Lincoln County leader., January 03, 1902, Image 3

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w train.
CHAPTER X. (Continued.)
"When did Ilertuau have the carriage
out last?"
"The night befo de murder, Mars Lang,
and he didn't hab any ob dat crowd wid
him, He lef de carrige in front ob Wil
lise's drug store, on de corner ob Market
and Front streets, and tell me to wait.
He walk off towards de Carolina Hotel,
and when he come back dar was a man
wid him I nebber saw befo' dat I knows
of. He was taller and heavier dan Mars
Herman, and older, too. He had a gray
ish mustache and wore a beaver hat. Both
of dem was smokin' eegars, and dey got in
de carrige.
" 'Drive out Market street, Adam,'
Mars Herman say, and I did." '
"Did you catch this party's name?"
"I heard Mars Herman call him 'Ste
phens.' I spec' dat's his name. Well, I
drive past de house, and 1 hear Mars Her
man say, 'dar's where my Uucie Aiviu
lives.' "
" 'Lives now?' Mr. Stephens say. 'Yes,
now,' says Mars Herman, and de ratlin'
; ob de wheels drown de rest. When I got
'bout six . blocks beyond de house Mars
Herman say: 'Drive back, Adam,' and I
drive back de same way. Goin' back, I
heard dat man ax Mars Herman what
kind ob game dey run at de 'Planters
Rest.' Mars Herman say: 'A pretty stiff
game, sometimes.'
" 'Oh,' Mr. Stephens say, 'dey play's fer
high stakes in Balimore. Dars de place
fer high rollers.' "
"He did."
"Yes, Mars Lang. . Well, dey lef de car
rige at de same place I pick dem up, and
Mars Herman give me fifty cents and
say: 'You go home, Adam. I will walk,'
and as I drove off dey was goin towards
de hotel."
"Herman is liberal with money, is he
not, Adam?"
"Mos' ebery night when he keep me out
he give me a quarter or half dollar."
"I see! I see!" and the detective ran
his fingers through his hair. "Would you
know this man Stephens if you saw him
again, Adam?"
"Know him, fer true, Mars Lang. He
, speak quick and short, and he eye mighty
sharp lak. Oh, I know him!"
"What time was it when you drove
tinnr
"It wan' late. I spec' 'bout nine o'clock."
"You don't know what time Herman
Craven came home, or whether he was
alone?"
"No, Mars Lang. I wen' to bed directly
I got home; but I wen' up to get Mars
Herman's shoes, to black dem, in de morn
ing and dar was no one but him dar."
"LaBt night you did not have the car
riage out?"
"No. Mars Lang; but Mars Herman
was downtown. I saw him go out de gate
after supper. I don't know what time
he get in."
"He carries a night key to the front
door, I suppose?"
"Certain!"
Here there was a rap on the door lead
ing into the hall.
"It's me, Lang," replied Mrs. Sellars.
"Hannah is waiting to see you."
"Yes, yes, in a moment, wife. You may
go now, Adam. And remember, not a
word to k living soul that you have been
here, or that you have had any conversa
tion with me not a hint! And notice par
ticularly when you are downtown if you
see that man Stephens again. I will send
Calban for you when I want you again.
You may be of great assistance to me, and
you shall not go unrewarded."
"Golly, Mars Lang, all de 'ward I wants
is to see de man what murder my ole
marster hanged, and Mars Robert Camp
bell turned loose, kaze I know Miss Hat
tie's sweetheart nebber murdered ole
marster."
"You may earn a greater reward than
the satisfaction of seeing a guilty wretch
" hanged, Adam perhaps your freedom
who knows?
, The detective had been rolling up the
bloody shirt, and here he handed it to
Adam with the words: "Take your, shirt;
the stains on it indicate Indeed that 'fowl
murder has been committed.' "
"Dat's so, Mars Lang," said the negro,
grinning. "Chicken murder. I's guilty ob
dat, and you's got a witness agin me in
de nex' room."
As the door closed behind Adam, Cal
ban admitted Hannah.
"Did you cook chickens for dinner yesr
terday, Hannah?"
"Yes, Mars Lang."
"Who killed the chickens, and when,
and where?"
"Why, Adam, just back of de kitchen,
yestidy mawnin. He chop dar haids off
wid de hatchet."
"Are you sure, Hannah?"
" 'Deed I Is, Mars Lang. De fool nigger
let dem chicken bloody his shut all up, and
I tell him, 'Who's gwain wash dat shut? "
"Did you ever gee or hear of a man nam
ed Stephens, -a friend of Herman Cra
ven's, Hannah?"
