Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08

i = SuOulO ike you 10 De qultc c1oaL Ou
the point. The woman is said to be your
wife. That makes such line OF defense
ridiculous.'
II never married." Latour returned OBJ
stinately.
Then your mistress?"
.Latour was silent; and the solicitor left
nim moodily thinking, but taciturn to the
end OF the interview.
The inquest was formally opened the same
day, in the club room Of the Cat and Bells,
and adjourned for week on the applica-
tlon OF the police. The Coroner and jury
requested that the prisoners might be
present when the proceedings were resumed,
and Inspector Sullivan promised that their
request should be conveyed to the right
! quarter. Mr.. Finch urged that in the in
terests of his client it was desirable that the
request should be complied with.
When the time came round for the Coro-
ner to commence proceedings in earnest, the
medical men engaged in the case on behalf
OF the Crown and the prisoners had COM
pleted their examination of the remains.
As soon as the court was opened the pris-
oners, who had arrived under a strong escort
OF police, were brought into the room. Ger
Gid appeared unmoved by the terrible posi-
tion in which he found himself, save for a
quick, nervous caressing of his long, curl
Ing black beard, which he stroked continu-
ally. Gillett had evidently strung himself
to put bold front on matters, but he could
| not hide from a careful observer that he
fully realized the gravity of his position.
This was displayed in the watchful, furtiye
glances which be ever and again cast round
the court, like wild bear at bay and pre-
pairing to spring.
The Coroner opened the proceedings by a
complimentary allusion to the zeal and
skill displayed by Inspector Sullivan, who
had been ably assisted by Mr.. Doggett, the
head of the Private Inquiry Department at
tached to the Universal Insurance Compa-
ny. These two gentlemen had fulfilled
their duties with such consummate ability
as to admit of the case being presented to
the jury in orderly sequence, and in man
ner which he believed would leave no doubt
on the minds of the jury as to the verdict
which it would be their duty 20 return.
With this preamble the evidence of the
workmen and the police who were present
at the discovery of the remains was first
taken, and then Maurice Dean was seated at
the table and sworn. He identified the
body which the jury had viewed as that of
his sister Meta. The features we're obliter-
ated, but the peculiar rich tint in her faxen
hair and the presence of large mole en-
bedded in the hair little to the right of the
left ear convinced him of her identity. He
remembered, too, that the small bone in his
sisters right ankle had been broken.
"We shall hear more about that by and
by" said the Coroner, when we come to
| the medical testimony"
Maurice then told how his sister first be-
came acquainted with Gerald Latour, and
that week after Latour left Cote Farm
Meta was missing, and had not since been
heard of. He had taxed Gerald Latour
with spiriting her away, which the prisoner
| had denied.
"Was'you sister married."
''That I cannot say" replied Maurice
Dean, in sharp tone Of pain. "That she
believed herself to be married, entertain
no doubt"
"Call Martha Coppock, /" said the Coroner,
after Mr.. Finch had attempted in vain to
shake Maurice Deans testimony.
Mrs. Coppock's story produced a great
to show that for three years past she had
lived at Rose Cottage, Willesden, as house.
keeper to Mr.. and Mrs. Latour. She recog-
nized Mr.. Latour, now in court, as her
master. One day in July last-she could
not remember the precise day, but it was TO-
ward the end Of the month-her mistress
seemed greatly upset. She had often seen
her weeping before, and knew the cause. 1t
was because Mr.. Latour would not allow her
| to communicate with her friends in Somer-
setshire, and inform them of her marriage
Witness asked Mrs. Latour whether she was
| fretting because of the old trouble. She re-
piled, "No, you cannot help me this time,
except by leaving me to myself" Witness
left her She believed that Mrs. Latour
spent long time in writing, for late in the
evening she came into the kitchen, wearing
her hat and ulster, and gave witness letter;
after which she left. 1t was a thick letter.
"What did she say when she gave you
the letter." asked the Coroner.
"She asked me to take care of it, telling
me that she was not certain whether she
would return or not. If she did not come
back next day. was to post the letter, The
| letter was addressed to Miss Marchant
whom 1 had heard of as my masters
cousin"
| "Did she come baek?"
"No; 1 have never seen her since"
Sand you posted the letter."
81 did, the next evening""
"Were you not surprised that she did not
return?,
mo. My master came home the next
evening, and told me that he had yielded to
my mistress wishes at last, and she had
gone down to Somersetshire to pay long
visit to her friends"
"a very plausibly told story to account
for the poor woman's disappearance" said
the Coroner, land one very cleyerly adapted
to aIlay the witness suspicious"
The jury murmured an assent, and looked
darkly on the prisoners.
The ulster and dress worn by the deceased,
and hat found under the body, were
brought into court. Though faded and
stained by their burial in the dark soil, the
witness readily identified them as the
clothes which her mistress was wearing
when she left Rose Cottage.
"Now, where was you master on the night
of Mrs. Latour,s disappearance?"
ST cannot say; he did not return home
that night. He came the next evening,
and said that he had been kept late as
usual
"Look at the prisoner Gillett, and tell us
| if you know him."
The witness glanced nervously round, and
then said: sHe is my husband"
HAS he ever been in trouble?''
The witness burst into tears: HE has.
sir. Don't ask me what, but he has been
under Mr.. Latour's thumb these seven
years. His real name is Coppock, not
Gillett.',,
Mrs. Coppock was subjected to long
cross-examination, but nothing material
was elected.
The next witness gave his name as Peter
Stones, who said he was lighterman and
| lived in a court behind Latour's premises
in Great Chester street. He remembered
the night of the 29th of July last. He
heard two pistol shots fired. They appeared
to come from Mr.. Latour's premises. Wit
ness had no doubt upon the matter. He
spoke to his wife about it at the time. and
she agreed with him. Did not think it his
business to inquire, and thought no more
ahnntt Ii nntil he read nf the Great Chester