Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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NEEDHAM'S FAILURE jj&VJOSEPH HAT^?isF. Author of "The Qtteen of Bohemia" "The Three Recruits," Etc. CHAPTER IV. DESCRIBES JOHN NEEDHAM'S LAST DRIVE FROM THE CUT, AND CONTAINS A COPT Or ONE ?V THE LETTERS EE WROTE FOR DELIVER? AFTER HIS DEATH. This was en Friday, this' going home to ?7-J?n Needham prepares for his last hours. He knewthat Byles, Grant & Byles would have to send a confidential messenger to Dublin for the evidence of his guilt, and that by Monday they would bo in a position to order his arrest." He foresaw the long train of other frauds which their discovery r would bring to light, and he knew there was no chance of compromise. At first he thought of flight; but flight demand90 energy, an 1 he was tired, beaten, out of hope, out of spirits. Flight would mean pursuit, and pursuit capture; bat, above all, it meant action, energy, physical grip, and he had lost all this with his last move, played unsuccessfully in the private counting houso of Byles, Grant & Byles. The expression of surprisa in the face of Byles, senior, and the peculiar and doubt ing remark ot Grant bad dropped his hopes down to zero. The ax was at the tree. He knew it must fall. Iu short, bo bad hod enough; he was played out; and in this frame of mind he went home, revolving a plan of suicide. It was a hot summer day. June was just merging into July. The London Reason was waning, though to all appearance it was in its heydey. St PaulV was booming the hour of four as his single-horse brougham, which he used for city work, pushed its way through the vehicular traffic of Ludgate Hill and Fleet street towards the West end. The jaded banker and member of parlia ment noted, in a dreamy way, the languid manner of the pedestrians, so unusual in London; but eighty degrees in the shade was a serious tar upon street energy. At Charing Cross he saw two parliamentary colleagues walking leisurely to the house, a&d in Regent street a cabinet minister re turned his nod.-and inwardly tharked his official stars that Mr. Needham was not quite out of the political running, for tho government could not. afford to make seri ous mistakes of any kind. tj At Piccadilly circus Mr. Needham pulled the check-string at a druggists; and enter ing the store asked for speedy moans of death, as Romeo had asked of the apothe cary in Mantua. But there. was npthing picturesque in the banker's approach to the London drug seller; nor did he confide to the modern tradesman the need he had for the mortal drugs. It was a ve|y pro saic request that Mr. Needham preferred? "a large bottle of essential oil of almonds." Ho said his groom wanted it for the horses,. ? ho? presumed. ? T< The -cbemi?? sug gested that arsenic was the pqly drug ab knew of that was given to horses, and then only in very small quantities. "I think my groom says it is for a dressing," said Need ham, "but I shall see to that myself; my stud groom is a very clever fellow and 1b advised by an experienced vet" "It is a deadly poison," said the druggist "Not moro so than arsenic," answered Noedhom. "They are both severe enough," said the druggist, "but how largo a bottle do you wish forr "About half a pint," said the customer. Tho shop keeper conferred with some other person for a few minutes. Tho customer seeing, as he thought, some hesita tion iu regard to serving so largo a quan tity, said, "Make it up and sond it to my house?Mr. Noodham, Portland place." Tho name and address had their due weight. "Send it this evening. I am going to Leigh ton Buzzard in the morning and want to take it with me." Tho druggist was "a bit of a sporting man," had ridden to hounds now and then, and had heard of tho Needham stud. He was, on this account, all tho moro impressed with his new customer, and said the drug should be sent at ence. "Mark it poison," said Mr. Needham "Of course, sir," said the druggist; "thank you, sir." And Mr. Needham drove homo. Portland place was moro or less en fete with afternoon recep tions, as it would be later with dinnor par ties, and later still with gayer throngs at evening "routs and dances," for the season was a particularly gay one, and Portland place was the headquarters of one of the most showy and interesting of Oriental em bassies. "A messenger, sir," said the butler, shortly after Mr. Needham bad entered his study, "with a parcel ha must deliver only to you." "A parceir "It is from the chemists." "Ob, yes; show him in," said Mr. Need ham "Dick wants some oil of almonds for tho horses. I called to order it, and it is a strong poison, and thero is so much of it they don't like to deliver it in a general kind of vray. Show the young man in" "I was only to deliver it to Mr. Need ham," said the messenger. "Quite right," said tho banker. "I sup pose there is enough