Evening Star Newspaper, June 6, 1896, Page 21

‘THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 1896—-TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. THE ROBBER OF BRENT ROAD BY HOWARD FIFLDING? peels = ane ie (Copyright, 1896, by Bacheller, Johnson & Bacheller.) PART L. WHEN THE MOON CAME OUT. The little hall smelled strongly of the Jaw, though it had never before been used for judicial proceedings, and the inquest had been in progress less than an hour. It had qually crowded many times, and people, but most of them were ly stran to the statutory flavor, and knew not why the familiar place had pped so many queer discom- in th scured an advantageous position of the two wooden benches held the jury. Chairs were myste- provided for us, probably by an act on on the part of the police. star witness is here,” whispered which rious! of oppre “My Preble. “Who is he?" I inquired “Big fellow, with pompadour hair, on the end of the second bench back of us,” said Preble. “His name is Henry Dunning. Lives on Brent road, not far from the Mor- He's a wealthy and respected citi- looks like an idealized portrait of Corbett, the prize fighter,” said I. “What do you expect to get out of him?” “Let me ask you a question first,” re- turned the detective. “Did you come ‘way up here—into the wilds of what used to be Westchester before New York gobbled it— to hear me talk, or to taste the joys of an inquest “I grieve to be obliged to state that it was the iaquest which" so; but you'll get a great deal - fun oui of it if you don’t attempt to ate the proceedings. Let a knowl- edge of this remarkable case filter into you gradually. Now, keep quiet. Emily Morri- =m is going to resume her testimony. She's Douglass Morrison’s been a pause in the proceed- vr had had his attention ever since that young peared. Hie seemed to mication from the detec- lily beca evident that > play a “thinking part” tt witness, who . her hands clutchi! rough wooden chair in he lus what said, kindly, ou know of evident ne should n. Sh e was considered care- y. for she began spoke in a low beautifully clear ord was distinctly audible e crowded room. ay night,” said, “I re- 11 o'clock, and very soon awake ey ning ed by a flash You will re- Was very dark, he heavy clouds were wind, and the full ne between the room, and the my face. to be aroused in that in bed territied. I did the mooa My first some one was flashing t upon nd ¢ ake I remem whieh ther I thought nad there erceived what I ard below me aga that such door that gz of a use, and I had the im- long ume, and should be I sprang © toor of my opposite mine. surprise, He any an to nd his hat I knew that he had it was tne closing 1 ask- and he late, ed the coroner. his watch,” replied only said it was about 1 i asked him if fat was © I saw that father’s bed open, and he always closed when he retired for the night. said he guessed that father he kad seen no Light in the the house, except the gas the hall at t. Then my to go to b > his room. anxiou d, and he him- You 1 not I had recovered. see, and it that my father should in this d nany were be- and robbed on the street. put on a long, t down to the ice almost failed her at that became ghastly. 1 would certainly faint. 1 herself, and proceed- The room was nm shone in, just nto my room, overhead—a nar- as it ne row stream ight making an oblong Abe wart not spealing frows wisuhery (ie. Her fa was rigid; her eyes were cast down; and on the floor of that hall she saw, I doubt not, that oblong pattern of pale light, broken in one terrible spot by son life “I saw my most in a whi: light, temple “L don't know what hapened then, I was so frightened. I screamed and screamed. It seems to me that I fell down beside my father’s body. Then I felt some one lift me uv anv it was only a moment after- hing that would haunt her all her father’s face,” she said, al- per; “his face, in the moon- with that dreadful wound upon his ru “I saw my father’s face.” wards, as I thought, when I found myself lying in bed in my room, and Mrs. Lowell— our housekeeper—who sat beside me, told me it was morning. + A considerable Interval of silence follow- ed these words. Then the coroner asked: “Do you know anything else that can help us to find out who committed this crime?” “Nothing. I was not allowed to leave my bed during that day. I only know that my brother is innocent. That should be clear to everyone.” “Is it not true that he and your father had quarreled?” “They had disagreed, but never to the port of violence, or near {t. Even when my brother first came home, a year ago, and when he—when his habits were not al- ‘ways such as my father approved, there was never a moment when I had cause to fear that Wili would so far forget himself las to rajse his hand against our father. My brotKer is a gentleman, sir, as every man of my family has been, so far as I know.” « “When you speak of your brother's abits,"" said the coroner, “you mean that fi was intemperate?” “jt is true, | am sorry to say. That was the cause of his leaving home. But his ap- etite was a disease of which he has been Gured. He is now entirely recovered, She spoke proudly of her brother, though there was in fact lttle enough to say in his favor. He had run away from home “five years before, and had led, by all ac- .counts, a wild life in the west. Somewhat ™ore than a year previous to the crime, dhe had returned; and he had since had no other means of support except his father's bounty. As I looked at him where he sat between a policeman and a detective in plain clothes, it seemed to me that he had some difficulty in meeting his sister's eyes. The coroner glanced at a representative of the district attorney who sat near the prisoner. The official seemed to have no questions to ask at that point, and so the coroner excused Miss Morrison temporarily. “I suppose there was some medical testi- mony before we came in?” said I to Preble. “The result of the post-mortem examina- on was intreduced,” he replied. “I can ive i, to you in a very few words. Doug- lass Morrison died of a wound in the right de of his head, extending from the eye backward about two inches. Blunt instru- ment, very little bleeding. Tne only in- jury was an abrasion of the chin on the rot s us. He was a big, raw- very powerful, and was as ac- fifty-seven as most men are at ve at thirty.” “Fracture