bTHE PEOVBSTG
NEWS NOTES OF INTEREST FROM
VARIOUS SECTIONS.
ISIL'rTkF . TWP TA" A TVT
'ALL SUBJECTS TOUGHED UPON
Religious, Social, Agricultural, Pollt
leal and Other Matters Given
Due Consideration.
NEBRASKA III BRIEF
1 lyV" f "rrat!2Z?.
i i ' . ill ii i in .iisuiutv-. - w viii 1 1 n 1 1 1 m
Tho democratic state convention
will bo hold In Lincoln July 27.
A teat case of tho eight-hour closing
law Is bolng mado In Omaha.
Tho now Gorman M. E. church at
Harvard has been formally dedicated.
Landlord Thompson of York la look
ing for a man for whom he cashed n
$35 bogus chock.
Joseph Pop of Weston, who was
shot In tho hand with a blank pistol
July 3, died in nn Omaha hospital.
Madison citizens nro Investigating
tho proposition of a Boworago system.
Albert Thomas, a farmer residing
eight and one-half miles southeast of
Edgar, shot and fatally wounded him
self. Ho was of unsound mind.
Tho body of Perry Jerman was
brought to Beatrice from Ilawllns,
Wyo., for Intermont. Ho was drowned
Inst September at that place and tho
body was not round until recently.
A telegram was received In Bcatrlco
from Los Angolos, Cal., announcing
tho death of W. B. Boddy, a formor
resident of Beatrice which occurred
at that place after a year's Illness.
Tho Alma state bank Is the namo ot
a now banking company chartered by
tho stato banking board. Tho bank
will have a paid up capital stock of
$15,000. Tho Incorporators aro J. B.
Blllngs and A. A. Billings.
Tho barn on tho farm of George Col
lott, near PIckrell, was destroyed by
fire entailing a loss of about $1,200.
Two valuable hores and a lot of ma
chinery and grain were consumed by
tha flames.
County Attorney J. C. Cook of
Dodge county and Sheriff A. Bauman
by express were mado recipients of
two handsome leather canes as tokens
from Oscar Gardner, a Hfo convict at
tho stato penitentiary.
Tho Union Pacific has filed an an
swer with tho stato railway commis
sion In tho complaint of George Bar
rott against tho company for not main
taining telephone sorvlco In Its depots
nt Sheldon and Gibbon.
Andrew Meyer ot Lyons wns taken
to Tekamah by tho county sheriff for
safo kooplng, as thero bad been talk
of a public whipping. Ho Is tho man
who is charged with whipping his wlfo
on Bovornl occasions.
Tho 2-year-old child of Mrs. Myrtlo
Troyer of Lexington, which had beon
lost In tho hills twenty-six miles
northwest of Lexington, 'was found af
ter a search of forty-two hours. Tho
child was in good condition. '
Tho oatmeal machinery In tho Sow
ard cereal mills is to bo taken out
and alfalfa mlllng machlnory installed
with a capacity ot twenty tons a day.
Mrs." J. W. Cook, Omaha, attempted
suicldo by shooting herself. Her
chances for recovery aro slim.
A telegram from Doiso, Idaho, to
an Auburn citizen states that all tho
complaints ngninst Edward Neal who
was charged with forgery and enter
ing falso entries in a bank in that
city, havo been dismissed on tho mo
tion of tho prosecution. Mr. Neal
lived in Auburn sever.'! years ago.
George Fondrlch, a promlnont ranch
man near Ilemmlngford, had a run
nway within team hitched to a mower
and caught in ono of tho wheels and
dragged soveral hundred rods. Ho
was dragged through tho Niobrara
river twice and was terribly bruised
and ono leg wns broken in three
places.
Christ Moyer, a farmer, aged about
55 years, living three miles northenst
of Berlin, mot with a serious accident.
Ho was cutting wheat with a binder,
driving four horses, nnd in somo wny
the horses becamo unmanageable and
ran away with him, throwing him off
tho seat in front of tho sickle bar. He
wns badly cut.
Omaha continues to bo the fourth
grain markot of tho United States,
Tho comparative government roport
for May shows Chicago, Minneapolis
and St. LouIb ahead of Omaha, and
Knnsas City, Milwaukee, Cincinnati
and other grain centers trailing off bo
hind. Tho relatlvo stnndlng for tho
month Is tho same as all through this
year.