to poison tho whole street?" "Yes, sir," said tho messenger. "I brought it myself that there might be no nrstake." "Thank you very much," said Mr. Need ham, taking the bottle; and then turning to the butler he remarked, "We will lock it up, eh, Johnf1 "Yes, sir." "In my desk." "Yes, sir." Mr. Needham handed the bottle and the toys to the butler, who placed it In the desk, locked the' desk, and returned the keys to their owner. "That is well," said Need ham, as the door closed on butler and messenger; "I begin to feel better already." He unlocked his desk, took out the bottle,' removed the stopper and Email od the deadly liquor. "Enough to poison half the town," he said. "Well, the stir it will make will be just as great as if it had done it" Then he replaced the bottle in the desk, opened the window, sat down in on easy chair, and neither spoke nor moved for a long time. Presently he rose, closed the window, and paced the room, then sat down at bis desk and did a very unusual thing?began talk ing to himself in a loud whisper. "No, John, not to-night?to-morrow?lot me say to-morrow. You must put things straight for your brother, and write some letters-^you must see Nolan, too" Nolan was a confidential friend and solicitor. "Are you going mad, John? No, coming to your senses, ehf You have been mad for five years, mad and miserable. Now you are to have rest and peaco. Ah, John, if poor men only knew the bliss of an honest life they would never desire to be rich. If I had my time to come over again l Why couldn't I have had a dream years ago, like that old man in the story, and have awakened in time to turn back, to re form, to follow the other road?" He arose and looked at himself in a mir ror, sat down again, began to write, then leaned back in his choir to whisper again to himself like one in a dream: "To-morrow night, John, when they are all abed?midnight You can walk to Hampstead or take a cab. Somebody will find you the next morning when tho bells are ringing for church. Why not here, in your own house? No, on Hampstead heath? I walked there one day last week to think? it was very peaceful, and the air was sweet ?walked to think and think, and I saw the end?the end as it will be to-morrow night, and Sunday morning. Now, pull yourself together, John, and b:> a man." He paced the room again, then sat down, and wrote letters for an hour, sealing each letter with black wax. When he had fin ished he did not pface them in the box for post, but locked them in an iron safe that was built into the wall of the room. This was one of the letters which he locked away with the rest: "My Dear Brother?To what a slough of infamy have my steps directed me, and now there is no going on or retreating. I am a criminal of the worst class, the cause of the nun of thousands, many of them widows and orphans, all of them persons who have trusted to my honor. "At this moment (and indeed for a long time have I felt it) I am deeply sensible of the misery and wretehed uess I have caused and shall cause. I could, bear any punishment, but not tho wretchedness of being a witness of all the trouble that is about to tall on my dupes. It is best that I should not live; for though I might escape to some foreign country I should die of remorse, go mad per haps; I certainly could not live, my crimes being ended and discovered. "I am alone guilty. I have had no con federate. I have cheated and swindled on my own account. Nolan and the others con nected with me have no knowledge of my deceptions, my false deeds, my forgeries, all committed in the hope that I might re trieve my losses. "Afc, my dear brother, it was a cad day for all of us when I came to London. "You and my first political friends will now know why I threw them over and took office; it was a last desperate chance to re trieve myself, and if I dared have waited and been patient it would have succeeded. If I could have lived my embarrassments down until I had become secretary of the treasury my frauds would never have been known; I shoolAhave put all straight. Now it will be with difficulty that lean even leave sufficient information behind me to let you all know tho extent of my defalca tions and robberies. . ? . "I authorise you to take possession of all my papers, and you will find written mem oranda that will help the solicitors to some kind of understanding- of them. When I have written this latter, I shall go round to the club and take any dinner in pence for the first, $tme?