"I nebber did, Mars Lang nebber. If
he got friends, dough, dey nebber comes
to de house."
''Is Miss Campbell yet at the DeRosette
residence?"
"No, she gone home, poor chile."
"Do you think Herman is suspicious of
you in the least?"
"No, Mars Long, I ain't think so."
"Well, I wish you to watch his move
dents as closely as you can, also to note
if heJs absent from the house nights, and
rHo enters the house betwaaa this time
and that of vour master's fnnernl. T wish
also to see Uncle Duke. You can find an
opportunity to tell him to call here at this
uuur lo-morrow night. Uautinu him not
to'be observed in doine so. Keeu a closa
mouth. Good night."
'Good night Mars Laner" Anil In n
moment more the detective was the onlv
occupant of the office. On a strip of pa
per he made this memoranda:
"Planters Rest."
"Carolina Hotel Register."
"Uncle Duke."
"Mr. Stephens."
"By all means Mr. StenhenH.""mnqod
the detective, as he rolled the strip of
paper into a ball and cast it in a waste
basket.
"Calban's clue." he lauehed. "while ho.
ing one of a fowl murder, was not one
tending to lead to the perpetrator of the
foul murder of which, nerhans. Mr. Ste-
pliC-us may have a. guilty knowledge."
CHAPTER XI.
Twenty minutes after Hannah hnd tlt.
en her departure from the detective's of-
nce isenars entered the door of the Caro
lina Hotel.
It was noarinc eleven o'clock, nnd ho
found but two men present in the office
icL,ain, the night clerk of the hotel, and
Dolby Brownine. one of the cnnHnptnra
of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad.
a.ne aetective passed through the office
into the barroom, where he purchased a
cigar, lighted it and sauntered back into
the office.
. "Good evening, gentlemen," he remark
ed, as he strode forward to the counter on
which the register was lying.
Good evening, Mr. Sellars," responded
the two men.
"Not much transient custom nowadays,
I suppose, Mack?"
"Very little," replied the clerk, "nor do
I suppose we can look for more before
fall."
"I should judge not," said Sellars, as he
bent over the open register.
"One, two, five, seven, nine. Why, you
had fifteen arrivals to-day."
"Yes, but half of them are drummers,"
said the clerk; "they get half rates, you
know. There is not much money in
them."
"Well, they will bring you other custom
later."
"True enough, Mr. Sellars; that is the
inducement for giving them half rates."
"Yesterday you had even a greater num
ber, twenty-four. I declare, I see few
names here that I have not some knowl
edge of the parties."
Here the detective turned baek a leaf
of the register.
The 17th, twenty-one guests. Ah, here
Is the name of my old friend, Jo Anson of
Tarboro. Why, here's Norment of Lum
berton and Caldwell of Duplin. Yes, and
Sam Grady and Col. Hoyt of Charleston.
Next comes Stephens C. A. Stephens of
Baltimore. It's time for me to stop now,
for I have no recollection of that name.
To be sure, there are plenty of Stephenses
Virginia, for instance, is full of them;
then there are the Stephenses of Cumber
land, the Stephenses of Wake and Cra
ven. I wonder if C. A. Stephens is one
of those?"
"I think not." said the nlerlr "T h...
no recollection of having seen this Ste-
jiueus ueiore. lie was only here a short
time. Arrived on the morning of the 17th
and left on the night of the 18th. He may
have been a drummer, but I think not, as
he did not ask for drummer's rates and
had no baggage with him."
"lie was not a drummer then," said
Sellars, with a laugh, "but he may have
been an employer of drummers."
"He made a trip down with me," ob
served Browning. "I have no recollection
of having seen him before. He is not a
drummer, and if he left on the night of
the 18th he must have gone out with Bor
den. He had the night run that trip."
"He looked rather like a skirting char
acter," observed the clerk, "but I presume
he was a Baltimore business man. Cra
ven, the cnHhier of the 'Cape Pear Bank,'
seemed to know him- at lua I .,ij
- .t-unv m. iiiLitru
them talking earnestly together on the
nignt or tne 17th. Uy the way, that was
a sad affair of Mr. DeRosette's taking
off."
"Terrible, Mack! Terrible! It was a
shock to the entire community."
"And to think that Robert Camplwll
should have committed the murder! Why,
he is the last man I would have susiiected.
and I heard Sheriff Cobb say there was
no doubt of his guilt."
"Sheriff Cobb is a very shrewd man a
very shrewd man," snid the detective.
