Show mot ij A HE MN by MARY R P HATCH v author of the bank tragedy w copyright 1892 17 1 lee and shepard CHAPTER you are henry ashley he ile then spoke of the examination of when being found of unsound mind be he was sent to an asylum of bis es cape and supposed death by drown ing ng with the cunning of insanity it now appeared that mr air hamilton had induced a weak minded vagrant to ax exchange change clothes with him and with the disguise thus afforded succeeded in getting clear of the town the man who resembled hamilton in gen eral appearance was afterwards dro drained ened and ident fled as a patient ot of the asylum chiefly by his clothel a as s the body bod was unrecognizable from having been so long in the water it must have been a strange fatal ity or blind instinct which leaf led him to seek employment at his own mill and a boarding place at the houe of mrs airs fry a woman previously well known to himself and wife the recipe ent as she avers of many favors from himself and wife he saw his wife and children chil bren cren at chuich his wife was greatly by fisl higi resemblance to her husband he was also much excited by her looks and those of perley and clar he ile knows nothing of all this now but I 1 can prove it by the testimony of dan fry and his mother from that time he began to watch her house his former home one night standing in a pouring rain until ho he was drenched and made s ck in con sequence although he knew little of music previously he purchased a violin and became a good performer in a short time but now he has returned to his normal ignorance and cannot play at all I 1 shall call to the stand an em nent rent specialist who ho will ex plain to you that this sort of dull duil du il existence Is not unknown in science although it is so uncommon la to be remarkable mrs hamilton shared in the feelings of her husband but could not explain them she re essed lessed them therefore as much as N q 17 IV 01 r f possible but when her little boy was lost and returned through agh the efforts of primus edes as he was called she allowed her heart to rule her hands to the extent of showing her gratitude by gifts for his personal comfort and convenience at mrs fry frys s now comes the false claimant mr hamilton or ashley on the scene safe as he supposes in his fraudulent claim because he thinks his wronged brother Is dead he is the exact image of the cashier as we ve all know and he was received by grovedale Grov edale people with open arms his extra ordinary nerve ingenuity and fertil ity of resource carried him through various tests and examinations and he was installed in the place of the true and lawful owner and tenant of the hamilton estate but there was 0 one ne gentlemen who did not receive I 1 him it was mrs hamilton she could not believe he was her husband and what testimony is better than that of a wife who nho tor for seven years lived with him and came to know all his ways his movements his trici s ut of manner everything which goes to make up personality which we all know does not consist entirely of features heigh height voice complexion personality Is of a more subtle elusive nature it may elude tion by all except the more intimate friends in this case it evaded all but that of the wife the true loving worn an W who ho through all would not be cheated by a false resemblance alen in a low impressive voice mr air morley broached the matter of ghyst cal odor which exhaled from the ma teria body enables a dog to distin golsh his master from all other per sons lost children slaves fugitives from justice have been tracked by this physical odor so po powerful erful and as to cling to articles of clothing worn by the person many people have the sense of smell strong ly developed as others have that of sight taste hearing and mrs hamil ton was thus highly endowed he said then the plaintiff s counsel went on to speak of the shot fired at his client in the grounds fraudulently held and occupied by the defendant which he attributed to some person interested in removing him beyond reach of mak mal I 1 ing trouble we mill suppose said morley that ashley had at last recognized the true claimant in pit in is edes and that he realized his own dangerous position from which nothing could tricase tri cate him bat tle death of this man we will suppose that he saw him approaching the hamilton house and shoots hi him in from his window and then rushes upon the scene flinging g the pistol one s de and was there as we e know he was he be fore mr carter could get there or we will suppose that some other per on solomon marks for instance got possession of dan fry s pistol and follo followed Aed edes shot him and feared down the river it is well known in grovedale Grov edale and can le proved by half a score of wit nesses that solomon marki was N as twice closeted with mith the defendant and that he went to the fry house when nhen it is easy to s appose he found an inley to get possess on of the pistol to make male it appear that my cliett committed suicide tor for there is no doubt but that the shot was fired to kill him now it is per factly clear to me and mi ml st be to you that the false claimant u under rider took either by his own hand or an other s to rid himself of a trouble some person troublesome because the true claimant but bul did he sue beed iso no the very shot fired to send vane hamilton out of the world re stored him to the full possession ol 01 his faculties strange bet et true truet can WP we doubt after such a manifestation in the overrun ng for good of the divine providence which so often says to crime thus far thou go