Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-09
EIGHT MINUTES OF 3


1 heard the suppressed laugh that went
round the counsel table and was echoed
by the listeners In the court room. But the
adjournment was taken, and the moment
l got Daryl alone 1 said: well, you see
your theory didn't work. What are We
going to do now?"
To my surprise Daryl betrayed something
like excitement. Il told you," he said,
that she was smart woman: but I'll beat
her now or hang myself Go to your rooms
and leave orders so that can see you any
time before daybreak tomorrow. I'll be
back there. sure"
What are you going to do?"
Find those men that were working on
the roof"
And with that he darted off. and had a
sckly kind of feeling that If he kept his
word he would hang himself.
About o'clock the next morning he woke
me up with an outrageous ringing Of the
door gong. 1 slipped on my dressing gown,
rubbed wet towel over my head and face
and went down; His long legs were
stretched out in the study.
Now, look here he began, at once. Let
me give you this as straight and briefly as
possible. That woman never saw the church
clock that day. for it was impossible. She
deliberately lied, and that lie Is her doom.
Between her house and the church
tower, which Is on I'D street. there is, on
the other side of 22d street, nearest to her
house, a building called Hibernia Hall.
There are two poles on either end of its
cornice, and on the 18th of March, which
is st. Patrick's day, there was big banner
stretched between them, and nobody In
Mrs. Prineveau'S house could see the church
clock. The men on the roof couldn't tell
when the dinner hour came on account of
1t. I've got the two men, and they will
keeps the hall. Go back to bed; get your
rest. and tackle her tomorrow just where
you left off,"
When the court opened John Greve. with
the privileged sarcasm of an old lawyer,
said: THE witness Is yours. counselor.
You can now investigate that church
clock"
This was an unlucky speech.
Madame" I said to Mrs. Prineveau. TAT
my learned brothers suggestion we will go
back to the church clock Now, why did
you say you saw the time on that church
clock when it was impossible to see 1t from
your house on that day?"
She was taken unawares,. and repeated
after me: "Impossible?' .....
Yes" 1 said, impossible. There was a
large stationary banner stretched on st.
Patrcks day between your house and the
church tower
She showed some signs of distress and
half turned toward her counsel He was
on his feet in moment.
"Your honor" he said, while I am per-
fectly willing to allow every latitude to
my learned young friend in this interesting
diversion, 1 submit that the time of this
court cannot be taken uD altogether with
matters that are obviously irrelevant. The
witness may have seen the time by watch
or computed it by the SUM-"
This was my chance. The witness did
see the time on a watch. l said: "But she
will not acknowledge it, now ask you.
madam, did you not see that it was eight
minutes of by watch?'
Daryl had come In now, and his big cav
ernous eyes were fixed on her. She hesitat-
ed moment and then said:
II may have done so; I do not remem-
ber."
do you mean to say that you fixed the
time to a minute and do not remember
how you did it?'
Il do not remember"
Then why did you swear yesterday that
you fixed it by the church clock?"
II have been in the habit of SO doing
when in my ROOM"
But now you say you may have done
1t by a watch"
Il may have"
"What watch?"
II cannot say"
I heard Daryl whisper at this moment.
hard and fast now: Don't let her Think
WAS it a silver watch made by Bring
dat Frere, Geneva?"
A look of WEAKNESS shot across her face
Her lids came down little TREMENDOUSLY
she made movement, very slight, OF dis
tress. John Greve jumped to his feet to
protest, and some one gave her a glass of
water
''The counsel is simply wearing out the
witness" said Greve, with inc omprehensi-
BILE questions. On behalf of the lady. who
Is distressed and i'll, 1 protest"
And on behalf of justice" replied, IT
ask the jury to observe that the questions
about a watch distress both witness and
counsel. ~
Madam, was it not your husbands silver
watch by which you saw the time when
you put 1t in his waistcoat pocket, to be
worn over that spot WHARF, the bullet hole
was nade?"
Here the prosecuting attorneys were all
on their feet, of course, shouting eXcep-
lions. But 1 kept my eye on the witness.
l knew there was a profound Sensation
In the court room. 1 could feel It against
my back Hike a magnetic wave. But I
never took my eyes off the woman.
four honor, l said, without turning my
or life or death to an innocent man. His
rate lies in the answers of this witness.
she has deliberately lied in saying that she
did 1t to conceal something. 1t will save
the state and my learned friends a great
deal of futile labor to permit the cross
examination to go on now"
IF the counsel will frame his ouestions
to fall within the evidence there can he
no objection" said the judge
MADAM, your husband carried a watch?'
She bowed her head.
Ibid he buy that watch or did your'
may have done so. have made many
purchases for him."
can you produce that watch?
Il suppose So"
Gould you identify it If I produced fto"
She did not Immediately answer this uues-
ton. could see that weird change was
coming over ner she was making I'D her
mind that Daryl and knew the whole dire
history of her crime. and were merely PLAY
ing with her. The weary look became more
pronounced Daryl saw this, too, and
whispered to me not to forget the waist
coat.
Il ask you. could you identify the watch
If We produced it?'
'Yes, l suppose So
Gould you identify the bullet that fitted
into the back of it?'
stood still while the Indignant voices Of
the prosecution rang out. For 1 saw what
was coming. During the wrangle of OBJ
5ections, she toppled over In dead faint
and struck her head on the bar of the box
heavily.
The one thing that 1 distinctly heard in
the confusion that followed was Daryl's
husky whisper: Look out now that she
don't kill herself before she makes a con-
fession. The jg's up. I'm going over to
tell Mrs. GARRISON"
But he didn't go to Mrs Clarksnn,a iii