>;for.j^ars. . I remember the pride, with which-I first walked into the Re form Club, the false pride; I have dined there every day these last two years when in town, and having no private engage ments at home or elsewhere, and to-night I go to take leave of it and my friends?some of them already look askance at me. After wards I shall come back to my room to make my last notes for your guidance I am writing to Nolan to meet me hero to-mor row at twelve for a last conference with him; then if I could go to chapel and to con fession, and if the penitent thief on the cross conIJ be forgiven, surely I can; surely, surely! "Oli. that I had never left Ireland! Oh, that 1 had resisted tho "first temptation to speculate! Oh, being in financial difficul ties that 1 had had the courage to stop and confess! Oil, the folly, the misery of the first fraud! Oh, the difficulty thero is to go back! Onco launched in crime tho dovil has the ]K wer to hurry you on and on, as ho has hurried me. "If I had had more solid firmnoss, loss tjdent, less ambition, I might havo been an honest, happy and prosperous man, ad mired and beloved of you. I might havo lived to blo3s my father and mother in their old age, instead of bringing down their gray hairs to the grave and blasting forever tho wretched name of "Jonx Neediiajl "To my brother, Henry Need ham, of The Firs, Comity Mayo." When the writer of this "last dying 6peeoh and confession" returned from bis "last dinner at the club," ho was in a different frame of mind to that in which he bad designed the means and manner of his own death, fixing it to take place on tho following night 'Hopel" ho 6aid to himself, as ho smokod a cigar in bis writing-room prior to going to bed. "What a horriblo idea to associate with Hops! And yet it l.eapod into my mind the moment I spoke to him; leaped into my mind ready armed, as it wore; not beautiful Uke Venus starting up from the froth of the sea, bu* tike a fiend springing out from tho flames of helL" Ho strode about tho room thoughtfully, and then walked quickly to and fro, now smoking furiously, now laying down his cigar. "Have I drunk more than usuair he asked himself, answering m tho same breath "no; and yet my cheeks are burn ing with' excitement, my hands are .hot; not with fear, for I had settled all calmly enough, God knows, when that imago of my wretched self crossed my path. What does it mean? Am I dreaming? Did I see him; talk to him; ask him to come here? Yes; and he will come." Then he sat down at his desk, sorted papers, wrote several letters, stamped oue, put the rest away, walked about again, rang the bell, told the ssrvant he might go to bed. "Don't fasten the door; I am going out again." "Very well, sir." He went out, carrying this letter with liim, walked to the nearest postoffico and put it into the bos, walked along Oxford street, walked quickly, walked for minutes without any other purpose but to walk? and think. -. ~ . ' If there were such a fiend as the in triguing gentleman in the opera of "Paust" moving along with him and inspiring his thoughts, one couU.imagine such a.liephis topheles pausing now and . then to rub bis Invisible hands. It was a bright summer night, with a lofty, far-away sky, in which a few stars shone brightly. Needham walkoi as far as the park, sat in a seat for some time, re turned along Oxford street, and back to Portland place, opened bis door with his latch key, went into bis room again, and flinging himself into -his chair remained in an attitude of intense thought "Many a man comes to London," he said presently to himself, "and is heard of no more. He is on his way to a foreign land; it is thought ho has gone thither, but he re mains in London; sometimes he is dead and sometimes he lives. People are missing daily; thoy are advertised in the papers; they don't wish to return; they are dead, or wish to be thought so. A man leaves home to go to America, Australia; he is in earnest, but doesn't arrive; or if he does, it is months beforo ho can be beard from; months must elapse if no letters come be fore he can be foliotvod up. What is one life more or less, his or mine, or anybody's? Life is a battle; it has its wounded, its killed, and its missing." He paused, and ligbtei another cigar; the one in his hand was only half consumed. He sipped a little brandy and water. "Why did ho toll mo so much about him self? Why did everything he said seem to drive a noil into my first thought as if to fir it into my mind?a nail in his coffin? I asked myself a while ago before his exis? tonce was made known to mo if I were mad, and the conclusion I arrived at was that I had begun to come to my senso3. I had been mad^I thought?mad to do what I had done, mad to forge, and lie, and cheat, and now that I had resolved to end it all I was sane. And now? Is it tho demon that ha? possession of mo, or a guardian angel? I once read a German legend of a man who was two, one invisible except to himself, and that they were never separated. Is it I, alone, who have seen this other self? No, other men at the club talked to biin. Why did I keep away from him until I found on opportunity to bo near him?he in the light of tho lamp, I in the shadow, so that tney should not see the likoness? It is a mystery. I was already in tho valley and shadow of death?is ho one of the mysteries of the valley? Wo have our doubles In the spirit world, theysay?a familiar like ourselves, who, if seen, would be our very image. Is this my spirit materialized, my familiar come to my rescue?" The cloclc of an adjacent church struck two. He paused on this last thought to listen. "Two," he said, and looked at his watch. 