Washington dispatch; Tho abstract
of tho condition of tho national banks
of Nobrnaka, excluding reserve cities
at tho closo of business on Juko 27 as
reported to tho comptroller of cur
rency shows tho average resorvo hold
at 16.44 against 16.53 per cont April
23. Loans nnd discounts increased
from $50,282,051 to $01,001,575; gold
coin from $1,680,455 to $1,740,747; law
ful money resorvo decreased from $i,
127,026 to $4,112,836; Individual do
posits Increased from $52,635,427 to
$52,721,353.
Tho Bcatrlco city council went upon
record ns opposed to skating rinks by
passing nn ordinnnco which Imposes
whnt Ib supposed to be n prohibitive
tax upon rinks.
A curious featuro discovered in
Broken How after tho Fourth of July
celebration was tho partial demolition
of tho Drnko storo roof by rockets. It
seems that tho rockts shot from tho
fireworks stand wore so aimed that a
portion of them fell on tho building
nnd punched holes through the tin
roofing. Ono of tho Btlcks penetrated
both tho roof and rolling, nnd was
found on tho Inside ni Mm Ktnrn.
AUTHOR'3 NOTE.
The material facts in this
story of circumstantial evidence
are drawn from ' an actual re
corded case, only such change
v. iiuiiivt nuu iwuni kuiwi uwiny v
made as to remove them from q
the classification of lenal re- V
ports to that of fiction. All the
essential points of evidence,
however, are retained.
mHE Cnlf Skin club ex
pected a good story
from Judge Adams,
and when his turn
came upon tho list,
every member wnB in
his seat around the
long tablo. It was
with further satisfac
tion that thoy watched
htm take from his
pocket a manuscript.
That meant careful
preparation nnd that
full justice would be
dono to tho story,
When tho pipes woro all going well
Judge Adams nrose in his plnco and
took up tho sheets boforo him; and
hero is what thoy contained:
Tho talo that I shall toll you this
evening is ono that occurred in my
own experience. For reasons that will
-appear, it never became a cause
celobre, yet I think it offers sufficient
of the unusual to bo entitled to a
placo among theso records of tho club.
As did many of our members I mado
my first acquaintance with tho law
in a small town. Almost every mem
ber of tho company of young men
with which I wns raised was cither
a lawyer, the Bon of a lawyer or a
student of tho law. Our loafing placo
in tho day time and our meeting
placo in tho evening was always some
ono or tho other of tho many law
ofllces. Wo grow up in fact nmld nn
atmosphere of law calf and briefs.
It was a fantastic crowd, full of
quaint conceits and odd fancies. One
of theso resulted in tho formation of
an organization tho llkd of which I
hnvo not, known boforo or since. They
called it "Tho Gontlomnn's Club," but
hnd It been named tho "Practical
Jokor's Club" tho title would havo
been more fitting. Its members
well, to enumerate them by their
bizaaro titles will glyo you the best
idea of tho vagaries of our idle brains.
There wns tho Governor of tho Cigar
Islands in tho person of Davies, a
brilliant studont who had already
mado his mark as a stump Bpeakcr.
Thero was Garrity, otherwise tho Duke
of Vermillion, who could cite by sec
tion and chapter a parallel to any
case you might mention in tho Illinois
roports up to tho ono hundred nnd
thirty-fourth volumo; ho quit at Vol.
134 and went back to Blackstono.
Thero wns little Tom Childress, digni
fied by tho tltlo of Lord Mayor of
Conloguo, who used to amuso himself
by turning Cooley's Constitutional Law
into Latin blank verse. And thero
was Diaz, a ranting Irishman with
a Spanish namo, who claimed to bo
tho solo surviving member of tho
Pntrlotlc Order of Sons of Shay'o
Rebellion, who loved a joke as ho did
tho smoky distillations of his ances
tors' nativo isle and who gloried in
tho tltlo of Lord High Admlrnl of tho
Boyne, which, all history to tho con
trary, ho declared to bo the scono
of a great IrlBh victory.
Thore wero lesser lights with lesser
titles and lastly thore was "Tho
Pawn." "Tho Pawn" was too hand
Bomo to bo popular. Ho was also too
quiet. He certainly thought a groat
deal, but ho soldom said anything.
He was admitted to tho club only on
suffranco and only In tho capacity of
n pawn. His two consuming ambi
tions wero to try a case boforo a Jury
and to bo a full fledged membor of
the "Gentleman's Club," with a title.
If England's queen had offered him
tho ribbon of tho bath ho would havo
declined it for those. His name,
which Is unimportant, as ho was novor
known othorwlso than as "Tho Pawn,"
was Chester Easter.