of the skull, I suppose?” “Yes; but not instantly mortal.” “Then why didn’t he raise an alarm?” “Who knows? The police say there's only one answer possible; that he didn’t want his murderer to be caught.” I glanced at Will Morrison. His face had the haunted look of one who carried a secret which can rever be told. His law- yer, Frank L. Bryant, sat directly in front of him. Morrison bent forward and whis- pered something over the other's shoulder. ‘The lawyer rose. “I believe it will facilitate the investi- ion,” he said, “if my client's case is pre- sented at this point. At the preliminary examination on Wednesday I was unwill- ing to disclose it, but it is now so strong I can no longer hesitate. To establish my client's complete innocence at an early Stage of these proceedings will remove an element of doubt and error. But it can be established beyond question. “I am willing that the prisoner should take the stand,” said the coroner. Accordingly, William Morrison took the position which his sister had just left. The oath was administered, and the usual in- troductory questions were asked. Coming down to the main facts at issue Morrison stated that he had spent the evening of Tuesday playing cards with four young men in the office of one of them. By pre- \ious agreement, they stopped playing at exactly half-past eleven. About fifteen minutes were occupied in settling accounts, and putting on th@r coats. Two of the young men waiked with him to the intersection of Waverly avenue and Brent road. It must have been about five minutes before midnight when they reach- ed that point. It was less than fifty yards trom the spot to his house. He went dl- rectly. home. It was very dark up to the moment when he opened the front door. Then the moon ame with great brilliancy and unusual suddeuness, He remarked the phenomenon s he stood there It secmed as if the eavy clouds had vanished from the sky in instant. He closed the door and walked directly to the steirs. Before he had reached the top he heard bis sister's voice. The door of her recm was ajar, and she was looking out. From this point his story that of the previous witness. Alarmed by his sister’s screams, he had rushed down His father's body lay as described. had fallen beside it, seemingiy un- conscious. It was he who carried ker upstairs. He i then sent the housekeeper to sum- mon a physician, and had remained beside the corpse until Dr. Alexander Bishop ar- rived. The arrival of the police, the questioning and the search, the stir and confusion, pre- sented no special features of interest as he bed them. He kad seen at once that @ Was under suspicion, and had concealed is defense; in the beginning from his own prudence, and later by advice of his coun- sel. He believed that his arrest was due to false and most absurd rumors about his arecr in the west, and to recollection of the boyish errors that had led to his ex- pulsion from his father’s heuse. To my g.eat surprise Morrison was not cross-examined. He was allowed to leave the stand as socn as he had fin'shed his story, and the feur young men whom he ad mentioned sveceeded him in turn. They were well known and of excellent tallied with He Heurd His Sister’s Voice. reputation. Their eviderce tallied with Morrison’s exactly. The two who had walked to Brent road with him were per- fecily clear as to the facts, and their sto- ries varied not a hair's breadth. They rememtered the sudden bursting forth cf use moon, and they knew just here they were when it occurred. Their osition was just what it should have been in order to correspond with Morrison's story. No cne doubted that they were tell- ing the truth; their manrer was thorough- ly convineing. It seemed to me that Morrison had ac- ccurted for every second of his time, and that his alibi was totally unassailable. Yet it was clear to me that neither the coroner nor any other representative of the law there present was moved by it in the least. Something ominous was in the air. I found myself regarding Morrison with ghoulish interest as a man caught in a snare which he could not see. No effort had been made to contradict his ry. They were playing with him. can’t make this story out.” I whis- pered to Preble. ‘Do you suspect Miss Merrison of testifying falsely?” Heaven forbid!” returned the detective. “No, she has told the truth absolutely. But wait. Dr. Bishop is going to tes- tify.” When the physician took the stand I felt instinctively that the blow was goin to fall. The coroner's face took on a lool of doom. The representative of the dis- trict attorney became suddenly and deeply Interested In the proceedings. Dr. Bishop was a tall, hatchet-faced man, all of an iron-gray color. His gray eyes were very shrewd, and his voice as cold and hard as iron. He described thé midnight summons and his visit to the Morrison House, without at first disclosing anything new. He told of the wounds vpon the dead man’s face, describing them as Preble had don “Was there indication of any other in- jury?” asked the coroner. “There was,” replied Bishop, stantly the room was astir. and in- PART It. THE STAR WITNESS. The coroner rapped for order; and then commanded the physician to describe what he had seen. “There were marks upon the throat of the corpse,” he said. “They ciearly indi- cated that an attempt had been made to strangle Douglass Morrison by means of a noose drawn about his neck.” “Entirely new,” whispered Preble, with enthusiasam. “Not discovered in post mor- tem. Wait a minute and you'll see what that means.” ‘Death was not due in any degree to strangulation, however,” continued the doc- tor. “It was caused, as stated already, by a fracture of the skull “When, in your opinion,” asked the coro- ner, “was the strangulation attempted?” “Within ten minutes of the time when I first saw the body,’ replied Dr. Bishop, firmly. “I judge of the time by the fact that the marks were faint, and were rapid- ly disappearing.” “How long did it take you to reach the Morrison house after you were called?” was the next question. “Somewhat more than ten minutes,” an- swered the witness. His head had I looked at the prisoner. fallen forward upon his breast. “In the pocket of the prisoner,” con- tinued Dr. Bishop, “was a handkerchief slightly stained with blood, and twisted as if it had been used in an attempt a strangulation, which