'Til sleep on it?if I can, if I con." He heard tho same clock strike three, and four, and five, and fell asleep at last, to dream that he' bad taken poison; that it had paralyzed all his physical powers; that he was laid out and conscious of the prep arations for his burial; saw his brother and his father and his mother stand by him; heard thorn say it was better thus after all?better than transportation for life; hoard tho voices of a great crowd out side the room bellowing for his corpse?for tho scoundrel who had ruined them, for the fiend who had robbed the widow and the orphan; and thoir cries awoke him. He started up in affright, leaped from tho bod, stood panting in tho middle of the room, went to the window and looked out. A party of ladies and gentlemen were leav ing the opposite house in masquerading cos tume. There had been a fancy boll, and the last of the merry guests were being banded into their carriages. CHAPTER V. how the doubles meet, as related in a letter written by john nobbury tc his sister. "The New Hukhums Hotel, London. 1 "Saturday Afternoon. j "My Dear Sister?Tho day of sailing of the Ocean Queen from Liverpool has been altered from to-dV :::tU Monday, owing to some slight acvid ? :hkV occurred to her when she was le~vmg dock. I am rather glad of this, as it enables me to remain in London a fow. hours longer, and to take some letters to a judge in New York and, to a high state official, which ore to bo given to me by Mr. John Needham, M. P., who was recently one of the lords of tho treas ury, a very amiable gentleman, and: the image of myself. the doubles meet. "Is not that strango? You have often said there is nobody in the world like me, and there is?my height (nearly), my hair, eyes, figure, complexion and stammer (never knew I had a stammer until I heard bim speak), and a bachelor. Dick must look ? out, for I shall assuredly have my double at Braraley House when I come home, and as you are so fond of your foolish old brother you will be sure to fall in love with Need bam. You have said that I have lately bad ' on orpression in my eye3, a tired look, and that I was paler than usual. And the Hon. [ John Needham, M. P., etc., is like mo even in this?very odd, is it not? "I met him in this way: Charles North field, our North Derbyshire member, in vited me to dine at tho ReUurm. I wont to keep the engagement a little early, and as I was waiting in tho lobby I had a curious surprise. I thought there was a gloss at the end of th<3 corridor, and that tho person ap proaching was myself?my reflection, you know; but it was auother man! Meeting balf-wny we both paused and looked at each other, the person with a straugo staro of surprise, I with, I suppose, an amused smile. When we had passed each other he turned and came after me. "'I beg your pardon,' ho said with slight hesitation in his speech (natural like mine), 'havo we met before?' ,;'No,' I said, smiling, nnd with a voice that sounded like an echo of his own. "No, or we s-hould never havo forgotten it; for when first 1 saw you at tho end of the cor rtdor I thought you were my'reflection in ft " lleally' be said, "and how very strange 1 Ton 6eemea to me so mach like myself that, fearing the way la which I btared at yon might seem an impertinence, 1 pause to apologise.' " 'It is not necessary, I assure you,' I said. "Then with a emila he said: 'Don't yen think under the circumstances we ought to know each otherr '"With your permission,' I satd. Tes,' and banded him my card. And our initials are the same,' he re plied, rummaging in his' pocket book for a card. "'Very odd, they are,' Irepliod, as I read, 'Mr. John Neodham, M. P.' " 'Do yon dine here ?' he asked. " 'Yes,1 I said ; 'and here is mv h03t' " 'Oh, Mr Charles Northfleld,' bo said, as C. N. came up. 