Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 196 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Se ee ee eee “ — - ~ 2 eee eg ea oe **It is claimed that he was in the room in company with Crapper and took part in the murder.”’ “Very well,” ‘** But, suppose now that it could be proved that he was not there at that hour? Suppose an alibi could be proved?” **He could snap his finger at them, then, I should say,’’ returned Roger, indifferently. ‘‘ But, my dear sir, I am not interested in this matter. Why have you pitched on me to bore me with your murders?” * Because it is you that must prove the wii. Be- cause you are wanted in New York, Roger Glindon!”’ That afternoon telegraph messages flashed swiftly between Cincinnati and New York, and a smile of hope replaced the anxious look which had been growing deeper in the eyes of Grace Essex. The denouement of her work was drawing near, CHAPTER XITI. THE MURDER TRIAL. Ir was an impressive scene. The venerable judge upon the bench, with his dignified associates; the group of shrewd and earnest lawyers in the in- closure below; the crowding throng that filled every re inch of the large room; and the utter silence that prevailed between the questions and answers of counsel and witness, in the intense anxiety to not lose a word of this interesting examination. It was the trial of Bob Rockett as an accessory to the murder of Sarah Crapper. He stood erect in the dock, as calm and unmoved as though he were but a spectator of the scene, and winning good opinions from all sides by his sturdy bearing. The trial of Mike Crapper had been concluded the the day before, in a verdict of guilty, and he was re- manded to prison to await sentence. But every effort to induce him to clear Bob Rockett of the charge of complicity in the murder had failed. He evidently bore ill-will against the man who had brought him to trial for his crime, and he persist- ently declared that Bob had been present and taken part in the murder. Yet, the évidence given by the witnesses did not seem to corroborate this. It looked rather as if the husband and the wife had been alone. “Can you state at what hour of the morning these noises were heard?” asked the prisoner’s counsel of the witness on the stand. ** At half-past ten o’clock,”’ * You are sure of this?” te Yes.” ** What makes you sure?”’ ‘* Why, sir, my clock had run down, and T had just gone into my neighbor's room to get the time to set it. 1t was but a minute or two after half-past ten. I had left the room and was going back to my own, when I hearda scream and a heavy fall, that seemed to come from Mike Crapper’s room.” * Had you heard any noises from that direction previous to this fall?’ ‘** Bless you, sir, they’d been fighting like cats and dogs for a good hour before. But that was nothing new, for they were a nuisance with their fightings. ’ “Did you’ hear an y other man’s voice, besides that of Michael Crapper?” “T couldn't say as to that, for I wasn’t giving them much attention. Howsvoever,1 didn’t notice nothing strange.”’ * What did you do after hearing the fall?” **T run down to Mike Crapper’s door. There was three or four of us, for the noise had shook the whole house.”’ “Goon. Tell what happened.”’ “Why, we found Rusty Mike standing outside, with the door tight shut behind him, and looking savage enough to eat us all up alive. e wanted to know ‘what we was arter?’ and told usin pretty plain English to tend to our own business and he’d tend to hisn.”’ * Did you hear any noise in the room behind 9 b | ‘Nota whimper. It was as still as death,”’ ** And what did you do?” | “IT gave Mike Crapper a piece of my mind,” an- swered the witness, placing her arms akimbo, and looking as if she could repeat the operation at short notice. He kept mighty mute while we was talking, and he let usgo without hardly a word back, which wasn’t a bit like Rusty Mike, for he had a rascally impudent tongue of his own.”’ Several other witnesses were examined to the same effect, if being apparenty the object of the lawyer to fix precisely the moment of the murder, and also to show that it had been preceded by asharp domestic quarrel, of a kind to which the presence of a third pers would have acted as a damper. This t fixed another witness was called to testify to the time at which Bob Rockett had been seen In company with the murderer, ‘““T was a-standin’ at my room door,” testified this good woman. “It was then ten minutes past eleven. Til tell you how I know, as I s’pect you'll be axin’ me next. Well, Mrs. Brown had, a bit atore, been in to see me ’bout the time, cause her clock hadrun down. But arter she got into a bit of a scrimmage with Rusty Mike she clear forgot it. And that was how she come back ag’in for the time. Well, arter she left, I was a-lookin’ out my room door, when who should Isee but two men a-comin’ down the stairs, of which the ane was Rusty Mike? T’other I didn’t quite see the face, only sort 0’ side- ways. But he was as much like the young man there afore us astwo peas. I ain't a-swearin’ it was him, now mind you, cause ’tain’t easy to ‘dentify a man by his shoulders.” The burden of all the evidence thus elicited was to the effect that the murder must have taken place at half-past ten o’clock—that, at ten minutes past eleven, Mike Crapper had been seen descending the stairs in company with a man