I have described. secretly removed it from thé prisoner's pocket, and afterward substituted a hand- kerchief which I found in the clothing of the deceased. The latter I twisted in‘my hand so as to make it resemble the other. The prisoner's coat in which I found the handkerchtef lay over a chatr in the lib: at the time. I gave the handkerchief to the police.” "The. sensation which these words pro- duced was so great that order was with difficulty preserved in the room. The pris- 21 cner was sobbing. His sister, completely dazed, sat like a statue. “Did you find any weapon in the room?” asked the coroner. “ft found a heavy cane of black wood,” said the witness. “It was concealed be- hind a row of books on a shelf. In the fatal wound I found a bit of dark sub- stance about as large as half the nib of a pen. It was a small fragment from the cane. I gave both to the police.” “Preble, what do you think of this?” I whispered. i hink we'll have a confession before long.” “If Morrison should confess at any mo- ment it wouldn't surprise me,” I whispered. “Wouldn't it?” querled the detective. “Well, it would surprise me, beyond meas- ure. “You think Morrison will rely upon his alibi?” I inquired. “His alibi?” echoed Preble. that amount to?” “Why, it seems to me that the time of the murder is approximately fixed by the bursting out of the moon," I replied." “We know by two witnesses that Morrison could not have reached Nome before that mo- ment. But immediately after it his sister saw him. There cannot be so much as & ralnute unaccounted for. If you believe eee “I have already told you that I do.” “Then her brother is innocent.” “It does not follow. The doctor doesn’t know just when he was summoned. The housekeeper doesn’t know just when she Was awakened. It all rests on the sister's testimony. Now, let us grant that she was arcused by the moonlight falling on her face. How do we know but that the ray was moving toward her across the gloom before it fell upon her face as she lay “What does asleep? You have been supposing ail along that the light struck into her eyes as soon “Lsceroly removed it from the pris- oner's pocket.” as the moon came out. But it may have fallen on the other side of the bed, and moved gradua!ly toward her for half an hour before it touched her. “Thus, we do not know how long her brother had been in the house. We do not know that it was the fron: door which the girl heard to shut. It may have becn the lib door closing behind the imur- derer, who, after a quarrel with his father, had st: him down.” “But the motive?” “Ig there no connection between crime and the series of robbori« made this locality a place of t last year?” cemanded Prebl> that ‘the prisoner was the and that nis father le. “That is only a guess. “Is it?) Then listen to this witness It was a sergeant of polis who took the stand. He testified that, in company with two pohcemen, he had Searched the Mor- vison house. He had found cor 1 there certain articles which the coroner would find ina package upon his desk. The coroner opened the the witness identified the conter were wo gold watches, som2 end other of smail valu empty pocket book: The watches and some of the n identified as belongins sens who hal been wayluid and Brent read during the past year. The this thai have rror in the ‘Suppose highwayman, ned of it”? packige, and 3. ‘There arf pins = and two jewelry to. per- robbed on booty was found in a closet connecting with Will Morrison’s room. That \.as the substance of the ‘ant’s evidence, and Preble eyed me questioningly aite en presented “If you want to know what I think said I, “a few words will toll you. I think it's a fake. It's a plant. ‘he murderer put it there after the crime to throw sus- on Morrison. Look at the stuff. Unless the thief was a lunatic would he keep those old pocket books in his own house? Nonsens: “I agree with you,” said Preble. As the witness left the stand, a police- man forced his way through the crowd to- et,” ward ws. He was conducting a thin and sallow little man, who, from the pecullar stoop in the shoulders, the shape of his bands and the stains upon them, seemed to be a cobbler. Preble was evidently very glad to see him. After motioning the cob- bler to a seat, he whispered to m “Look at Dunning.” I turned my gaze quickly “star witness.” toward the He was staring at the arrival. His face was flushed. He half rose from his seat. 2 Out of the corner of my eye I saw Preble make a sign to the coroner. The ofticial nodded knowingly, and immediately sum- moned the detective to the witness stand. He took a number of parcels out of a hand. bag, which had been an officer, and passed them up to the com oner Just before assuming his place in the chair. I had no doubt that the parcels contained otner exhibits In the case, and I strongly suspected that they might be Other portions of the Brent ! esha) road robber's There was no attempt to sti er question Preble after pies usual introductory formula. The course ¢ is testimony wai own discretion, eee “After the art guarded for him by rest of William Morris the day following the murder, and in ton Sequence of certain rumors relative to his probable defense, which had reached police headquarters, I’ was detailed upon’ this case,” sald Preble. “The evidence that had already been gatherred was put in my Possessicn, and I obtained the custody a certain articles found by others in the Morrison h “Among these articles black wood reas, in the fatal wound upon deceased. This fragment resembles y the exceedingly hard wood of the are upon careful examination I discovered that the material was not wood, but iron. ‘It could not, therefore, ave come from the cane, which had no iron about it: and consejuenly, the cane could not have been the weepon that made tae wound.” It will be readily understood that this testimony made a considerable stir. As no mention of any other weapon had bees made in the case, an clement of ‘mystery Was thus introduced. If the real weapon had been carried away by the murderer It wi ould be a strong point for Will Morrison, “The bt of tron,”” continued Preble, “had been painted black. In spite of that fact it had oxilized considerably, showing that it had been long exposed to the action of the air. I was inclined to think also, from @ microscopic and chemizal Investigation of its structure, that it had been xposed to the weather. It was not the sort of iron that is used in any implement with which I am familiar. 