'Then we shall meet again.' '"I hope so,' I said ; and Northfleld added, 'By aU means.' "'In'the smoke room?' asked Needham. " 'Yes,' said Northfleld. ' "' An hour from now ?' " 'With pleasure.' " 'Then au rovoir,' said Needham. "'A very able man,' said Northfleld, 'rather embarrassed, it is thought, but only temporarily, and may yet live to be pre mier.' "Wo met in the smoke room later, and Mr. Needham promised me some valuable introductions, two of which he has already sent me early this morniuc; ; and I am to dine with him to-night at Portland place. A mild sort of adventure, is it not? but very interesting to me. and I feel as if I had made a new and valued friend. Am much better this morning; shall leave for Liver pool first train Sunday morning, have a quiet few hours in the train to read Dick ens' new book, and then write you a last few lines before I sail for New York. London is very lively just now; and what is more important in your estimation is the fact that I feel much better. My love to Aunt Dorothy, to Dick (when you sea him), and a good, loving kiss for you, from your de voted brother, Joe." Miss Norbury received this lotter on Sun day moruing as the bells of th3 village church were chiming in the valley. The tragic events that were enacted while the welcome missive had been traveling down to Wyodale must remain for narra tion in a succeeding chapter. to be contented. Removed TO OUR NEWLY FITTED UP STORE OPPOSITE THE TENT. NOTICE. We do not propose to undersell everyone else, but we are ready to meet fair competition. Our Stock is now complete: give us a call Mr. I. S. CUMMINGS is with us, and will be glad to see his, old friends and customers. We sell the. ROYAL 1ST. JOHN SEWING MACHINES. Machines of all makes repaired. Large .Wogon Yard in rear of Store. VOSE & SALLEY. SPRING CLOTHING. MY NEW SPRING CLOTHING has arrived and been placed on the counters and ready for a critical inspection. New goods opened in even' department for the SPRING TRADE: this large assort ment of SPRING CLOTHING for Men, Youths and Boys are selected from the largest and most reliable Manufacturers in the couutrv. This stock is unusually attractive in STYLES and PATTERNS, the ONE and THREE BUTTON CUTAWAYS arc of Imported CORKSCREWS, WHIPCORD and CHEVIOTS, made and trimmed eipial to any custom made garment, also will lit and cling to the ?gure and hold their shape. Sec my line of the FATE NT SQUARE SHOULDER garments in SACK and CU1 ?WAY SUITS. I am the sole agent of these goods, and those who have worn them can testify to their superiority over all other garments in fit, wear and holding their shape. Every department, GENT'S FURNISHING GOODS, 11 ATS, SHOES, and BOV'S, are full of choice novelties ior the SPRING AND SUMMER SEASON. Call early aud make your selection. RESPECRFULLY, J?. I.. KI^'ARD, COLUMBIA, S. C. stoisto PliospTiate Company, CHARLESTON, S. C. ESTABLISHED 1870. HIGH GRADE FERTILIZERS! HIGH GRADE FERTILIZERS!! SOLUBLE GUANO (highly ammouiated.) DISSOLVED BONE. ACID PHOSPHATE. ASH ELEMENT. PHOSPHATE FLOATS. GERMAN KAN IT. HIGH GRADE RICE FERTILIZEK, James A^a,xx Tassel, DEALER IN CHOICE FAMILY GROCERIES, Wines, Liquors and Segars. AT MY ESTABLISHMENT CAN BE FOUND ALL THE STANDARD arricles of GROCERIES at Rock Bottom Prices, as well as purest and best WINES, LIQUORS, &c., sold anywhere. Also the choicest SEGARS AND TOBACCO to be found in the market. WHE> LOOKING) AROUND GIVE ME A CALL. JAMES VAN TASSEL. OLD VELVET RYE EIGHT YEARS OLD. Guaranteed Pure aid WMesoie for lUciial or Oiler Uses. FOR SALE ONLY BY W. T. LIGKHTFOOT. Nov 2G-3U10S ESTABLISHED 1832, C. & E, L, Kerrison, HASEL STREET, CHARLESTON, S. C. DRY GOODS, No IIorsb wM Ith of Cone. I'.ots or Ltxr. Yz TKn, If P?litz*? Powders are used In time. Konte's l'o\rili>n> will cur? and pri'veut IIoo Ciioleea. Koutz'd Powders will prevent Gates in Fowls. Fouttt Powder* win Increase the quantity of ndlk and cream twenty prr cent., and make the butter firm and sweet. Kontz's Powden will cure or prevent almost eveey Dihkahk to which llorMiand CatUeare subject. Foirra's PownKxa will civk. SATisrAcrnox. Sold everywhere. DAVIIi E. FOUT2, Proprietor. BAJ-TiaiOIlE.MD. )rest* Goods, I For sale by DR. J. G. WANNAMAK ER. Feb-4 F?TJTZ'S HORSE AND CATTLE POWDERS LINENS, HOSIERY, &c, &c, IN LARGE VARIETY. t2TAll Orders will receive prompt and careful attention. E57"Cas!: orders amounting to $10 or over will be delivered in any county free of charge. C. Ac E. L. lierrison, &aug20ly Charleston. S. C. .URS. J. M. IIARTZOG WILL ON THE 15THGF MARCH V t resume business, and invites the at tention of the Ladies to her Stock of new and attractive Millinery and Fancy Goods, embracing all the Novelties of the season. Next floor to Dr. S. A. Reeves' Drug Store, Orangeburg, S. C Feb. 25-3mos ABIAL LATHUOP. F. M. WANXAMAXEK, Orangeburg, S. C. St. Matthews, S. C T ATHROP & W A N NAM A K ER, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, OllAXGEBUBO, S. C. Office Up Stairs Over the Postoflice. ORAAGEBLRG Ice Cream Saloon WHERE CAN BE FOUND. ICE y 1 CREAM, CAKE, PLES, FRUIT and NUTS of every description. ET I'tC N1CS and PARTIES furnish ed on short notice. E5T A rail Solicited by MRS.LUGTET. L. WANNAMAKER, Proprietress. B. H. MOSS. C. 0. DA^TZLEB ^|OSS & DANTZLER, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, OJIANOEUL'RG, S. C. To the Public. f T A K !? PL K A SU It E INAN 1 nouncing that I will run the lec Busi ness from May 1st, 1HSU. Customets please reserve your orders and ohlige. Yours truly, Jaii-? CHARLES P. BRUNSON