Tho club was In session in the
office of Diaz. "Tho Pawn" was not
prosent.
"I think," said Diaz, solemnly, "it Is
about time 'The Pawn' war ln.UIa.tcd.
We hnvon't dono
anything to him Into
ly, If wo don't stir
him up ho will for
Sot he's living?'
Thcrt tho club
wont Into executive
session nnd plotted
tho undoing of "Tho
Pawn."
"The Pawn" at
this time was giving
little thought to any
thlngsnvo thowhlms
and caprices ot
black-eyed Mary
Ashton. Mnry was
tho soul of fickle
ness, And having
broken ovory youth
ful heart In the town
except that of "Tho
Pawn," she bo
thought herself of
htm nnd alio found
in him a willing, yet
a determined sub
ject. "Tho Pawn"
loved deeply ns ho
could hato deoply.
Ho was not ono who
would give up easily an object ho had
sot out to win, especially If that ob
ject had flashing black eyos, shining
Jot hnlr and chepks and Hps thnt would
set tho blood coursing through coldor
volns than his.
. To accomplish tho plan which tho
"Gontlemnn's Club" hnd fixed upon it
wns necessary that "Tho Pawn"
should bo ontlced to ono of tho nightly
meetings. This at last was brought
about by Diaz, arch diplomat of tho
crowd. Tho club was gathered in the
paternal Diaz' law offlco when "Tho
Pawn" slipped In, took his sent and
sat In dlBcrcot silence.
"I seo," said DavieB, addressing Tom
Childress, "that you and Mary Ash
ton have mado it up.
"Tho Pawn" shifted uneasily in his
chair and his cheeks flamed. His
persecutors had no idea of tho con-J
Burning jealousy or Childress that had
long obscssod him.
Boforo ho couM dccldo which courso
to pursue n diversion occurred. Gar
rity Jumped to IjIb foot, strode ovor to
ChlldreBB, and shaking his flst in his
race shouted:
"Tom Childress, you're an Infornal
liar. I'm going to that danco with
Mary Afihton. Sho promised mo tills
afternoon."
"I'm a liar, am I," said Childress
slowly rising to tho full limit of his
five feet flvo and squaring off ror bnt
tlo. "You'vo got to provo those words,
Garrity."
"I'll prove them on you, you lying
pup," shouted Garrity. "You can't
como up hero and talk lightly or tho
girl I love. Thero, tako that!"
Tho blow roll and Instantly was
returned. Then somebody put out tho
light. In tho fitful light from tho win
(lows tho room soothed with tho con
fusion of crashing chnlrB, tho thud
thud or rnpldly exchanged blows and
tho labored breathing or tho combat
ants. Then tho door opened lotting in
a Hood or cool air. Thero wbb a rush
or struggling bodies and, "Tho Pawn,"
still claBpIng an open kntfo, felt him
self homo along with tho crowd.
Chlldrcsa was in tho roro nnd under
the ray or .o electric light Oil tho
corner his fnco showd red and
bloody. Ho seemed to ho dripping
with goro. Ho wns. It took a wholo
bottle of red ink.
He saw "Tho Pawn" and stnrtcd up
tho Btalrway shouting: i
"Thore ho 1b! Ho cut mo! Seo,
follows; he's got n knifo!"
Tho conspirators Bllppod quiotly
away whilo Diaz wont back to lock
up the office and, perchnnca, manu
facture additional ovldcnco.
When ho ontpred "Tho Pawn" was
still standing In the mlddlo of tho
floor with his knife gripped tightly.
"Como, como, Chess," said Diaz,
"you'd better quiet down, You'vo
dono enoHgh for to-night Chlldrcsn
Is cut pretty bad, I guess. Tho boys
aro taking him homo. What possessed
you to butt in. anyway?"
"Look horo, Diaz," said "Tho Pawn,"
"you'ro n rrlond or mine. Now I didn't
cut Childress, but I wish I had. I'd
llko to kill him. I'm afrnld that's all
true that ho Hald about Mary."
"Well, what ir it Ib? Sho's not wqrth
fighting ror," answered Diaz. "Como
on, you'd bettor go homo and In tho
morning It won't bother you a bit."
In tho meantimo tho further dotallB
of tho plot wero worked out ovor a
tablo in the back end of "Tho Gold
Eaglo Exchange," where other con
Bplrators wero waiting.
Whon thoy reached McCurdy's ofllco
tho "court" wuh already in session.
