The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-02-03
4 !. FORE AhN
on THE JUR y.
Copyright. 1879
BY Charles 3. Lewis.



Copyright. 1879 ,..~
As the Lake Shore train from the
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 IN hour be-
fore. 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 handsome,
well-dressed woman on the charge of
robbery, he opened his eyes in amaze
ment. There we're two handsome, Well
dressed women, and one said to him: =
Officer, this person has robbed me of
. jewe1ry to the value of $4,000 and I
want her arrested at once!"
The other looked at him in a cold,
naughty way and made a gesture OF
contempt as she replied:
"Officer, 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 al Buffalo, and we became quite
friendly. l had the jewelry in Il small
satchel. Late last night or early this
? morning she obtained possession of it.
I wish to have her arrested and
searched"
If you dare to do it l will have you
sent to prison!" exclaimed the other.
Here was straight charge and a
firm denial. and the detective was nom
pIused. If the woman had stolen the
jewe]ry. 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:
mot only willing, but demand it
ID order to clear myself. Afterwards
l will deal with this woman!"
The two ladies left the train and
were escorted to hotel. Mrs. Wick.
ham identified herself as the wife of a
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 Jew.
elry was found upon her. She gave her
name as Mrs. James Taylor, of Buff,
falo, and she limited that her husband
would demand the fullest satisfaction
for the insult forced upon her. By
the advice of the chief of police, Mrs
Wlckham attempted to get out of the
affair as best she could. but Mrs. Tay
lor stood on her dignity and wanted
10000 for her injured feelings. She
lnuEt either have $4,000 in cash or she
would sue for $4,000 damages. Per
haps 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 the jewel1y, and realizing that he
was in a box he tried bluff game or
Mrs. Taylor. He struck the weak spo
at once by demanding 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 posi-
lively refused. and the result was q
formal charge and her arrest in due
form.
When the alleged thief was arraigned
circumstances were so much against
her that she was held for trial in the
higher court. She continued to give
the same name and address as at first
and added that she would see the case
through without any assistance from
her husband. Her policy was one oil
naughty Independence. Sic had fine
wardrobe. considerable jewelry, anc
was also bound for Chicago. Her cash
in hand amounted to less than 500, but
no sooner had she secured a lawyer than
ate fight for her acquittal. Wickhan
was not only an aggressive man, but he
had to convict the woman or pay dam
ages. He therefore aided the police in
every possible way.
Buffalo was turned upside down with.
out finding a 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 moth
ing could be learned. There were plen.
ty who said she was an adventures and
was guilty of the theft, but there were
many also who contended that she be,
longed to some honorable family and
was seeking to shield the, name from
scandal by giving false;:one3and 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.
i am a quiet, steady man of family
not in the habit of reading the news
papers much. II I'had not been drawn
on the jury for that term Of court
doubt if I should have ever heard OF
the case. AS juror I had to listen to
and weigh all the evidence, and for
three days the accused woman sat with.
in ten feet of me. The evidence was
purely circumstantial, but not particu-
larly strong as circumstantial evidence,
Mrs. Wickham had section No. z, and
Mrs. Taylor had section No. S. Both
had handbags. Mrs. Wickham had
said nothing about her jewelry, but
the bag in which it was stored had dis
appeared. There were only four pas
sengers in the sleeper. The third was
an old lady-the fourth the president of
an eastern college, and therefore to be
considered above suspicion. If the car
porter had taken the bag he hadpassed
it to some one during the night; but the
defense did not even hint that he might
have stolen it.
It was a singular and yet strong
defense. If the prisoner preferred to
fight the case out without revealing
her identity that was to her credit and
could not be used against her, As she