The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-27
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bye" and with this she left the room and
drove away in the carriage which had been
waiting az the door.
The following morning the i-,ques. was
resumed.
Florence Gouid's aunt. an elderly lady
attended aad identified the deceased as her
niece. who had been missing from home
since the 18th OF the month. The witness.
was aged, feeble minded. and had evil
IDENTIFY exercised very little control over
Mss GouIG's movements
Il have here said the coroner. the
pocket diary which was found on the man
Taunton. This diary contains some curl
Gus statements, which l took 10 be the
wandering hailucinatiens OF usadmaa's
brain. but after what has transpired here
they seem 20 give clue as to the manner
In which the deceased girl met with such
an untimeiy end
He then read extracts from the book.
which l have since copied, as follows.
April s.--Today l saw Florence once
more. and as | gazed on her handsome
countenance. with its blue sparkling orbs.
something whispered in my ear, Propose.
and she shall be yours. Somehow her
commanding presence oserayed me. and
my lips failed to give expression 10 the
yearninss OF my heart.
April I'll have proposed. and she has
refused me. In torrent Of words laid
bare TO her the passion OF my heart and
Florence has rejected ii. She does rot
like my ways: they are SO strange. Can
1t be that she reads my inmost thoughts,
which | have striyen To conceal? No, she
could not know that when / put my hand
in my pocket ii was to pull out a knife
to kill her Fortunately. | remembered in
time that by doing so in her home should
be discovered.
April s.-Again / pleaded my cause.
and told her of my royal descent, and
asked her to become my princess. Then
she laughed. and said / must be mad. How
difficult it was TO keep my fingers from fiy-
ing at her throat and SO ending her foolish
talk. The day is at hard when she and the
world will kneel at my feet.
April sth.-Am | mad? Because / COM
mune with the dead, who reveal to me the
secrets of life, shall l be deemed insane?
The king. my father. tells me no, and
urges me to press my suit with Florence.
She consents to be my friend still: to over
look my eccentricities. as she calls them.
/ must not betray myself. and then she
shall be my bride in life or death. 1 care
not which.
April FL have chosen palace for the
wedding festivities; it Is In Hautwell
square. Within its walls the wedding shall
be celebrated, and guests from the spirit
land shall join in the reveis. l told Flor
ence that my mother is living there. and
Will give a party. She has accepted the
invitation. and l am to accompany her.
All is prepared. and we shall pc married
in the presence of the king himself.
April 13.-The bride drove with me TO
Hautwell square. The windows I had brill
liantly illuminated. and We reached the
reception room without her suspicion be-
ing aroused. / offered her a glass Of wine.
and Tcou!d hardly conceal my joy when |
saw her sip the poison. In three hours she
- I--~I .x,1 . l.
company with the spirits. AS she put
down the empty glass I laughed aloud.
and cried, -Ali is well. and you are mine,
YOU are mime Then the bride turned pale
and retorted. You are mad, Baintre Taun-
ton. Where is your mother@ and she rang
the bell. How | reared with laughter at
her dismay when / Informed her that the
house contained no other mor,als but our
selves; that we were with the spirits. who
were waiting to join in our marriage rev.
els. My brain whrled: she escaped from
my clutches and reached the door, where
some villain seized her fred my revolv-
err al they fled. but she cannot 20 far: in
three hours she will be mine again.
IT don't think. gentlemen" said the cor
oner. as he laid the book down. after read
ing these extracts that you viii have much
difficulty in arriving at a conclusion as to
how this unfortunate young lady was kill
ed. DR.. Heythorn. through following tho
dictates of a generous and courageous ma
ture, has been placed in q somewhat ques-
tionable position, and Il shows how easily
suspicion may attach itself TO an innocent
person. I win not comment upon the con-
duct of the doctor in attempting TO con-
ceal the body. except 70 say that there
were extenuating circumstances. which
need not dwell upon here. 1t viii be I'M
necessary for me to review the evidence
either: for / think you Will have no hest
tation I'm returning verdict that Florence
Gould has been willfully murdered by one
Baintre Taunton. now deceased"
The jury without any consultations agreed
on returning the verdict which the coro-
ner had advised.
trude Mayhem could reconcile herself to
the thought of meeting ire once more. In
the meanwhile my professional connection
had increased beyond expectations.
MY hopes have always been ce4tered in
you Gertrude. The more have pondered
over the tragedy which crossed my path
the less surprised have been AT your dis
trust. Let us forget the past, and say you
| will be mine. little one"
| Horace, I have suffered deep pangs CT
remorse for my hasty conduct, and | am
/ sorry that cannot offer YOU better
| atonement for the injustice / inflicted than
/ my unworthy self
(The End)