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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1915-04-29, Page 7April 29th, 1915 r,-�� v 4 s a is .t',-7- V ,••ya -•1 ,,, Q, ;,tl� Y"'y' g �, -i� lir m , L5,1 nii,;-:P rggin'I ?:t a;v Ay the Case o Jennie Brice By MARY ROBERTS RINEi1ART Copyright, 1913. by the Bobbs-Merrill Compan y • J&49.':.'"'"47.19:‘ 0,41 l 4Am�y_�+�w 44•wAm `A.n•),d.J ' "The black and white dress wits laid ant on the bed and a small bag. She (said she was taking the dress to the theater to lend to Miss Iiope," "Is that all she said?" "No. She said she'd been wishing der husband would drown; that he was a fiend." I could see that ray testimony had made an impression. The slipper, the rope, the towel and the knife and blade were produced in court, and I Ideutitied theta all. !?hey made a noticeable impression on the jury. Then Mr. Llewellyn, the lawyer Tor the defense, cross examined ine. "Is it not true. Mrs. Pitman," he said, "that Many articles, particularly shoes and slippers, are found floating around during a fiuod?" "Yes," 1 admitted. "Now, you say the dog found this slipper floating in the ball and brought It to you. Are you sure this slipper belonged to Jennie Brice?" "She wore it. I presume it belonged to her." "Ahem) Now, Mrs. Pitman, after the ILadleys had been moved to the upper ."Are you sure this slipper belonged to Jennie Brice?" floor, did you search their bedroom and the connecting room downstairs?'' "No, sir." "Ah: Then how do you know then this slipper was not. reit on the fluor or .in a Closet Y" "It Is possible. lint not +ikety any. how, It ens not the slipper a11410. It •was the other things and Ill,' sitppt•r It was"- • - " EsnetIv, ' u v. It;'s, Pitmen, tits knife. tee you mh'Dtiry it positively'"' "I. van ,. "But Ise t it true that this ,s a very cutuluun •,'rt r,t k tile:' time that near• ly t•1•t'1•y nnu.,•tv,te 1111. in 114'1' lin<ses sioh Y' "Yes, -il hilt Pint luii:'e u.nic!l,' has three not -i, . in !1 1 1,111 )lir 11n1,'It,W lhet'e 1111,„11 "lil•fufo ltil.. pt,•-n,hed '•1'1111,''r„ Nit '•t; til 111:111 sillII'','e ••' NERVES WERE BAD 'Hands Would Tremble So She Could Nit Hold Paper to Read. When the nerves become shaky the whole system seems to become unstrung and a general feeling of collapse occurs, as the heart works lin sympathy with the nerves. Mrs, Wm. Weaver, Shallow Lake, Ont., writes: "I doctored for a year, for my heart and nerves, with three different doctors, but they did not seem to know what was the matter with me. My nerves got so bad at last that I could not hold a paper in my hands to read, the way, they trembled. I gave up doctoring thinking I could not get better. A lady living a few doors from me ad- vised me to try a box of Milburn's Heart and Nerve Pills, so to please her I did, and I am thankful to -day for doing so, for I am strong, and doing my own work without help." Milburn's Heart and Nerve Pills are 50 cents per box, 3 boxes for $1.25; at all druggists or dealers, or mailed direct on receipt of price by The T, Milburn Co., Limited, Toronto, Ont. "My neighbors were constantly bor- rowing things. It was a means of iden- tification." dentification." "Tken this knife la yours?" "Ws." - "Tell again where you left It the night before it was found floating do;wnstafrs." "On a shelf over the stove." "Could the dog have reached it there?" "Not without standing on a, hot, Move." "Is It, not possible that Mr. Ladley,' unable to untie the boat, borrowed your knife to cut the boat's 'painter?" "No painter was cut that I heard about. The paper hanger"— "No, no. The boat's painter—the rope," "Ohl Well, he might have. He never said." "Now, then, this towel, Mrs. Pitman. Did not the prisoner on the following day tell you that he had cut his wrist in freeing the boat and ask you for some court plaster?" "He did not," I said firmly. "You have not seen a scar on his wrist?" "No." I glanced at Mr. Ladley. He was smiling as if amused. It made me angry. "And what's more," I Hashed, "if he has a cut on his wrist, he put it there himself to account for the towel." I was sorry the next moment that I had said it, but it was too late. The counsel for the defense moved, to ex- clude xclude the answer, and I received a caution that I deserved. •'Then: "You saw Mr. Ladley when he