1 thought it was a flake from some ornamental {fron Work, and the idea of a fence suggested itself to mm “About fifty yards beyond the Morrison house, as one proceeds from Waverlew avenue, there is an iron fence in front of the grounds of Dr. Bishop. It is about a3 high as a@ man’s shoulde>. One end of it rests against the side of Dr. Bishop's sta~ ble, which projects a little beyond the line of the property as marked by the fence. “Beginning at the wall of the stable I ex- amined this fence carefully with a micro- scope. I found a projecting point on the upper, ornamental rail, about eight feet from the wall, where a few drops of blood and some minute portions of the s! of a human being were adhered to the iron. “Upon measuring the projection, and comparing the results with measurements previously taken of the wound in Douglass Morrison's temple, I found an accurate correspondence. “On the ground beside the fence at this point I found a confusion of footprints. There were three different kinds of prints. One of them corresponded with the shoes worn by Douglass Morrison that night. The other two closely resembled each other, the only difference being that the right foot in one case showed a loss of a part o! the heel—one ‘lift,’ as a shoemaker woul say. The ends Of the nails thus exposed had made very plain marks in the soil— which is a stiff clay, well suited to the preservation of such impressions. “The most accurate measurements con- vinced me that there was but one man concerned iaktie making of those f, prints except Mr. Morrison. That man struck his heel against a pegstons) of the sidewalk and had knocked off the fast ‘lift,’ co which, of course, he made a different trae! “It was easy to see that a struggle of some sort had token) place at that spot. In t! course of that struggle Mr. Morrison had been struck upon the chin, probably with the fist of his assailapt. "One biow had knocked him violentlf’ against the fence, causing the fatal wound upon the temple. His head was probably very near the fence when he received the tow on the chin. “It has been stated in evidence here that Mr. Morrison's wound might not have been instantly mortal. Undoubtedly he fell, but it must have been upon the flagstone, for there was no mark upon the ground, nor was the back of his coat soiled. Doubtless his asscilant thought bim dead, and, so be- Heving, fled from thé. spot. Immediately afterward Mr. Morrigon regained con- sciousness, and he sufficient strength to reach his home.” “Is it not true,” asked the coroner, “that when Mr. Morrison was found he had no overcoat nor hat?” “His hat was on a. chair,” said Preble. “As to the overcoat it was one of his many eccentricities that he never wore one. “Proceed, if you please,” said the coro- ner. < “I sent word to every shoemaker within fifty miles of New York,” continued Preble, ‘“directing that I should be informed when the pair of shoes that made those foot- prints should be submitted for repairs. I furnished to each shoemaker an accurate model of the ‘lift,’ which I succeeded in finding near the scene of the struggle. A shoemaker named Robert McNair, who makes repairs for the customers of a boot and shoe store on Fulton street near Pearl, New York, reported to me three days later that the shoe had been brought to him. I secured a description of the man who brought the shoe and that de- scription fitted a person now in this court room. He had given an assumed name at the shoe siore. His reai name is Henry Dunning and he lives on Brent road. A murmur that was half a groan and haif a menace arose from the crowd. Preble's description of the crime had proven to every person familiar with the record of Brent road for the last year that this murder had becn one of the series of mysterious villainies which had thrown the neighborhood into a condition of terror. Indeed, there had been a robbery in that very spot. It was favorable to such a deed, for the projection of the stable made a nook from which a highwayman could spring out suddenly upon his vietim. That the criminal should be Henry Dun- ning, a man whom ali his neighbors had held in the highest estcem, would hav seemed utterly incredible but for the man’ demeanor while Preble was testifying, and especially at the last moment when his name was mentioned, Re looked the picture of guilt. Twice he had risen and dropped back into his seat When the detective concluded, Dunning rose for the third time and staggered to. ward the witness stand. Preble made w: for him. The oath was administered. is tru with emot lass Morri he in a voice choked “It was T who killed Doug- Preble hag found his ¥ back to my side “Is it possible," I asked of the tumult that nning’s words, “that this rich ed a the highway robber w s have tonished the whole city “Bless your soul, no! cried Preble. “He is as innocent as a lamb,” “Then he ts shielding some one?" “He was; but that’s all over. The truth must come out now. PART HL A QUICK DEC It was almost impossible for the coroner to restors orde 1 thought for a few min- Utes that violence night be attempted, but the crowd did not lose its senses so com- pletely. After the tumult had hegan to sub- side, the coroner held a conference with the stant SION, district ass! attorney, probably with the intention of giving an opportunity tor the excitement to subside before proceeding to question Dunning furtine Availing myself of this pause, I ques- tioned Preble abont Dunning “He is a bachelor, about forty-five years old, and reputed te be rich,” replied the de- tective. “His father wa of the 30- called discoverers of Westchester, and the advance in real estate prices give nim a fortune which his son inherited a few years ago.” ‘A bachelor,” said I, glai accused murderer, whose was fixed upon Emily Morr: a love affair in this case? “There is,” replied Preble. “Dunning 1s one of many who have falien under tho spell of Miss Morrison's, beauty. I've been reviewing the gossip of the neighborn 0d during the past year, and I have learned that tiero were many who thought Miss Morrison favored Dunning in spite of the fact that he is so much her senior.” “He's a man who would be attractive to the majority of women,” said I. “Ha is tall, and strong, and under more favorable conditions would show grace and dignity, I have no doubt.” “They would have made a fine couple, sald Preble, speaking as if we had been in a ball room rather than in the center of a scene of deadly excitement. ‘She Is a strong woman, both in body and mind, though her face has more prettiness than beauiy. A fine couple, I declare; but her father couldn't see it.’ If gossip is to be trusted—and I haven't much else to go by— Douglass Morrison commanded his daugh- ter to freeze this fellow’s hopes.” “Then there was personal ill will between them?” I exclaimed. “Did that give you the clew? “Not at all," replied Preble. “I gave a correct account of my work when I was on the stand. Oh, T iell the truth, under oath, As to the ill will, I'm not aware that Dun- ning knew he was opposed by Mr. Morri- son. You see, the aifair had hardly gone far enough for that. Dunning was a pa- tlent wover. No; if there were any quarrels es a result of this affair they were in the Morrison household.” Between father and daughter?” ‘Perhaps tho mother took a part.” Preble, I can't. follow you.” “My dear fellow, I don’t intend that_you shall. You came here to be amused. Isn't the entertainment a success?” “It 1s, indeed.” “Then don’t complain if I seem to be a bit theatrical. I might have told you in the beginning how this case was coming cut. Instead I have let you deceive yourself, and have even contributed to the deception without absolutely tajing falsehoods,” “But tell me this: Does the Brent road robber figure in the case?” “He does. It was he who lay in wait in the shadow of Dr. BisKop's stable. It was he who drew that nose around Douglass Morrison's throat as He was dying. “Then Will Morrison is the highwayman, and Dunning \s shielding him for the girl’s sake!” c 2: “Wait. Hear what Dunning will say. The coroner is ready for him now.” The disturbance in; the room had sub- sided. It was replaced by ia breathless curl- osity as the coroner hent forward to ques- tion the witness. ee “Mr. Dunning,” he gaid, “you have made an extraordinary statement. It demands explanation. Yet I am legally bound to give you the benefit bf’ the statute which says that no person shall be forced to tes- tify against himself.” With that in view, do you desire to proceéd?* ‘I must,” groaned Dunning. “I would have wished to conceal my knowledge of this terrible affair, but that 1s no longer possible. The facts are these: “I was returning to my home shortly be- fore midnight Tuesday. It was very dark, I had in mind the robberies that havé taken place hereabouts, but I felt no fear. I was armed, and, besides, {t seemed to me that the criminal might hesitate to attack a man of my stature. “Just a Passed Dr. Bishop’s stable a man who was lurking in the dense shadow sprang upon me. He aimed a terribie blow at my head with a heavy cane. “I dodged the blow, which only grazed my shoulder. Forgetting my own weapon entirely, I struck out with my right hand.” ‘He's @ great boxer,” whispered Preble. ‘More by chance than skill,” continued the witness, “the blow struck fairly on the jaw of my assailant. He had slipped when sing at the self- agonized gaze ‘on. “Is there he missed me, and had fallen against the fence. When I struck, I felt that his head went crashing against the tron. “He seemed to rebound from ft, and, half turning around, he fell upon his back on the flagstones, where he lay motionless. It was so dark that I coul bent over him. He Aimed a Terrific Blow at My Head scarcely see his face, yet something famil- iar in the faint glimmer of the pale counte- nance startled me. “There were matches in my overcoat pocket. I lit one, and by its flash was hor- rified to recognize the face of my neighbor, Douglass Morrison, . Even with the evidence of the unpro- yoked attack upon myself, I would not have suspected the truth. But when I saw that the upper part of his face had been concealed by a mask or vizard, which had slipped to one side ay a result of my blow and his fall, the conclusion flashed upon me irresistibly that this man was the rob- ber whose deeds had startled us all. “I believed then, and still believe, that he was insane; that his crimes were the result of monomania and had no moral signifi- cance; that they cast no true disgrace upon his name, nor call for shame on the part of those to whom he was near and dear. “What should Ido? Should I call for help and denounce him as the highw believed him to be dead. He an enemy of society. He was an object of pity rather than hatred. What course of action would cause the least pain to all cerned? In an instant 1 recognized that, if he w found dead under such circum stances, he would seem to have been a vie tim of ihe highwayman of whom we have all stood more or less in feu ld not that be ful to-to h and fled 11 for me to t ea guilty m I the agony T h: au ask for no pity, nor do I crave forgiveness, except that I have told what I believe would better have remained forever a secret. 1 forced to do it. The pe ich William Morrison i me to spe lefen owlag his inno: stronger than it was clear him absolutely. as and quite suf “Then ¢ this ex the reveatli this forged with such wonderf: Even so, I might have maint but for the single fact which ly required I refer to the testimony of Dr. Bishop regarding the attempt to st 1 Douglass son, “Ivscem if that could have by by ro one but his son, yet 1 think that evidence will make ‘another explanati m vabie. My blow. did not ki s Morrison instantly, as T had su recovered sufflfentiy to find } home, and to hide the w D d aitempted to use ust have fallen unconscious. his son and daughte scribed, i ve that afterward re- ained consciousness, remembered whet had Passed and knew that his guilt had becn discovered & whether his in- juries wer itlempted © his death. It T have no twisted t handkerchief aby throat.” This conclusion seemed to be y all who t Vit, T would H Dunning’s extraord nary | been ceived with ouh if not rision. But so impressive was th | of narration that it carried instant | On my own part, I did not d { oment that he was tel the truth, I did not need Preble’s whispered words to convince me. “Te truth has come out at las t the ive said. “I ou ht to have checked the witness,” remarked the coroner, somewhat apoloceti- cally. “The closing portion of his remarks is theory, not