resembling the pris- Shadowed; or, Bob Rockett’s Fig oner at the bar—and that the fact of the murder was not discovered until an hour afterward, when a stream of blood had been seen running out under the door. On forcing open the room door Sally Crapper bad been found, lying on the bed, with the side of her head crushed in, and with the appear- ance of having been dead for a considerable time. The prosecuting attorney now undertook the cross-examination of the last witness, she who had testified to the finding of the dead body. ‘Will you please state to the jury what was the appearance of the room when you entered it?” * Well, sir, for the room itself, its appearance was oretty much what it generally was, ‘cept for the lood on the floor, and the stick with which the poor thing had been murdered, and which had a knob on it as big as your fist, sir, and blood on the knob,”’ ‘‘ Have you seen this coat before?” holding up a rough-surfaced spring overcoat. **T eouldn’t swear to that,”’ shaking her head du- biously. ‘* Only it looks justlike a coat that I found on the chair-back in that there room, on that occa- sion,” “This is not cross-examination, your Honor,” cried the prisoner’s counsel, springing to his feet and addressing the bench. He was unexpectedly interrupted in a most un- usual manner. he prisoner, who had retained his ed rht, firm attitude, and had intently listened to all that had passed, now addressed the court in a clear, calm tone, ** Excuse me, Mr. Johnson,” he said, ‘* but please let him go on. don’t want to hideit. The coatis mine. no object in trying to conceal the truth.” This sudden and frank avowal went like a shock of earthquake through theroom, The judges stared in surprise, a sound came from the lips of the aundi- ence that was almosta ery of approval, Mr. John- son, the lawyer, sprung to his feet with a face red- dened with anger. He was on the point of a sharp rebuke to the prisoner, when his eyes fell upon the faces of the jurors. Hesunk quietly back upon his We have seat, He was keen enough to Pe ae in their ex- pressions, that his client had done more to bias them in his favor than all the witnesses that could be brought. Frankness and honesty had told. “This cannot be permitted,” exclaimed the prin- cipal judge, ‘We cannot allow such irregularities, The prisoner must keep siJent.”’ Yet “espite his assumed severity, it was evident to all keen observers that the accused had moved him also in his favor. Several minutes passed before the trial could be resumed. Further examination of witnesses elicited the fact that the coat had a slight clot of blood upon the right sleeve, such as might have been got by one as- sisting to lift the body to the bed. It appeared also that the handkerchief in the pocket of the coat was slightly discolored by blood, All this had been adverted to by Mr. Johnson in his opening address to the court. ‘** But,” he had eontinued, * though unfortunatel there was no eye present to tell just what occurred, yet the circumstances of the case were such as must show clearly the innocence of my client. Is it a reasonable theory, gentlemen, that any sane man, after having assisted in a murder, would have de- liberately thrown off the coat which was stained with the red witness of the crime, and leave it behind him to serve as evidence against himself? I hope to show that he did i of the kind, that he was not inthe room at all, but that his coat was put there by Michael Crapper himself, and dipped in the blood by this treacherous wretch, so as to make of an innocent visitor a seeming associate in his crime.”’ This point which it seemed impossible to prove, was wonderfully cleared up by the next witnesses. Blood flowing fres from a wound, and blood which has lain for a half-hourin a pool, are by no means the same fluids, The evidence of a physician was taken, who had made a microscopic examina- tion of the blood on the sleeve, and who testified that it had undoubtedly been put there after the blood had partly elotted. Such was not the case with the blood on the hand- kerchief. That undoubtedly was fresh blood. As to how it came there no evidence was forthcoming, for Bob’s statement that it had been received from a cut on his own hand was not evidence for the court. Yet evidently the sentiment in the prisoner’s favor was gaining strength in the court. is manly bearing had as much to dowith this as the doubts which had been cast on the points against him. Even in the faces of the jury the reflection of this senti- ment deepened. : The face of the prisoner’s counsel manifested a growing anxiety as the moments wore on, Hiseyes wandered frequently to the door of the court-room. His ears seemed strained to catch every sound from without. Yet a look of disappointment gradually grew upon his countenance. All the witnesses who bad been called were ex- amined. The lawyers were busy with their notes, ane judge looked som@éwhat impatiently toward them. ‘**Your honor,” said Mr. Johnson, rising, ‘“‘I had hoped to Magee another witness, of far more im- ortance than any that have yet been examined. I ad hoped, indeed, to prove an alibi in my client’s case. this important witness is not forthcoming, I must request a continuance of the case until to- morrow, so that I may be enabled to offer his testimony.” The judge looked doubtful, and conferred for several minutes with his associates. ““T am afraid this cannot be,’”’ he answered. ‘The court is too crowded with business. You have had | The court wants the truth, and I | eee ee ee ti} —_———$—$ ht for Life. plentiful time to procure your witnesses. The trial must go on.” Mr. Johnson followed in an earnest plea for a continuance, but the judges were not to be moved. The disappointed lawyer seated himself again rather angrily. Only for a moment, however. A noise outside had attracted his attention. Several persons were pushing into the crowded room. He sprung to his teet, and a flash of light shot across his face. ‘‘A continuance will not be necessary, your honor,’’ he cried. ‘* My witness is here.”’ There were a half-dozen persons in the group which had crowded into the room. Among them were our friends, Grace and Paul Essex, and the greatly-needed witness, Roger Glindon. An immense bustle pervaded the room as these hin oe made their way toward the inclosure and toger Glindon, at the request of Mr. Johnson, entered the witness stand. What-was intended to be proved by this man no one knew, but that it was to be very favorable to the prisoner was evident enough. We will dispense with the preliminary portions of his examination, ‘**On the morning of Thursday, the 26th ef April,”’ he continued, in pp erg to a question, “I walked, in company with Robert Rockett, along Grand street. I parted with him at the corner of Broadway.”’ ‘** How came you to separate at this point?’’ asked Mr. Johnson. ‘*He told me that he bad a matter of business with Rusty Mike, as he called him. As I did not eat to see that gentleman, I did not accompany \im.”’ ‘* At what hour was this?”’ ‘** At exactly eleven o'clock.” At this answer the feeling of the audience could be no longer restrained. A general cry broke out in the room, while the surge of feeling that arose even took the bench in its course. ‘* How are you sure that this was on the 26th of port and that the hour was as stated?’ asked the awyer. ‘Because I had an appointment at half-past eleven of that morning with Jobn Brand, the owner of a livery stable on Fourth avenue, and T looked at my watch on leaving Mr. tiockett and found that I was likely to be late. I know the date from the fact that my appointment was for the purpose of selling him a horse. I have here the bill of sale.” =. Mr. Johnson tock and glanced over the document. ‘*This is dated April 26th,’’ he announced, passing it to the jury. “How long would it take to reach Michael Crap- per’s residence from the point at which you parted with Mr. Rockett?” ‘* Probably five minutes, with quick walking.”’ It was impossible to bring the audience again into a state of calmness. Grace Essex had made her way to the side of the prisoner and offered him her hand, over which he bent with tears of gratitude in his eyes. . The trial went on in a hasty and confused wey. The case was too evident for any further question- ing, and on being given to the jury they made no pretense of leaving the box to decide on a verdict. 4 you find the prisoner at the bar guilty or not ilty? xi ot guilty!’ came in the clear tones of the fore- man of the jury. Then a shout that seemed enough to lift the roof broke from the assembled multitude. But Bob Rockett only kissed the hand which he held and which was wet with his tears, while his head was bowed in thankfulness and prayer. CHAPTER XIV. A PLEASANT CONSUMMATION, A year has passed since the date of our last chap- ter. There only remains to us to briefly descri some of the events of that year. As to one of our characters we do not need to dis- ose of him since the law has saved us that trouble. Ve refer to Mike Crapper, who has at length es- caped from the demon of remorse which pursued him, by the aid of the hangman's rope, Crime with him has reaped its fitting reward. Pocket-picking, burglary, murder and death on the scaffold, such has been the tale of his life. He has lived and died an example to all those who step aside from the strict pe 1 of honesty. As for one of his old associates, Beau Bink, the fate of Rusty Mike has certainly scared him out cf his illegal courses. The would-be exquisite was, in fact, never arogue in grain. His criminal courses were always confined to pocket-picking, and he has even given up this avocation through horror of the end of his old associate in crime. The attempted bank-robbery, in which so many of our characters were involved, bas fallen into the background before the more important events de- tailed in these chapters. ‘*So long as the bank is none the worse for the ef- fort,’ remarks Mr. Garland, “‘I think it will be as well to let the affair drop; particularly as we have no positive proof against any of the suspected arties.’ pe And as, through it, Ihave gained a dear wife,” continues Paul Essex, pinching Grace’s finger. “ And I a teasing husband,”’ rejoins Grace, laugh- ingly pulling his ear. ‘And besides,’’ broke in Mr. Garland, “I have changed my sentiments toward young Rockett. There is good in the fellow; much more good than bad, I must admit. Poor boy, perhaps I had some- thing to do with driving hii into his evil courses, for I was very harsh with him. I saw him in the court room on his trial, and he certainly held him- self like a man; and an honest man in grain. I must try and do something for him.” | OOO) Gom (E cs ‘ — eee -