but no farther he recovered to prosecute his claims to his family and estates it was vms then he fhe clock and an ad Journ ment was taken until the next morning when the little court house bell be tan ban to ring next day the streets rapidly filled and soon the small room was wa thronged with eager spectators the work of the day was entered promptly by the calling of the witness george barnstead to the stand he gave a straightforward moo more corresponding to mr air morley s presentation of it in his opening argument I 1 sat in portland depot near to the heastand new nea stand waiting for hurd who was to go on with me to bethel I 1 saw standing irresolutely at a little distance a man whom I 1 now know to be vane hamilton he was mas dressed exactly as described by the advertise ment he looked about him as it if he did not know what to do finally an other man entered who stopped to stare at the first then as if decol electing himself he went off a little waa wa but still looked at him the first man was vas aware of this scrutiny it appeared for at last he walked up to him and asked you appear to I 1 now me who am 19 hat is in name the other seemed disconcerted a moment by the inquiry but answered in a second or two your name Is henry ashley I 1 know you ou well nell they talked together a few rain min utes but in a lower tone I 1 did not hear what they said and shortly after ward they went off together mr air barnstead cross questioned mr air ferguson you say the first man looker about him as it if he did not know where he was what was his expression 9 was it vague and un certain or wIdeawake wide awaked 9 rather vague sir as it if he did not know where he fie was was this the other s expression 9 no sir his was the reverse watchful wide awake their expression was vas totally un like and yet their eyes looked alike yes sir when do you usually make your trips mr air barnstead I 1 have no regular time this time you went nent on friday yes sir what date the fifteenth of may how do you knowd I 1 know by my remembrance of the day and by my diary do you note the time of your trips in your our ies i es sir please produce the book if you hae hane it about you mr air barnstead took it from his pocket and handed it to the defend ants counsel who however did not take it no read it yourself mr air barn stead did so started for bethel waited in portland Porta cd depot for hurd we went vent oa on fo os Zether ether 1 lov now mr air barnstead turn it if you please to the following th thursday irskay day what did you do that day waited in portland depot tor for hurd a good hour D take him for or punctuality read barn lead tead now which of thee dates was the one you ou saw the men met the first there here did you ou and hurd go we went to mechanic falls ahat hat did you ou do then 9 took orders for goods to Together ethera 9 ye yes s he for his firm I 1 tor for mine did you stay all night yes did ou drinka ties I 1 es sir a glass or two did you ou not drink more than a glass or two did you not drink near er a dozena perhaps in short were you not consider On sider ably worse tor for what you d ank so much so that you had to sta star r in bed a day or two I 1 did t your head in a confounded coi cot founded muddle and didn dian t you tell hu ht hus s so soa I 1 presume so could you swear to any event that took place within a week or two of that timea I 1 can swear I 1 went to be hel and mechanic falls I 1 leg es that Is in your note book did you speak of meeting the two men or seeing them meet to your friend that week I 1 don t recollect could you swear it was net not thura thurs day you saw them saw them meet no sir I 1 couldn t but I 1 think it vas 1 I a S th the e friday before mr air barnstead slightly flushed and irate left the witness stand mrs hamilton s testimony came next and was given in a graceful though shrinking manner she related the various tests to which she had subjected the two clain ants at varl various oils times and said that both had responded readily but that the de fondant invariably hesitated flor a moment before replying but that the plaintiff did not the judge at this juncture proposed that she subject them to some test in the presence of the jury it if there was any point which remained unset tied in her own mind there Is one said mrs airs hamilton Is it of a nature to be conlu conclusive sive he asked I 1 think it Is it Is something that I 1 do not know myself but that my bust hust and does please state it I 1 wish to know the whereabouts ot of a small diamond button or sud stud that he gave me it was his mathefs and I 1 told him I 1 was afraid I 1 should lose it if I 1 vi wore ore it he ile laughed i nd rid said he take care of it for me and he did I 1 never asked to know where he kept it and he never told me one claimant may be taken into the next room while the other one answers said the judge the plain tiff as the first party may mat remain and answer first arst there was a decided stir in the ourt court room at the proposition so out of f the usual course and as the de enfant arose and walked into the small office adjoining the court room yet et beyond hearing the audience hardly breathed so deep was the feeling in expectation of something unusual about to take place but the answer was lommon commonplace place enough I 1 took it to the bank laid the plaintiff for what purpose was the button used my wife fastened her night nigh robe trobe with wah it in what part of the bank did you keep it ita in a small drawer of the sate safe Is it there nowa 1 I don t know ahad I 1 had forgotten the matter entirely till now to be continued |