evidence. However, I trust that no har: I think it best to r Th ie young immediate- ly. He was very pale, but had acquired the calmness which comes to one who feels that the fight is ov d that his father had regained & the few minutes when In s dur they were alone together. he had begun to confe that an effort might } truth from his daughter, The younger Morrison had roken words | guilt, to beg | le to hide the } rushed away to obtain resto: for his father. Re- turning, he had found Douglass Morrison | dead, with the handkerchief tight wn | about his throat. ‘The son’: attempt to con- ceal it is eas: understood Thus the case closed. In commenting upon it to me, Preble said that it was} undoubtedly an insta Douglass Morris nee of monomania. n had had for n a y years | an insane dread of robbery. He had been | somewhat miseriy, and had concealed at various times large sums of moncy in the house. About a r before his death one | of the New York newspapers had made a sensational attempt lo show a great in- crease of burg! especially ‘y and highway rob crime ery of violence— |} n the cit papers was ef clippings Among Douglass Morrison's found an enormous bundle with that subject. here can be little doubt,” said Preble, “that he brooded over that subject until | he became insane, and his mania took the form of the extraordinary robberies which made the name of Brent road so conspicu- ous. He had always been eccentric, and it | needed but little more to push him over the line. He worked with the cunning 8f a maniac, and his great strength and agility —extremeiy remarkable in one of his years —made him truly formidable.” It appeared that he never disposed of the proceeds of these robberies. A more She Could Not in Reason Attach Any Blame to Him, careful search of the house revealed all except some documents, etc., that had un- doubtedly been burned. If this were a love story, I might con- tinue to trace the pictures of Henry Dun- ning and Emily Morrison, but as it is only a record of criminal investigation, I can state only my belief that the terrible events here reviewed will not separate them for- ever. After the inquest was over, Miss Morrison approached Dunning, and, in re- sponse’ to his plea for forgiveness, told him plainly that she could not in reason attach any blame to him, but that, on the contrary, she appreciated his conduct, and pitied him for wHat he had suffered in his attempt to avert disgrace from her father's name. (The end. —_——.___ Mr. Astor’s Rhinebeck Property, From the Kingston Freeman. John Jacob Astor has let the contract for the building of abcut ten miles of drives and walks at his summer home, near Rhinebeck. Last year about two miles of the driveway was completed. It is built of pounded stone, and on each eide of tha driveway trees have been planted. The road on which the laborers will commence work next week is known as the “Dairy Loop,” and rurs from the carriage barn to the house. Mr. Astor is planning to erect @ new marstun on his grounds. It will be built while Mr. Astor is away on a tour in Europe. It {s the intention to make the new mansion one of the handsomest on the river. SHARP PRACTICE IN OHIO. How a Man Who Killed His Partner Got Of With a Fine of $10 and Costs. From the Chicago Times-Herald. . “When I was reading law,” said the judge, “I was the student of an old-time lawyer who was the wiliest old weasel (hat ever hung out a sign. He was strong with the jury, and he was a wonder for shifts and schemes that often keep cases from the twelve good men. I am reminded of a confidence game he successfully worked on the courts to the prejudice of the ad- ministration of justice in Ohio. One of his clients came into the office one day very pale and shaky. He looked about him fur- lively and in a scared way, as a lost dog takes a sight up an alley. “Iam in a bad fix,’ said the man, ‘and I want to put my affairs in shape in five min- utes and jump the town.’ “Then he told his story. He had been in business about a year with a partner who was not the easicst man in the worid, and they had frequent clashes. We had re- written their partnership agreement two or three times and had patched up several fights, so my preceptor was not surprised to learn they had been engaged in unother small war. This one was serious. Our client in his anger had taken a knife and mortally cut his busincss associate. The wounded man had been taken to the hos- pital by two of the clerks in the store and ihey had returned with the opinions of the doctors to the effect that death was a matter of hours. The man might die in twenty-four hours, and he could by nothing short of miraculous aid survive more than forty-eight. The wound was in the ab- dominal region. At the worst the erime committed was murder in the second degree and a matter of commitment for life. Under the circumstances the offense might be regarded as manslaughter only, and our man in that case would get but @ twenty years’ sentence. Either event meant social death and commercial ruin, where- fore the unfortunate business man preferred to toss up his busine ances in the air and What he wished to do was to er his property to my preceptor and ve the proceeds of their sale sent to him. ‘Jamieson will live twenty-four hours, asked the lawyer. Jamieson was of the man in the hospital; Mor- S our client’s name. replied Morgan, ‘the sald he might hve two full da “"One day {s long enough, physicians i aid the ola man; ‘ove day will do for our purposes. You say no one knows of this affair but your two clerks?” ““They are the only ones. They heard our diset ad know what my provoca- hey saw me stab him.’ Here, Bill,” said my instructor in the law, “so down to Mr. Morgan's warehouse and bring those two clerks here. Tell ‘em to jock up the place and come a-running.’ Then he reached for ‘Swan's Treatise, a luable book for lawyers in Ohio, and ried to the criminal forms. I was back with the cierks in fifteen minutes and the old man had an aifidavit drawn. It charged James Morgan with as- sault’ and tion Was. battery upon the -person of Samuel Jamieson. “I took the paper over to @ neighboring justice of the peace. He was 4 man devoid of inquisitiveness, plain and matter of fact. He c uid be relied upon questions, so that his 1 to ask too man fees were beyond doubt. One of the clerks went with me and made oath to the charges. The justice at once issued a war- rant, and at my request also gave me a bpocna for the other clerk as a witness onstable took the warrant and a companied the complaining witness and myself to our office. Morgan was arrested, the other ¢ rk subpoenaed, and the entire with my crafty p fi magistrate, ty, and the clerks were exam- of the ded x d"as to the circumstan ispute, and sa They told of terminated by two blows. »micsd Id the truth, but not all of it. ‘The with some perfunctory advice to Morgan to bridle his temper in the future, fined him $10 and o “The money was paid, and my preceptor en made the only departure from the cusiomary proce sually when a clie is fined the lawyer 4 not exhibit any mad desire to see the fact spre ad on the record. This time th lawyer, instead of leaving, asked the magistrate to make his docket entry of trial and judement at once. The old justice demurred at first, but overcame his indispesition to labor and spread his minutes on his office record. He Signed them and entered satisfaction of fine and judgment. Three hours after Mor- gan had mortally wounded Jamicson he had been tried and convicted of assault and batte “The next day Jamieson died. He had no near relatives in the city, but the hos- Pital authoritles sent out to make inquiry of Morgan and the two clerks as to the manner in which the man had been hurt. And they also notified the police. Morgan was arrested and was at once indicted by the grand fury, which was then in session. The jails of Ohio were not bulging with criminals and the court dockets were ot months in arrears. Morgan wes charged with murder. His case came up for trial in perhaps ten days. Then my preceptor astonished the court and the prosecuting attorney. He interposed a plea of ‘au're- folts acquit’ (previous conviction) and prov- ed it by the justice of the peace and his records. There is # provision in the Con- stitution which prevents prosecuting a man more than once for the same offense, and Morgan was discharged. The poor old mag- Istrate got a warm talk from the court, and my old preseptor was also reproached for sharp practice.” “But that is neither good law nor prac- tice,” objected a listener. was good enough for Ohio at that and it certainly satisfied the pris- returned the narrator of the story “It might interest you to know,” he con- cluded, “that Morgan came to Chicago after a short time. It was not cheerful for him in Ohio. All this took place thirty years ago, and Morgan is head of a con- derable business house here now. —— - see Revengeful Robins Pursue a Cat. From the Punxsutawney Spirit. About two weeks ago a black and white spctted cat belonging to Harry Hastings robbed a robin's nest. The parent birds witnessed the destruction of their home, and made a great ado about it, but the cat was obdurate, and proceeded quietly to feast upon the birdlirgs. But since that time that cat’s life has been a burden. She cannot show herself in the open air without being savagely attacked by half a dozen robins that seem to be watching for her. They chirp loudly, ruf- fle up their feathers, and ny at the cat with vicious fury. At first the cat attempted to defend herself, but her enemies were too active. They could give her a savage peck and be out of the way before she could spring or strike with her paw. Now she goes around like one who has nothing to live for. If she ventures out for a mo- ment and hears the savage chirp of a rob- in she will make a dive for her favorite hiding place under the barn. Other cats are not molested by the robins, but they seem to have made up their minds to have revenge on this one, and it is prob- able that she will never molest ancther rob- in’s nest. Wasn't Srying a Word. From the Pittsburg Dispatch. Probably the incident that will be longest remembered in connection with Colorado Belford’s congressional career was his at- tack upon a democratic member of the House, concluding as follows “There he sits, Mr. Speaker!” exclaimed the ‘Read-headed Rooster of the, Rockie: pointing his finger at his democratic vis- tim. ‘There he sits, mute, silent and dumt “Yes, Mr. Speaker,” interrupted a mem- ber of the democratic side, “and he ain't saying a word. ee Best Sign of Spri From the Chicago Record. “What is the best sign of spring weath- er?” “That delightful feeling which makes you want to sit down and watch other people work.” Me boy's first thought--Mother won't be able to feel of my clothes now, to ses whether I’ve been in swimming or not.” RAILROADS. BALTIMORE AND OHIO RAILROAD. Schedule in eft: iy 30, 1806, deave Washington from Station ‘corner of New Jersey avenue and C street. For Chicago and Nortinwest, Vestibuled Limited Trains, 11:30 a.m., 8:03 p.m. For Cincinnati, St. Lor and Indianapolis, Vesti- buled Limited, 3:45 p.m.; Express, 12:15 night For Pittsburg and Cleveland, Express daily, 11:30 a.m. and 8:40 p.m For Leal ud Staunton, 11:80 a.m. For Winchester and way. xt? 5:30 p.m. For , Natural Bridge, Roanoke, Knoxvill Chatt Memphis and “New Orleans, 10: p.m., ing Cars through, For 5 p.m. dais, For Week days, 5:00, 6:30, 7-00, X8:00, 8:30, 50:30," x10:00, Az:ts, 12:85, 38:00, 3:25, 10, 25:30, 5:35, x6:20, 6:39) z 215,_x11:50 p.m., and x12:0i Sundayn, x7 ly, 8:50, x9:00, 10:00 tn. ; x12:05, x12:35, 1:00, x3:00, 3:28, 4:83, 35:05, 25:10, 6:30, 38:00, x9:20, 11:15, x11:30 p.m, 12:01 night. For Aunapotis, 7:10 and 8:30 a.m., 32:10 and 4:28 p.m. Sundays, 8:30 a.m.. 4:32 p.in For Frederick, 49:00, b11:30 a.m, cl:15, 4:30, 5:30 fi u. For Hagerstown, b11:30 a.m. and b5:30 p.m. For Boyd's and w: points, week days, 9:00 am., 4:80, 5 05 p.m. Sundays, 9:00 a.m., aa ae ‘or ints, week days, 00, 9:00 a.m., 280, 4:83, 5:30, 5:35, 05, 11: 00 a.m., 1:15, 5:35, 205, 10:25 um. For Washington Junction and way points, 29:00 am, 1:15 p. Ex ping at prin- cipal stations only. 4:30, 05:30 pam. ‘or Bay Ridge, week days, 9:15 a.m, and 4:28 p.m. : 0 and 3:15 p.a. p i NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA All trains filuminated with Pinisch lgbt For Philadelphia, New York, Boston East, week days, ing ¢: », 1 apd the 5:00 (10:00 a.m. Din- Dining Car), 8:09 pm. 201 night; ‘ar open at 10:00 o'clock). Sundays,” (7:03 Dining Car), (9:0) a.m, Dining Car), (12:85 Dining Car), 3:00 (6:05 Dining Car), 8:00 (12:01 night; sengers 10:00 p.m.) Buffet Parlor Cars on all trains. For At ping Car open for pas- Sun- Sunday only. aDally xExpeess train. Baggage called for and checked from hotels aod residences by Union @rausfer Company on orders left at ticket offices, 619 Pennsylvania ayenue northwest, New York avente and Fifteenth street, and at Depot WM. B BENE, CHAS. 0. SCULL, Je: Manager. Gen, Pass. “Agt. PENNSYLVAMA RALLROAD. Station ner of 6th and B streecs, in effect 7:35 pan., May 17, 166. 