Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1922-11-03
CHAPTER XVII
The Trap.

The Trap.
Bob Payne, the lawyer, could not
make up his mind whether his client,
/ VIII Carruthers, was innocent OF
guilty, and that was a position In
which he did not often find himself.
+ Either Carruthers was one Of the
coolest and most deliberate murderers
that had ever lived, or he was the
victim CT an extraordinary well-wOven
conspiracy. ~~r f,gh NJ
Whether Wilton was innocent or
guilty, Bob Payne meant to fight to
the last. He had taken a liking to
+ Carruthers, and he was resolved to
free him. That of course, presumed
his own belief In his clients inno-
cence.
He found his client seated in his
cell, scribbling upon pieces of paper
covered with diagrams, just as he had
found him on the occasion Of his pre-
vious visit Wilton rose and they
shook hands.
The lawyer sat down. Lets go over
the facts together" he said. There's
going to be a fight. You realize that?
] Not that youswon't win out. of course
you will. But when popular passions
are stirred when a newspaper. Gam
paign has practically prejudgad the
case, it's apt TO be reflected In the
minds of the jury. I've thought of
| asking for a change of venue. But
! I'm frank. Carruthers-the feeling is
, widespread, and Clayton Is the town
| where your enemies have the least
influence. I think we'll fight them
here" ST, rs z.....ssf> p q
"I'n fight it out here answered
Wilton. -aesls.s.sl
| "Your luck has been internal. If it
| could be proved that Bowyer hired
those men to kidnap Miss Mcdonald
and her father-thOugh 1t wouldn't
help directly-it would create a
prejudice in the minds of the jury.
We could bring that In as evidence.
1t would discredit Bowyer. 1t would
! force him into the witness-box and
I give us an opportunity. If those men
If Miss Mcdonald could go into the
witness-bcx-we could present some
thing of a case. But they're dead-at
least those outlaws are dead-and
their secret died with them"
"We can get Tonguay there"
"You don't consider that he may be
a star witness for the prosecution,
Carruthers? He's got his neck to save.
And, if your implication of Phayre is
the correct one, you remember that
], Phayre is q director or the Clayton
hospital, and, donated large sum of
money to it. Three weeks in private
room there offer opportunities"
"You do believe that Phayre is i'm
plicated?" cried Wilton. "a
81 do, Carruthers. I'll be frank with
YOU / didn't at first. But I'm con-
| vinced that either Phayre or Bowyer
was privy to Joe Bostock's murder.
| believe it was an accident, and that
they're playing on it to get you con
victed.
"That's what we can prove against
them and it amounts to nothing. Now
/ what can they prove against us? You
were Joe BoStock's friend. You knew
all his affairs. Yea were his executor
For some reason Or. other Joe BostocI
raised loan of q large sum on five
hundred Missatib: shares-probably
to cover some other investment, anG
knowing that he could meet it wheT
the time came. There's nothing alb
normal or unusual about that.
'The money disappeared. Checks ag
gregating four hundred thousand del
lars signed by Joe Bostock ant
made out in your favor are found II
your safe. 1t is claimed that you pre-
sented them that they passed through