brought your boat back?" "Yes." "What time was that?" "A quarter after 4 Monday morning." "Did he come in quietly, like a man trying to avoid attention?" "Not particularly. It would have been of no use. The dog was bark - fug." "What did he say?" "That the had been out for medicine. That his wife was sick." "Do you know a pharmacist named Alexander—Jonathan Alexander?" "There is such a one, but I don't know him." I was excused, and Mr. Reynolds was called. He had heard no quarrel- ing that Sunday night. had even heard Mrs. Ladley laughing. This was about 9 o'clock. Yes, they had fought in the afternoon. fie bad not overheard any words, but their voices were quarrel- some, and once he heard a chair or some article of furniture overthrown. Was awakened about 2 by footsteps on the stairs, followed by the sound of oars in the lower hall. He told his story plainly and simply. Under cross examination admitted that he was fond of detective stories and bad tried to write one himself; that he had said at the store that he would like to see that "conceited ass" swing, referring to the prisoner; that .he bad sent flow- ers to Jennie Brice at the theater, and hod made a few advances to her, with- out sliecess. My head was going round. 1 don't know yet how the police learned it all, hat by the time poor Mr. Reynolds left the stand half the people there be- lieved that he had. been in love with Jennie Brice, that she bad spurned his advances, and that there was more to the story than any of them had sus- pected. Miss Hope's story held without any I Iccittian rimier the cross examination. :ahs 11•11s perfectly at ease, looked band- -owe atal well dressed, and could not ,re shaken. She told how Jennie Brice hurl h"t'n in feet' of her life and had •,.!cad her, only the week before she 1 seppeared, to allow her to go home atilt her --Miss [lope. She told of the ;,ttarie of hysteria in her dressing ram, ani{ that the missing woman had :aid that her husband would kill her +oaie day. There was much wrangling vrer her testimony, and I believe at least a part o1' it was not allowed to go to the Jury. Dot 1 nut not a lawyer, 'Ind I repeat what I recall. "Did she say that he had attacked her?" "Yes, more than oI1Ce. She was a large lvooau, falrly muscular, and bad iiiinys held her own." "Did she say that these attacks ;lune when he had been drinking?" "i believe he was worse then." "D!d she give any reason for her bus - bend's attitude to bet'?" "She said be 'wanted to marry an - There 'i'here was it small sensation at this. II' proved it established a motive. "Did she know who the other woman was?" "I believe ut. She was away most of the day, and he put in his tithe as he liked." "Did Miss Brice ever mention the nature of the threats be made against THE WI'NIGHAM TIMES r Derr "Nu, 11 11111 not." "Have you examined tee body Weeill ed ashore at Sewickley?" "Yes"—in a low voice,. 1s it the body of Jennie Brice" "I cannot say." "Does the remaining hand look like the hand of Jennie Brice?" "Very much. The nails are 8lett to points, as she wore hers." "Did you ever know of Jennie Brice baying a scar on her breast?" "No, but that would be easily ren• sealed." "Just what do you mean?" "Many actresses conceal defects, She could have worn flesh colored plaster and covered It with powder, Also, such a scar would not necessarily be seen." "Explain that." "Most of Jennie Brice's decollete gowns were cut to a point This would conceal such a scar." Miss Hope was excused, and Jennie Brice's sister from Olean was called. She was a smaller woman than Jennie Brice had been, very ladylike in her manner. She said she was married and living in Olean; she had not seen her sister for several years, but had heard from her often. The witness had discouraged the marriage to the pris- oner. "Why?" "She had had bad lack before." gave any esplana'uoh yes, 'he `said ' tie couldn't sleep and had thought to tire himself rowing. Had been caught in the current before he knew It, Saw' nothing suspicious in or about the boat' As they passed the police patrol boat prisoner had called to ask if there was much distress and expressed regret when told there was. Tim was excused. He bad made a profound impression. I would not have given a dollar for Mr. Ladley's chance with the jury at that time. CHAPTER XI. AE