"I understand that the prisoner had the
audacity to call you into the case. It re
minded me of your call in the Mulberry
case. '
"Very like! Very like!" said Lang
"Cobb sot the start of me thin time
"I am sorry for Campbell's mother and
sister," observed the night clerk.
"Yes, and I," said Lang. "Well, good
night," he added, "I must be going."
"Good night, Mr. Sellars."
"So much for Mr. C. A. Stephens
thought Lang as he left the office. "He
arrived in Wilmington on the morning of
the lith. Mack observed him in close
conversation with Herman Craven that
night, and the same night Adam drives
tne two past the banker bouse. You
may be straiifhter than a itrlnir n a
Stephens, but I must know more about
you. You left the hotel on the night of
the muruer presumably left the city the
same night. The north-bound .train left
for Baltimore at ten o clock. At that hour
the banker was a living man. I must in
terview Borden when he comes down the
road. - Poor Campbell! I believe every
word of his statement. It is late, but
the mother and daughter are looking for
nie. I must drop in and give them a word
of cheer. I can't be going there much iu
the light of day."
This the detective did, and when he en
tered his own home the clock was striking
tne hour of twelve.
CHAPTER XII.
At the appointed time on the night of
the 20th Uncle Duke was admitted to the
presence of the detective. But the old
man could give no information that Sel
lars deemed material. It was evident that
he knew less of the cashier's life, associa
tions and career after banking hours than
did Adam.
He occupied a room on the lower floor
of the house back of the bath room, and
usually was sound asleep by nine o'clock
at night. That had been the case on the
night of the murder, and he knew nothing
of the terrible deed that had been com
mitted until he was aroused by the com
motion that followed it.
He had never heard of a party by the
name of C. A. Stephens, nor had he ever
known Herman Craven to bring a com
panion into the bnnker's house.
The night following his conversation,
with Uncle Duke the detective met Con
ductor Borden at the Carolina Hotel anfl
in a discussion which he brought about in
regard to the traffic of the road, he gradi
ually led 'round to the number of passen
gers that the various conductors carried;
over the road on their trips. In the mean
while the h"M register was open before!
him.
"The transfers from the Manchester
road form the bulk of the passenger list
going north now," said the conductor, "but
on my last trip, the night of the 18th I
had a goodly number from Wilmington."
"Yes," said Sellars, turning back the
leaves of the register. "I notice quite a
number of arrivals on the 17th and 18th.
It is so hot here now that they do not
tarry long. I suppose you carried them
all back up the road with you.; I see thit
those that arrived on the 17th are nearly
all checked as' having departed on the
night of the 18th. Jo Wallace, and Hoyt,
and Caldwell, and Turner, and Stephens.
By the way, I wonder what family of Ste
phenses this C. A. Stephens belongs to?"
"I declare I don't know," said Borden.
"He came down the road with Browning,
I believe. If he left the city on the night
of the 18th he did not go over the road
with me. He may have gone south.
Grady and Hoyt went that way back to
Charleston, I suppose."
The 22d of the month the remains of the
banker were consigned to the grave, and a
vast concourse of people was present in
the cemetery when the last sad rites were
spoken.
All eyes were seemingly bent on the
form of the bereaved young daughter,
who, in the anguish that wrung her heart,
clung, strange to say, not to the arm of
Herman Craven, who seemed to shudder
and grow pale as the clods of earth rolled
in upon the coffin, but to the arms of two
women who were seemingly scarcely less
agitated than herself the mother and sis
ter of the man who lay in jail accused of
the damnable crime of the banker's taking
off.
Many there were who looked on this
scene with surprise, but none with a deep
er feeling of annoyance than Herman
Craven and Sheriff Cobb.
To Sheriff Cobb's cold nature it was in
explicable that the daughter of the mur
dered man should seek consolation of the
mother and sister of his murderer.
To Herman Craven's mind the circura
stance boded not the easy fulfillment of
his wishes. "Wait!" he thought. "Wait!"
Lang Sellars, -as he stood some yards
away, leaning against a stately pine, his
tall form towering above all others,
thought, as his keen- eye rested on the fig
ures before him: "There will be a tie that
will bind you yet closer together. Wait!"
It was ten o'clock on the J3d day of the
month, and gathered in the spacious par
lors of the residence of the late banker
were the five directors of the "Cape Fear
Bank" and a goodly number of those who
in his lifetime had been close personal
friends.
Sentod at one side of the front parlor
near an open window, and with Jennie
Campbell beside her, was the banker's
daughter, and very beautiful, yet sad, she
looked, clad in the habiliments that told
of her bereavement.
A number of ladies were seated near
them, and ranged against the wall oppo
sitethem were the family servants.