Had "Tho Pawn's" mind boon enpa
bio or connected thought ho would
havo obsorved that tho court, tho at
torneys and tho spectators, all woro
members or tho "Gentleman's Club,"
"Tho Pawn" was led to a chair In
rront or tho mnglstrato'B desk. Mc
Curdy road several docketed ontrlos
and each enso wns continued at tho
request of somo ono or tho young nt
tornoyo present until ho reached tho
entry :-
"Tho Peoplo or tho Stato or Illinois
against Chester Eastor; Assault with
intent to Kill."
"Is tho stnto's attorney present?" In
quired tho. magistrate
. "H tho court pleaso," said Davloa,
"tho stato's attornoy has deputized mo
to try this caso, as ho Is out of town
and It Booms to bo tho wish of all tho
parties to avoid publicity bb much as
possible"
"Who Is for tho dofonso?" Inquired
McCurdy.
Walter Linton, a brilliant young at
tornoy, wont ovor to "Tho Pawn" and
hold a whlsporcd conversation. Then
ho announced thnt ho would dofond
tho prisoner.
"Will tho defendant havo a Jury?"
"Wo elect to try tho caso bororo tho
court," said Linton.
Davies opo,ncd for tho stato ai.d In
words ot flro ho painted tho nwrul
trcachory or "Tho Pawn" who, too
cowardly to battlo In his own bohair,
had waited until his rival was en
gaged in a "friendly scufllo" with an
other nnd thon hnd slipped In and do
llvored tho poltroon's blow, llo trust
ed that the real causo or tho rivalry
might not ho mado apparent. It was
no wish or tho stato to drag In tho
mlro the nnmo of ono or Its moBt love
ly daughters ir tho ondB or Justlco
could bo subserved without It. But
tho stnto would bo nblo to show n mo
tive, a powortul, compolllng motive
Whllo he was a rrlond or tho Hcctmed
ho had still IiIb duty to porrorm, and
ho folt thnt ho nniBt put rriondshlp
out or his heart and do thnt duty with
all tho power that lay within him.
And whero was Tom ChlldreBB?
Why was ho not thoro to ask tho
vengeunco ot tho law upon hln assail
ant? Tho stato would seok to show
why. If tho nccuscd had any spcclnl
knowledge of tho whorcaboutB of hla
victim tho stato would bo vory llkoly
to discover It. But ho had no charges
to mako; tho present chnrgo was bo
iIoub enough, and ho was willing to"
let whnt might como out In tho ovl
dcnco. Linton then outlined tho defense
nnd said ho would seek to show that
not. Cheater Eastor but Tom Garrity
hnd Btruck tho blow.
But this hopo for "Tho Pawn" was
dashed whon Garrity wont on tho
atnnd nnd HWoro thnt ho hnd no knife,
nnd wiib fully corroborated by all tho
teat. They sworo with equal posltlvo
iiobb that "Tho Pawn" did havo n.
knlfo. All had scon It ns ho stood
brnndlBhlng It. nt tho top of tho stair
way. Diaz had seon It when ho ro
turned to tho office. Diaz iUbo Jicard
tho threat against tho Ufa of Chlldreas.
Ho did not know what lind bocomo of
ChlldreBB. Ho lived near him, and his
family know nothing of hln whero
alioutB. Ho boliovod that Eastor could
toll whoro ho was If ho wanted to.
This ohjectod to by dofcndant'B coun
sel, nnd objection BUStalnod.
Through It all "Tho Pnwn" sat with
bloodless faco nnd with eyes rnr, rar
away. Ho Boomed to tako no Interest
In tho proceedings until Linton said;
"I will now put tho dorondnnt on tho
stand In his own bolinlf. Bo sworn,
Mr. EaHtor."
McCurdy mumbled tho oath: "Do
you swear to toll tho truth, tho wholo
truth, and nothing but tho truth con
cerning tho 'matters and foots pertain
ing to this cnBO which shall bo asked
of you by counsel, so holp you, and so
forth?"
"Tho Pawn" took tho stand llko nn
automaton. If tho object of tho con
spiracy was to dazo him nothing could
haVo succeeded bettor. Tho, mystery
la how thoy kept their faces Btralght.
Sovoral pr tho leas oxporlonccd at tho
noblo art or practical Joking hnd to
louvo tho room to Indulge In smothor
ed shoutH of laughtor.
"Now, ChoBtor, toll your vorslon of
this nffalr," said Linton.
"I will toll It nil," bogan "Tho
Pawn" In n volco choking with emo
tion. "I will toll everything. I can't
keep It back any longor. Tom Chll
dreBB' fnco Ib with mo day and night.