prosecution prottnoed ninny witnesses during the next two days; Shanty Boat Tim's story withstood the most vig- orous irorous ('toss examination. After Min, Mr. Brunson from the then ter eorruho. rated Miss Hope's story of Jennie Brice's attack of hysteria in the dress- ing room and told of taking her home that night, [1e tuns a 110111' witness• nitrons and hailing. Ile weighed each word Metnrc he said it, mid he made It general tin fat'or:iale imprt :ssleu I humght he was heltlh g something hark Ill view 'if 11•hat 11 r. 1'1111111,1 ueu:tl Iuicc en lilt the denam''tlIent, his attitude is wls,`o explained But I was pm.zlod then. So tar, the praseeutha, had t,nlrhetl lint lightly on XIII' pessilie nadir'. ter it crime the woman Btu ,n, the third dal, to my sia'!u•ise, a Al r. agues liar ray was ended. it was the \Its lila rale I had seen at the noa•g:u', 1 Inn'e lust the wipp:ag of Ilial Iln)•'s trial, Mut 1 r,'ua'tuher tier testimony li,rfertly, the ryas a widow, living :than.. II small tniillur'r•y ship an hedet•al street, Allegheny. She had one Mingliter. Aare, wile dill stenigr'a!,v and typing as it molars of ih'eiihued. Site had no office mai worked at Dunne. Many or the stool' 'stores Inn the n,ighhorhued employer) her to send out their Mills There was a.t•artl at the street entrance beside the shall. and now mud them strangers brought her work: Early In December the 'prisoner mid Drought her the manuscript o1 It play to type, :aid from Ihet throe all he calm, frequently, sometimes every day, bringing a few slivers of Manuscript at a time. Sometimes he came without any manuscript and would sit and talk while he smoked a cigarette. They hail thought.him unmarried. On Wednesday. Feb. :IS, Alice Min, ray had disappeared. She hail taken sonic of her clothing-•tint,all--mod 11:ui left a note. The winless read the note aloud in a trembling velt'e:. llear Mother—When you get this 1 shun be married to Mr. Ladley. ' Don't worry_ Will write again from N. Y. Lovingiy, ALICI: Front that time until a week lit'ftn'e. she had not heard from mer daughter. Then she had a card, mailed trotu Madison Square station, New York city. The card merely said: Am well and working. ALICE. The . • defense' was visibly shaken. They had not expected this, and 1 thought even Mr. Ladley, 'whose calm had continued -unbroken, paled. So far all bad gone well for the prosecution. They , had. proved a, Crime, as nearly as circumstantial evi- dence could prove a crime, and they had established a motive. Tint in the identification of the body so far they had failed. The prosecution "rested," us they say, although they didn't test tnn4h on the afternoon of the this'd day, ' The defense called, first of all. Eliza Shaeffer. She told of a woman an- swering the general description of Jea- nie Brice having spent two days at the Shnell'er farm at Horner. Being shown photographs of Jennie Brice, she said she thought it was the same woman, but was not certain. She told further of the woman leaving telex- pectedly on Wednesday of that week from Thornville. On cross examine - tion being shown the small photo- graph which Mn Graves had shown me, she identified the woman in the group as being the woninta In question. As the face was In ithaiduw, knew it more by the dress :eel hitt. She de- seldhed the Week and white dress nod the hat with red trinnnln.g. The defense then called me. I had to adtnit that the dress' and hat as described were almost certainly the ones 1 had seen on the bed In Jennie Brice's tomo the day before she dis- lippedred. I could not say definitely Whether the woman In the photograph rias Jennie Brice or not; tinder a tang- nifying glass thought it might 1w. Defense called Jonathan Alexander, nder, BAD BLOOD Is The Cause of Bolls and' Pimples. When bolls or pimples start to break out on your face or body you may rest assured that the blood is in an impure state, and that before you can" get rid of them it will be necessary for you to purify it by using a good medicine that will drive all the impurities out of the system, Burdock Blood Bitter, is a blood puri- fying remedy. One that has been on the market for the past forty years. One that is ka;own from one end of the country to the other as the best blood purifier in existence. It cures boils, pimples and all other