Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-08-18

companion, the notebook, in his hand ,
he sat and,waited while the place gradu-
ally filed with the morbidly curious.
The coroner flung quick look of re-
eognition IN his direction as he entered
| but took no further notice of him, and
proceeded at once to swear the jury
This, which in ordinary cases was mat
ter of difficulty and speculation. was
quickly accomplished on such an occa-
sion, and they were then taken out to
view the body. After they had returned,
and silence had been obtained the exam
ination of the witnesses commenced.
The first was an elderly, respectable
looking gentleman, dressed IN the deep
est mourning: He was very pale, and
looked anxious and careworn.
In reply to the usual questions he de-
posed that his name was Walter Ennis,
and that he lived, during the summer
months, in house of his own in the
town known as Monplaisir The deceased
was his wife. They had been married
four years.
Asked whether their married life had
been happy he answered, with evident
reluctance, that it was not altogether so.
She had possessed a violent temper, over
which she had little or no control and
she was moreover at times addicted to
drink
A juror Had the deceased any
means of her own?''
Mr.. Ennis" None that 1 know of -
Another juror Had your insured
her 1ife?''
Mr.. Ennis flushed crimson at the
coarse significance of the question, but
answered without visible emotion that he
had not.
fWhen did you hear of the murder?''
asked the coroner.
Between three and half past, on
July 14th, the day it was committed -
How is that you did not hear it be-
fore?''
"Because II was in London that
day
Mr.. Padger made note of the ques-
ton and its answer, for he detected an
unmistakable hesitation and embarrass-
ment in the manner of the man.
Have you any suspicious as to the
author of the deed?''
"No-none.
fThank you. That will do. - And
having Obtained permission, Mr.. Ennis
withdrew from the room. MIR. Padger's
pencil was at work again IN the mean
time, for there was All almost impercep-
tible pause before the last reply, which
did not escape his watchful ears.
The next witness was the bathing wo-
man, and during her examination Mr..
Padger sat gazing fixedly at the ceiling,
holding his pencil between his teeth, and
turning it slowly round and round.
Her name, she said, was Efie Mac
nally, and she was employed as superin-
tendent of the ladies bathing machines.
''Were you there on July 14?''
81 was, sir: and was only remarking
to Mrs. Nab
eyes, yes, - interrupted the coroner.
"Do you remember the deceased coming
to bathe?''
"Wull it be Mrs. Ennis? 1 do sir. -
"What time was that?''
''Twal o'clock -
care you quite sure as to the timer
"Aye, sir, sure aneuch 1t was joost
the chap the knock, aud for bye being
her usual time, as she was pitten her fit
on the steps the gun banged off and L
saw her joomp, and said
eyes, SIR interposed the coroner
once more. ''What happened after
wards?''
"Auweel at 1880 went and chapped
at the door,
care you sure as to the timer asked
juror, who, wishing to appear prefer
naturally acute, thought he could not do
better than copy the coroner.
Sure, aye!' she said. turning upon
him Indignantly. ga the ither ma
chimes were up a long whiles, and 1 was
beginning to think it was high time was
ava to me denner, so asked Mrs. Nab
and she said, IT'S joost gone the half
hour, so 1 went and ohapped at the
door.
''Isn't an hour and half rather a
long time to occupy machine?
''Well, yes, sir, it is; but Mrs. Ennis,
We see, was a gran sooner, and used
aye to bride geyan lang in the water,
and was busy and didna RIGHTLY ken the
time.
"'Well, you knocked at the door.
What then?''
'fJOost nothing ava. There was nae
answer, so 1 chapped again, and then 1
went to haze a peek at the sea, but there
was naebody there, so | chapped again
and feenally burst in the door, and saw
her lying stretched out stiff and stracht
upon the floor, and 1 said 'Wheer will
be the ither leddie, and then 1 gle a
skreich. -
Mr.. Padger brought his eyes suddenly
down from the ceiling to the witness
face, and the coroner started at this last
piece of evidence, and said quickly:
"Other ladyr What other lady?''
''The one that ganged into the dorkin
wi Mrs. Ennis. -
''Who was she?''
81 dinna RIGHTLY kin. -
Had you ever seen her before?"
"Not to my recollection. -
"What was she iike?''
"Ou. She was bonny lass -
edo you think you would know her
again if you saw her!"
AYE. 1 would know her among a
thousand. She was a beautiful young
leddie, VII red cheeks and gowden hair.
Quite a picture.
Mr.. Padger's pencil was hard at work,
while the coroner reflected a moment,
after which the witness was dismissed
and the doctor summoned.
He was good looking young man,
but seemed nervous and gave his evil
dence with close precision, as If the
sense of the weight his words might have
him.
He said that his name was Benton,
that he lived in London, but had