Herman Craven sat near a center table
conversing with the old attorney of the
bank, who presently arose to his feet. In a
position from where he could nt will scan
all features sat the great detective.
"I have been requested," said the law
yer, "by the daughter of our late friend,
by his nephew and by the directors of the
bnnk of which he was the honored presi
dent, to read to those here present his
last will and testament. The instrument
is embraced in this package of papcrB just
handed me by the cashier of the bank,
Herman Craven."
Here Attorney Dobbs removed the rub
ber band and withdrew from the package
the banker's will.
(To be continued.)
An Exhibit on Wheels.
"Henry, when we move I want an
open van."
"Our stuff mny get rnlned on."
"I don't enre; I want the neighbors
to see what lovely furniture you buy
ft me."
'V-FTMe-tly Not Good Kit.
nev-lfroude says: "Human Improve
ment U fjom within outward."
She-?.IsU'tJt queer that those words
occurred to me the moment I first saw
you In your new spring overcoat?
r
Fam Vld Yarn.
"The very first itline I mounted my
wheel I went rlgbloff like an expert"
"Break anything?"
WHAT IT COSTS TO MARRY.
Only a $3 Bill la Neede J to Defray the
Xeceaaary Kipeuiri,
Marriage Is one of the cheapest ot
luxuries If one reckons only the out
lay required for the payment of the
preacher or magistrate who performs
the ceremony and the cost of the li
cense In such States as require li
censes. Any minister, priest or preach
er of the gospel in the United States
may solemnize marriages, and In many
States judges for one or more classes
of courts may officiate. In all save
half a dozen States, too, justices of the
peace have the privilege of officiating
at the highly important function.
In some parts of the United States
the person performing a marriage cere
mony must have personal knowledge
of the Identity, names and residence of
the partles, and inasmuch as such laws
are enforced in some of the Western
States where young people frequently
drive long distances to be married, the
stipulation lias on occasion caused
more or less Inconvenience. In most of
the States two witnesses are required
to be present at the solemnization of a
marriage, although In some States a
single witness Is sufficient. There is
still In force In Pennsylvania an old
law which prescribes that twelve wit
nesses shall be present, but this ex
action is seldom If ever enforced. Per
haps the strangest stipulation of all la
that which appears In the laws of Ten
nessee, and Is to the effect that the
validity of a untiTiuge blmll bo la no
wise affected by the omission of the
baptismal name of either party 111 the
license and the use of a nickname in
stead, provided the parties can be Iden
tified. Any person conversant with the
conditions prevailing In the mountain
districts of Tennesseee will appreciate
the wisdom of this unique proviso.
Common supposition is to the effect
that the fee for performing the mar
riage ceremony is dependent entirely
upon the generosity of the bridegroom,
nnd it will doubtless, therefore, sur
prise many persons to learn that In
several States the law has a hand in
the matter. In the old dominion, for
instance, there Is a statute which pro
vides that the person solemnizing a
marriage Is entitled to a fee of one
dollar, and that "any person exacting
a greater fee shall forfeit to the party
aggrieved $50." In West Virginia it Is
stipulated that the fee be "at least one
dollar," and the Idaho law says that
"the fee sljall be $5, or any other
greater sum voluntarily given by the
parties to such marriage." In sixteen
States of the Union a wedded couple
may obtain a more or less elaborate cer
tificate of their marriage.
MISS GOULD AN OFFICIAL
OF THE ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION.
MISS HELEN GOULD.
Miss Helen Gould, who has accepted
her appointment as member of the
Board of Lady Managers of the St.
Louis World's Fair, Is the most distin
guished member of the family of the
late Jay Gould.
People Who Wear the Kilt.
The wearing of the kilt Is a cus
tom religiously observed In the smart
est society In Scotland. Many peers
and some wealthy commoners who are
chiefs of clans take special pride in
the national costume. The Duke of
Sutherland and his sons, the Duke of
Argyll, and his brother, Lord Archi
bald Campbell, Lord Klnnoull, and en
titled chieftains, such as Cameron of
Lochlel or The Mackintosh all these
and many more wear the Highland
dress when In Scotland. A gentleman
of high degree dons a kilt of a plainer
tartan for morning wear and for
shooting, and in the evening, when be
dresses for dinner, be puts on bis full
dress tartan, with sporran and richly
Jeweled dirk. London M. A. P.
Sweet Itevcnge.
