Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-02-25
7 he Foreman
of the Jury.
~ CHARLES II. LEWIS.


east rolled into Toledo one morning a
dozen years ago, detective was wait
ing TO see the conductor and make an
arrest ordered over the wire an hour
before A detective who has been in
the business for dozen years seldom
meets anything that surprises him, but
as this officer was asked TO arrest Il
handsome, well-dressed woman on the
charge of robbery, he opened his eyes
in amazemen.. There were two hand
some, well-dressed women, and one
said to him:
"Oficer, this person has robbed
me Of iewelry to the value of $4,000
and want her arrested at once!"
The other looked at him in a cold,
naughty way and made a gesture of
contempt as she replied:
"Oficer, this woman's charge is
false, and if YOU detain me it will be
at your peril!'
"My name" continued the first,
sis Mrs. John Wickham, of New York
city. am on my way to Chicago to
visit relatives. This person boarded
the train at Buffalo, and we became
quite friendly. l had the iewery in
a small satchel. Late last night or
early this morning she obtained pos
session of il. wish to have her ar
rested aud searched"
If you dare to do it / will have
You sent to prison." exclaimed the
other.
Here was q straight charge and a
firm denial, and the detective was non.
plussed. II the woman had stolen
the jewelry, she must have the plumber
about her person or in her baggage.
He asked her if she was willing to be
searched and she promptly replied;
"Not only willing, but l demand it
in order to clear myself. Afterwards
| will deal with this woman
The two ladies' left the train and
were escorted to hotel. Mrs. Wick
ham identified herself "a the wife Of
New York millionaire, and sent tele.
gram to her husband to come at once,
and a search of the other proved her
innocence None of the missing
jewelry was found upon her. She
gave her name ~ Mrs. Taylor, of
Buffalo, and she limited that her hus-
band would demand the fullest salts
faction for the insult forced upon her.
By the advice of the chief of police,
Mrs Wickham attempted to get out
Of the affair az best she could, but
Mrs Taylor stood on her dignity and
wanted so, 900 for her injured feel.
ings. She must either have $40, 900
in cash or she would sue for $50, 900
damages. Perhaps the two women
might have reached some sort of
compromise but for the advent of Mr..
Wickham. He heard his wife's story
about the loss Of her iewelry. and
realizing that he was in n box he
tried bluff game on Mrs. Taylor. He
struck the weak spot at once by de-
handing her husbands address in
Buffalo. She refused TO give it, and
her refusal aroused suspicion that
something was wrong. When pressed
TO give her identity she positively re-
fused, and the result was formal
charge and her arrest in due form.
When the alleged thief was ar
raigned circumstances were so much
against her that she was held for trial
in the higher court. She continued To
give the same address as at first, and
added that she would see the case
through without any assistance from
her husband. Her policy was one of
naughty independence. She had a
fine wardrobe, considerable jewslry,
and was also bound for Chicago. Her
cash in hand amounted to less than
$1,000, but no sooner had she secured
a lawyer than money was sent him to
make desperate fight for her acquit-
tai. Wickham was not only an aggre s-
sive man, but he had to convict the
woman or pay damages. He therefore
aided the police in every possible
way.
Buffalo was turned upside down
without finding q James Taylor to fit
the case. Every effort was made to
locate the woman, but beyond the fact
that she had taken the train at Buffalo
nothing could be learned. There were
, plenty who said she was nm adventu-
cess aud was guilty Of theft, but there
many also who contended that she be-
fouged to some honorable family, aud
was seeking to shield the name from
scandal by giving false one and with
holding information. She didn't seem
to worry at all during her commitment,
and when the case finally came to trial
she was in the best of spirits.
lam quiet, steady man OF family,
not in the habit of reading the news
papers much. II had not been
drawn on the jury for that term Of
ean-t Limit 70 ahnnll haya ever