I wnko up and ace It In tho dead of
night. U I sloop It Is with mo In my
droamfi, O, great God, ir only 1 could
shut thnt terrible vision rrom my
mind I" Ho roso nnd, throwing up hla
hnnds, wildly clutched his hair nnd
shouted:
"You wnnt to know whoro Tom Chil
dress is. You'll novor know whoro ho
is ir I don't toll. . But I'm going to toll.
I'm not going to "keep that vlBlon with
mo nny longer. Tom Childress Is nt
tho bottom or tho wntor workB woll.
I killed him."
The conspirators started back In
amnzomcnt. It nlmost Boundod llko
tho truth, bo woll wns it dono.
"Mngniilcont," returned Linton.
"Ho's dono us. I didn't think ho hnd
It In him. But let's enrry It out Go
on, Chester; toll tho wholo story,"
"Tho Pawn" had sunk down In hla
chnlr and burled his faco In his hands.
"Yes, I'll reel hotter to toll It nil,"
ho continued. "I nindo up my mind
to kill him whon I loft tho ofllco. I
wnltod for him in tho alloy and whon
ho passed on his way homo I followed
him. Whon wo got to tho dark place
by tho wntor works woll I caught up
with hltn. Wo hnd somo words. I "
darod him to throw away tho gun t
had seen him flash and fight mo fair.
All tho tlmo I had tho knlfo in my
bIoovc. Thon ho struck mo nnd I lot
him, havo It, Ho dropped. I bont ovor
him nnd ho was doad. Thon I round
a heavy rock and a ropo and I tied tho
rock to him nnd dropped him over Into
tho woll. Thero 's wasn't milch blood
and what thoro was I washed away
with tho hoso thoy sprlnklo tho flowor
bodB with. I saw nothing of tho
watohmnn and I thought I was safe.
I didn't know what n terribly rolonl
less nccuaor conaclenco la. I wish tho
court to bind mo ovor without ball."
Justlco McCurdy looked up gravoly
from tho dockot.
"Tho decision of (his court," ho said,
"Ib that tho prisoner nt tho bar had
played his part nobly, nnd that ho bo
olectcd to full membership In tho 'Gen'
tlomen's Club'," nnd his ' fnco broko
Into a brond smile.
Thoro enmo a loud knocking at tha
door and oxcltod voices domnndlng ad
mission. It wns opened nnd tho chlol
of pollco rushed in.
"Tom Childress has boon mur'
dorodl" ho Bhouted. "HIb body hna
Juat beon found In the water works
woll. Do nny. of you know how ha
enmo thoro?"
Tho Binllo died from McCurdy'B lipa.
"Thoro Ib your man," ho said, pointing
to "Tho Pawn." "Ho has Just con
rosaod It all to us."
With eyos that looked nolthor to tho
right or tho loft "Tho Pawn" placed
his arm In that or tho chlor and walk
ed out and to tho Jail. Already tho
nows wns on tho streets, how It had
boon round necessary to drain tho
well, how tho body or Childress, doad
from a knUo wound and weighted
down witli a atone, had beon round at
tho bottom. It was all too horribly
truo.
A scared anil horror-strlckon band of
conspirators filed out or McCurdy's
ofllco and gathered tho howb from ox
cltod groups. Whllo tho first Bhock
wns still tingling in tho norvos of tho
public a Bocond ono ran llko olectrlclty
through tho town. A terrible Bcquol
to tho tragedy had been rccordod.
Chostor Easter had committed suicldo
'immediately on being plnced In a cell.
Tho provincial Bcarch had failed to
discover In his shoo tho very knlfo
that Blow Tom Childress.
Tho last meeting of tho "Gentle
man's Club" took pluco that afternoon
In tho back ond or tho "Gold Eaglo
Exchange," whon tho memboiB with
sad nnd troubled faces look a solemn
oath novor to dlscloao tho truo facts
or tho proving or "Tho Pawn."
(Copyright, by W, CI. Chupmun.)
No Place for the Artist,
It may ho regrottablo, hut tho artist
to-day lives moro npnrt from the gen
ornllty of men than In almost any
othor nge, and tho renson Is plain It
Is becauBO ho baa no doflnlto placo In
tho prosont economy. Nolthor can a
placo bo established for him oy con
federations of nrtlBts nnd such llko
nonsciiBO. Solemn humbug of this sort
Is of uao only for tho glorification of
a set of prorosslonnl men or tnsto,
from whose tyranny good Lord do
liver us. Now York Evening Sun.