While the British matron moans as
each successive British youth Is led
captive to the altar by American girls,
her Canadian niece Is avenging the
English cousin. She has swept across
tAundary line and descended upon
the professional young woman of the
United States. While the Canadian
girl Is now prominent In all professions
in the States, her greatest distinction
has been won in trained nursing. In
the most noted training schools and the
finest hospitals the Canadian trained
nurse is In places of 'responsibility ,
Newcastle (Eng.) Chronicle.
Maud I'd hate to think that you'd
throw yourself at Fred. Mamie Why
not? He's a good catch. Harlem Life.
Parke Wiggson married a widow,
didn't he? Lane Yes. Parke I won
der how he likes her former husband?
ruck.
Clarence Did my proposal surprise
you, Clarissa? Clarissa Indeed It did,
Clarence; honestly, I didn't expect to
get It without hinting for It.
. Contractor You won't sell me a car
load of bricks on credit? Dealer No.
Me an' my bricks ore very much alike.
We're hard pressed for cash.
Smith What makes so many people
crazy to get Into society? Brown Well,
what makes so many other people crazy
to keep them out? Detroit Free Press.
Husband I wonder what we shall
wear in heaven. Wife Well, if you
get there, John, I Imagine most of us
will wear surprised looks. Smart Set.
Phrenologist Your bump of destruc
tiveness is very large. Are you a sol
dier or a pugilist? subject Neither.
I'm a furniture mover. Brooklyn
Eagle. !'
"Blimber Is getting poetical. He says
there Is something very rhythmical in
the click of a typewriter's keys."
"Blimber has a very pretty typewriter
girl." Cleveland Plain Dealer.
"That great Italian tenor told me he
had a mattress stuffed full of the laurel
wreaths that have been given him."
"A mattress full? Then he ought to re
tire on them." Cleveland Plain Deal
er. "She caught a thief In the house and
chased him four blocks," said the ad
miring friend. "Isn't it strange," re
plied the sarcastic rival, "how Bome
girls are always after the men?" Chi
cago Post.
"Wheeler seems to be stuck on that
new doctor of his." "Yes, he's up to
date. When Wheeler was sick In bed
the doctor said, 'Oh, we'll have you on
your pedals again in a few days."
Philadelphia Press.
"Couldn't she Induce him to stay at
home?" "No, not even by offering him
all the comforts of the club." "What
was his argument?" "That the main
comfort of the club was that It was the
club and not home."
"This gold mining business Is being
overdone," said the small speculator,
with the air of one who knows it all.
"That's so," replied Sharpe. "There's
one mine that is sure to go to the wall."
"What's that?" "Kalsomlne." Indian
apolls Press.
"Now," said the doctor, "if you wish
to escape a return of the .grip, you
must take every precaution to avoid
getting your feet wet." "All right, doc
tor," said the grateful patient. "Shall
I wear rubber shoes when I take a
bath?" Baltimore American.
"You haven't explained how you
came to have Mr. Smith's chickens In
your possession." said the Judge. "I'm
trying to think, yer honor," replied the
accused; "give me time." "Very well."
replied the Judge, blandly, "six
months."-ClncInnatl Enquirer.
Mamma Tommy, do stop that noise.
If you'll only be good I'll give you a
penny. Tommy No, I want a nickel.
"Why, you little rascal, you were quite
satisfied to be good yesterday for a
penny." "I know, but that was bar
gain day." Philadelphia Times.
"It takes all kind of people to moke
r world," sold Willie Wlshlngton.
"Yes," answered Miss Cayenne. "Life
Is full of paradoxes. For Instance, I
have often wondered why It is that the
freshest young men Invariably make
the stalest remarks." Washington
Star.
Professor If a person in good health,
but who imagined himself sick, should
send for you, what would you do? Med
ical Student Give him something to
make blm sick, and then administer an
antidote. Professor Don't waste any
more time here. Hang out your shin
gle." New York Weekly.
Solicitous: Mother Where have you
been, Johnny? Johnny Down by th
ole mill watchln' a man paint a pic
ture. Mother Didn't you bother him,
Johnny? Johnny Nnw. He seemed to
be real Interested In me. Mother What
did he sny? Johnny He asked me If I
didn't think 'twas roost dinner tlnie
nnd you'd miss me. Harlem Life.
"You are convicted of bigamy," re
marked the Judge, Impressively, while
the prisoner glunced over his shoulder
at three stern-vlsaged women. "Now,"
continued the court, "I Intend to give
you the severest pennlty the law al
lows." Here the prisoner covered his
face with his hands and wept "I shall
sentence you to prison for two years.
What are you grinning at?" "I
thought," smiled the prisoner, through
his tears, "you were a -going to turn mo
loose."
9
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