diseases arising from bad blood. BOILS CURED. Mr. Andrew E' Collier, River Glade, N.B., was troubled with boils for years. in fact, did not know what it was to be rid of them until he used Burdock Blood Bitters, It cured him, PIMPLES CURED. Mr, Otto Boyce, Yarker, Oat., had his face and neck break out with pimples. He tried several kinds of medicine with out success. Two bottles of Burdock Blood Bitters banished them. B.B.B. is manufactured only by The T. Milburn Co„ Limited, Toronto, Ont. "She had been married before?" "Yes, to a roan named John Bellows. They were In vaudeville together on the Keith circuit, They were known as The Pair of Pillows." I sat up at this, for John Bellows had boarded at my house. • "Mr. Bellows is dead?" "1 think not. She divorced him." "Did you know of any scar on your sister's body?" "1 never beard of one." "Have you seen the body found at Sewickley?" "Yes," faintly, "Can you identify it?" "No, sir'," A flurry was caused during the after- noon by Timothy Seuft. Be testified to what I already knew—that between 3 and 4 on Monday morning, during the height of the flood, he had seen from his shanty boat n small skiff caught in the current near the Ninth street bridge. He had shorted enconr- agingly to the man in the boat, running out a way on the ice to make him hear. He had told him to row with the cur- rent and to try to steer in toward shore. He had followed close to the river bank in his own boat, Below Sixth street the other boat was witbin rope throwing distance. He had pulled it in and had towed it well back out of the current The man in the boat was the prisoner. Asked if the prisoner a druggist who testified that on the night in question he had been roused at half past 3 by the prisoner, who had said his wife was ill, and had pur- chased a bottle of proprietary remedy from him. His identification was ab- solute. The defense called Jennie Brice's sister, and endeavored to prove that aennie Brice had bad no such sear. It was shown that she was on inti- mate terms with ger family and would hardly have concealed an operation of any gravity from them. The defense scored that day. They bad shown that the prisoner had told the truth when he said he had gone to a pharmacy for mediclne that night for his wife, and they lied shown that a woman, answering the description of Jennie Brice, spent two days in a town called Homer, and had gone froth there on Wesin`la,r after the The Army of Constipation Is Growing Smaller Every Day. , CARTERS LITTLE LIVER PILL3'are responsible'—they not onlygive relief— they permanently cure Constipa. lion. Mil- lions use them for Bilious. �„ ness, Indigestion, Sick Headache, Salo; Skin. Small Pill, Small Dose, Small Price. Genuine must bear Signature A substantial prize has been offered in France for the aeroplane that can fly :Ser fastest and also the slowest, Children, Cry //FOR FLETCHER'S A tt /� a.er S T 0 St f A Prune. And they had shown that this woman was attired as Jennie !,rice bad been. That was the way things stood . on the afternoon of the fourth day when court adjourned. Mr. Reynolds was at home when I got there. lie had been very mien o Fra .silo "That's curious!" he said. subdued since the developments of that first day of the trial, salt mostly in his own room and had twice brought me a bunch of ,jonquils as a peace offering. He had the kettle boiling when 1 got home. "Yon have had a number of visitors," he said. "Our young friend Howell has been here, and Mr. Holcombe has arrived and has a man in his room." Mr. Holcombe came down a moment after, with his face beaming. "I think we've got him, Mrs. Pit- man," he said. "The jury won't even go out of the box." But further than that he would not explain. He said he had a witness locked in his room, and he'll be glad of supper for him, as they'd both come a long way. And he went out and bought some oysters and a bottle or two of beer. But as far as I know he kept him locked up all that night in the second story front room, 1 don't think the man knew he was a prisoner. I went in to turn down the bed, and he was sitting by the window, reading the evening paper's account of the trial—an elderly gentleman, rather pro- fessional looking. Mr. Holcombe slept on the upper landing of the hall that night, rolled in a blanket—not that I think