirable thing wherf it was mosl
desired?
II shall 60 back to Hartley house
and II life and health be spared me
shall make it and life in 1t .j0vial
J and II strength be spared my Will, TIL,