7:90 A.M. week days, 7:20 A.M. Sundays. PITTS. BURG EXPK Butfet Parlor Car, Harris- burg to Pittsbu 20 A.M. PENNSYLVANIA LIMITED.—Puliman ‘ping, Dining, Smoking and Ovservation Care Harris urg Cincinnati, Tudianayolt St. Louis, Cleveland and Toledo, Buffet Parlor Car to Hareisturg 10:30 A.M. FAST LIXP.Pullman Buffet Parlor Gar to Harrisburg. ‘Parlor and Dining Cara, Tare Haburg to. Pitisoury 3:40 P.M. CHICAGO AND ST. LOUIS EXPRESS. Paliman Buffet Parlor Gar to Harrisburg. ping and Dining Cars, Harrisburg to St. Louls, Cineinua miss ile 710 PM. WESTERN ing Car ‘to Chica Dining Catto Chi {710 PM. SOUPHWESTERN EXPRESS.—Pollman Sleeping and Dining Cars to St. Louis and Sleep- ing Car Harristurg to Cincinnath 10:40 TM. PACIFIC EXT'RESS. Pall ing Car to Pittsbur 7:50 A.M. for Kane, Conanduizua, Rochester apd Magara Falls duty except Sunday. 10-30 AM vo, daily, except Sunday days and Will famsport Sundays 7:10 PM. tor ¥ Rochester, Buttalo and Magara F. yt Saturday’ Ang Car Washington ty Suspension falo. 10:40 P.M. for Erle, Cs falo and Niagara F inzton to Elmira, POR PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK AND TIE EAST 4:00 P.M. “CONGRESSIONAL LIMITED, all Parlor Cars, with Diuing Car from Rut. nandaigua, Rowvester, ‘alis daily, Sleeping Car Wa: anit: jaltime rat 7:00 (Dining Car), 7:20, 9:00, 10.00 Lenore ar from Wil 215 . 6:49, ¥, 7209 (Dining Car from Wim: 10-0) and Fast Exy pM AM For week 3:15 PM. dais River (via Ma. a al street Fer- | | PM. week days, | 1 Suturdays ouly tu 1. 9:00, 19.00, 11:00 and ‘Tt 45, 2001 #9 4.00 Limited), ow, 6 7:19, Mca, 10-40, 1133 PM 70k , 10:30, 1100 6:40, "7510, 10200, 10:40 Crevk Line, 7:20 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. Su Sundays, 0:05 A.M 720, 9:00 AM: and 4:20 except Sunday. Sundays, 9:00 A.M. 2 PM. Atlante Coast Line. Express for Richmond, yx on Atluntle Coast Line. 4:39 AM, 3:46 2% daily. Richmond and at . 8:40PM. duily. Richmond only, 10-37 A.M. week days, medaition for Quantico, 7:45 A.M. dafly, PM. week days. For Alexandria, 4:30, 6:35, 8:40, 8:45, 10:5) 12:50, 1:40, 3:20, 4:28, 5:00, 10:10 and 11:42 7PM. On Sunday al A.M.; 2:95, 6:15, 8:02 and 10:10 Leave Alexandria for Washingtoo, 6 8:00, 9:10, 10:15, 10:28 ALN 3:23. . 8:13 On Sunday at the station, in be left fo from_he the S.M. PRE y R. woop, General Manager. ral Pass. Agt. my20 CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO RAILWAY. TEROUGH TBE GRANDiST SCENERY IN AMERICA. ALL TRAINS VESTIBULED, ELECTRIC LIGHTED, STEAM HEATED. ALL MEALS SERVED IY DINING CARS. SIA TION SIXTH AND B STREETS. Schedule in effect May 17, 1896. 2:20 PM. DAILY —Ciucinuati and St. Louis Spe elal- Solid train for Cinvintati. Pollman elc-pers to Cincinnat!, Lexington, Louisvilie, Indianapolis and St. Louis withont chang nects at Cov jugton, for Hot Springs. Parlor cars Cin Gnnati to Chicago. 11:37 P.M. DAILY—¥. F. V. Limited Solid train for Ginclunut!, Pullman's! Leaington snd Louisville wi man sleeper to Virgiuin Hot chanze, Tu pursdays a Spring ers to Cincinnatl, and St. Louts SUNDAY—Vin ‘Bichmona for Wid joint Only ratl line. 2.20 PM. ~For Gordonsville, Charlottes- ville, Staunton aud for Richmond, daily, except Sunday. peake and Ont Reservations and tickets at Ches offices, (13 and 1421 Henusylvania avenue, 1110 st. n.W., and a. the station. Hi. W. FULLER, myi8 General Parsenger Agent SOUTHERN RAILWAY, PIEDMONT Aik LINE. Schedule in effect May 17, 1896. All trains arrive nod leave at Pennsylvania pas senger station. 8:00 A.M.—Dally.—Tacal for Danville. runcete at Manassas for Straslurg, dally except Sui day, and at Uynchborg with. the Norfolk and Westone Gatiy. and with ‘the Chesuperke and Obio dally for the Natural Bridge and Clifton Forge. 11:15 A-M.—Daily.—THE UNITED STATES FAST MATL, Carries Pullman Buffet Sleepers. Now York and Washington to Jacksonville, uniting at Char- lotte with Pullman Sleeper for Augusta: also Pull man Sleeper New York to New Orleans, gomery, connecting at Atlanta with Pullman Sleep- er for Birminghain, Memphis and St. 1 4:01 P.M.—Local ‘for Front Royal, Riverton aud Stresbure, daily, except S 4281, PM Dale — Tw ED, composed of Vining ‘Cas and Day New York to Ashe- New York to Tampa, Savannah and Jackson: via Birming- Pullman § ville and Hot Springs, ¥la_ Charlotte, | Cala: Atianta, fontgomery 1 a.m xcept Sunda: nd HIN, urning, arriv Washington 8:26 ) p.m. daily, and 8:00 p.m. dally ex from Round Hill, 7:08 a.m. dally, ex- ¥ iy, from Herndon. day, from Leesburg. rouzh trains from the south arrive at Wash- ington, 6:42 a.m., 2:20 p. and 9:40 p.m. datiy. Manrssas Division, 10:03 a.m. dally, except Sun- day, and 8. m. daily from Charlottesvt! Tickets, Sleeping Car reservation and informa- Mon furnished at offices, 511 and 1300 Pennsylvania venue, and at Pennsyivavia railroad passenger station. ‘W. H. GREEN. General Supt. 3. M. CULP. ‘Trafic Manager. W. A. TURK, Gen. Pass. Agent. TL. 8. Brown, “Gen. Agent Pass. Dept. 8:34 a.m. daily, ex- my18 y E . POTOMAC RIVER BOATS. E. 8 RANDALL PUTOMAC RIVER LINL— Steamer Harry Randall leaves River View Whart, 7th street, Sunday. Tuesday and Thursday, at 7 am., landiag at all wharves as far down as Mad- dox creck, Va., including Chapel Point and Colonial Beach, returuing on Mondays al 9 p.m.; Wed- nesdays and Fridays about Passenger n commodations first-class. wh = gt E. 8. RANDAL, ho f soiling. Tel F. A. REED & CO., Agents, Alexandria, GEO. O. C. D. Wasllington, AMBOAT ©0., WASHINGTON ST! LOD.,” FOR POTOMAC RIVER LANDINGS, From 7th st. Ferry Wharf. On Mondays, Wednesdays avd t 3 Mondays for river iandings tit Breton's Ti seturnin Tuesday a luesdare for riv ink Creek; theme Smith's Creck, St. George's, 2 scomico rivers; returning, leaves Nozmial Crock ‘Thursday afternoon for river landings, arriy- ing Frid Saturdays for river landings to Nomin md St. Clement’s Bay; returnt arrives Sunday afternoon. In effect Nov. 4, 1 (ool-tf) C. W. RIDLEY, Gen. Man.