his wit- ness even thought of escaping, but the little man was taking no chances. At 8 o'clock that night the bell rang. It was Mr. Howell. I admitted him myself, and be followed me back to the dining room, 1 had not seen him for several weeks, and the change in him; startled me. He was dressed careful- ly, but his eyes were sunken in his head, and be looked as if he had not slept for days. Mr. Reynolds had gone upstairs; not finding me socially inclined. "You haven't been sick, Mr. Howell, have you?" 1 asked. "Oh, no, I'm well enough. I've been traveling about Those infernal sleep- ing cars"— His voice trailed off, and I saw him looking at my mother's picture, with the jonquils beneath. "That's curious!" he said, going closer. "It—it looks almost like Lida Harvey." "My mother," I said simply. "Have you seen her lately?" "My mother?" 1 asked, startled. "No, Lida." "1 saw her a few days ago." "Here?" "Yes; she came here, Mr. Howell, two weeks ago. She looks badly—as' if she is worrying." "Not—about me?" he asked eagerly. "Yes, about you. What possessed you to go away as you did? When my—bro•-when her uncle accused you of something you rain away instead of facing thins like a roan." "I was trying to find the one person who could clear me, Mrs. Pitman." Be sat back. with his eyes closed. He looked ill enough to be iu bed. "And you succeeded?" "No," I thought perhaps he had not been eating. and I ,tit1'ered him food, as I had once before. But he refused it, villi the ghost of his boyish smile. "I'm hungry, tint it's not food want. I wont to see her," he said. I sat down across t1•otn him and tried to mote a tablecloth, but I could not sew. i kept seeing those two young things, each sick for a sight of the ether, and, from wishing they could have a minute together'. I got to planning it for them. "Perhaps," I said finally, "if you leant it very much"— "Very much"" "And if you will sit quiet and stop tripping your lingers together until you Jrive me crazy I might contrive it for you. For five minutes," i said. "Not a second longer." IIe came right over and put his arms mound me. "Who are you, anyhow?" he said. "You who turn to the world the frozen mask of tt Union street boarding house landlady, who are a gentlewoman by every instinct and training and a girl at heart? Who are you?" "I'll tell you what I am," I said, "I'm a_ romantic ollt fool,, and Children Cry for Fletcher's The Kind You Have Always Bought, and which has been in use for over 30 yea ,s, has borne the signature ' of and has been made under his per -.i eceC�conal supervision since its infancy. c � , Allow no one to deceive you in this. All Counterfeits, Imitations and "Just -as -good," are but Experiments that trifle with and endanger the health of Infants and Children—Experience against Experiment. What is CASTORIA Castoria is a harmless substitute for Castor Oil, Pare- goric, Drops and Soothing Syrups. It is pleasant. It contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other Narcotic substance. Its age is its guarantee. It destroys Worms and allays Feverishness. For more than thirty years it has been in constant use for the relief of Constipation, Flatulency, 'Wind Colic, all Teething Troubles and Diarrhoea. It regulates the Stomach and Bowels, assimilates the ]Food, giving healthy and natural Sleep. The Children's Panacea—The Mother's Friend. GENUINE CASTORIA ALWAYS' Bears the Signature of In Use For Over 30 Years The Kind' You Have Always Bought THE CENTAUR` COMPANY NEW YORK CITY. better lefine'do this quickly before I change my mind." He freed me at that, but he followed to the telephone and stood by while I got Lida. He wax in a perfect frenzy of anxiety, turning red and white by turns, and in the middle of the con- versation taking the receiver bodily from me and holding it to his own ear. She said she thought she could get away; she spoke guardedly as if Alma were near, but 1 gathered that she would come as soon as she could, and, from the way her voice broke, 1 knew she was as excited as the boy be- side me. She came, heavily coated and veiled, 'at a quarter after 10 that night, and I took her back to the dining room, where he was waiting. He did not make a move toward her, but stood there with his very lips white, looking at her. And at first she did not make a move either, but stood and gazed at him, thin and white, a wreck of him- self. Then: "Ell!" she cried, and ran around the table to him as he held out his arms. The schoolteacher was out. I went into the parlor bedroom and sat in the cozy corner in the dark. I had done a wrong thing, and I was glad of it. Mid, sitting there in the darkness, I went over my life again. After all, It had been my own life; I had lived it; no one else had shaped it for me. And if it was cheerless and colorless now, it had had its big moments. Life is measured by big moments. If i let the two children in the din- ing room have fifteen big moments in- stead of five who can blame me? The next day was the sensational one of the trial. We went through every phase of conviction: Jennie Brice was Ilvutg Jennie [trice was dead. 'Tile hall {mind at Sewickley could not lie Jennie Brine's. The body room! at Ne111.•1.11•\ was Jennie [trines And so it 11en1 lull The d,•telew dot nut unexpected thing pmt!lu: lir Ln,ticy on the stand Khat buoy, tut IJP' Prat time, lie showed the wear and tear of the ordeal. lit hats no Nutter iii Ills buttonhole, twin the rims at his eyes were red. But he was unite nmol. Ills stage training nam taught loins not only to endure the eves or the (Ton II. hal to lind in Its ;gaze u salt of stitrtrllaill{, Ile Iitade a good witness i ae,st aidnut. {Ie rrpii,ni to the usual questions easily. :Vier five minutes or so Mr t.l'cvellyn gat down to work. CHAPTER XII, ... LADLES', you have said that your wife 'tvns Ili the night of March 4'r" "les" "What was the nature of tier illness?" "hike had a functional heart trouble, not serious." -Will you tell us fully the events of t II; t night?" "I had been asleep when my wife wa,;:ened me. She asked for a medicine she used in these attacks, 1 got up els! l found the bottle, but it was empty. AN she was nervous and frightened, I .::treed to try to get some at a drug a re. I went downstairs, took Mrs. t';; man's boat and went to several st• res before I could awaken a phu- t,. ,cist." 'You cut the boat loose?" 'Yes It was tied in a woman's knot series of knots. I could not untie at and I was in a hurry." how did you cut It?" •Whit my pocketknife." "You did not use Mrs. Pitman's bread knife?" "I did not." "And it) cutting it you cut your wrist, 'iia yoD?'' ••Ye• !ho knife slipped. I have the scar still? "What did you do then?" • "I went back to the room and stanch- ed the blood with a towel." "From whom did you get the medi- cine?" "From Alexander's pharmacy." "At what time?" "I nm not certain. About 3 o'clock,. probably." "You went directly hack home?" Mr. 'Ladley hesitated. "No," he' said finally. "My wife had had these at- tacks, but they were not serious. I was curious to see how the river front looked and rowed out too far. 1 was caught in the current and nearly car- ried aw" "You came home after that?" "Yes, at once. Mrs. Ladley was bet- ter and had dropped asleep. She wak- ened as i came in. She was disagree- able about the length of time 1 had :leen gone and would not let me ex- plain. We quarreled, and she said she was going to leave me. I said that as she had threatened this before and had ]ever done It I would see that she "gaily started. At daylight I rowed Ser to Federal street." "What had she with her?" "A small brown valise." "How was she dressed?" "In 7'ith a black and white dress and hat; a long, black coat," (To be cent nntd) 1 PROSPERITY Advertisements Are the Guideposts Showing Way By HOLLAND. WOULD you travel the WOULD that leads to Pros - verity? Then read the ad- vertisements. Theyare the guideposts pointing the way. Disregard the advertisements and you are likely to go wrong, and even if you final- ly reach your destination you do so only after needless de- lays and unnecessary travel- ing The traveler who would disregard guideposts, who would not examine them at every opportunity, would be called foolish. Ile would get little sympathy when he com- plained of time lost going the wrong direction, The man who neglects to read the advertisements is disregarding guideposts and is taking unnecessary chances and is delaying his own pros ress. ADVErtTISEM ENTS OFFER WAYS TO SAVE DOLLARS. If you fall to read and profit by the advertisements you itre giving your neighbor Who doers read them an advantage.