The Opelousas courier., 1898-03-26
The Foreman
of the Jury.
BY CHARLES Z. LEWIS.

dtIcSt OIUct0u over tuc wire I'LL uOU
before. A detective who has been i
the business for a dozen wear seldol
meets anything that surprises him, bu
as this officer vas asked to arrest
handsome, w~ell-dressed woman on tn
charge of robbery, he opened his eye
in amazement. There were two hand
some, well-dressed women, and on
said to him:
"Oficer, this person has robbed
me of iewelry to the value of $1,000
and [ want her arrested at once!'
The other looked at him in a cold
naughty way and made a gesture O
contempt as she replied:
Officer, this woman's charge is
false, and if you detain me it will bt
at your peril!'
"My name,' continued the first,
els Mrs. John Wickham, of New York
city. I am on my way to Chicago tc
visit relatives. This person boarded
the train at Buffalo, and we became
quite friendly. 1 had the jewelry in
a small satchel. Late last night OF
early this morning she obtained pos
session of it. [ wish to have her al
rested and searched"
'sIf you dare to do it l will have
you sent to prison!" exclaimed the
other.
Here was a straight charge and a
firm denial, and the detective was non
plussed. If the woman had stolen
the jewelry, she must have the plumber
about her person or in her baggage.
He asked her ii she was willing to be
searched, and she promptly replied:
"Not only willing, but I demand it
in order to clear myself. Afterwards
[ will deal with this woman"
The two ladies left the train and
were escorted to a hotel. Mrs. Wick
ham identified herself as the wife of a
New York millionaire, and sent a tele-
gram to her husband to come at once,
and a search of the other proved her
innocence. None Of the missing
iewelry was found upon her. She
gave her name as 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 as best she could, but
Mrs. Taylor stood on her dignity and
wanted $40, 600 for her injured feel
lngs. She must either have $40, 900
cash or she would sue for $50, 900
damages. Perhaps the two women
have reached some sort of q
compromise but for the advent of Mr..
He heard his wife's story
'bout the loss of her jewelry, and
'ealizing that he was in a box he
iried a bluff game 0 Mrs. Taylor. He
truck the weak spot at once by de-
handing her husbands address in
She refused to give it, and
Ter refusal aroused suspicion that
omething was wrong. When pressed
o give her identity she positively re-
used, and the result was a formal
barge and her arrest in due form.
When the alleged thief was ar
circumstances were SO much
her that she was held for trial
the higher court. She continued to
i've the same address as at first, and
lded that she would see the case
without any assistance from
er husband. Her policy was one of
independence. She had a
he wardrobe, considerable jewelry,
id vas also bound for Chicago. Her
lsh in hand amounted to less than
1000, but no sooner had she secured
lawyer than money was sent him to
AXE a desperate fight for her acquit-
l. Wickham was not only an aggres-
We man, but he had to convict the
oman OF pay damages. He therefore
.ed the police in every possible
ny.
Buffalo was turned upside down ,
finding a James Taylor to fit
9 case. Every effort was made to j
cate the woman, but beyond the fact !
at she had taken the train at Buffalo
thing could be learned. There were ,
enty who said she was an adyentu- 6
and was guilty Of theft, but there
my also who contended that she be- 1
lged to some honorable family, and
8 seeking to shield the name from t
andal by giving a false oneand with
lding information. She didn't seem
worry at all during her commitment. C
d when the case finally came to trial y
. was in the best Of spirits. Fl
am a quiet, steady man of family, b
t in the habit of reading the news a
pers much. If l had not been n
on the jury for that term of d
lrt I doubt if I should have ever W
srd of the case. AS a juror I had p
listen to and weigh ali the evidence,
l for three days the accused woman W
within ten feet Of me. The evil OF
ice was purely circumstantial, but CT
particularly strong as circumstan-
evidence. Mrs. Wickham had W
ton No. 7,and Mrs. Taylor had sec rc
a No. s.. Both had handbags. Mrs.
had said nothing about the re
elry, but the bag in which it was pc
red had disappeared. There were
y four passengers in the sleeper. pl
, third was an old lady-the fourth
president of an eastern college.
therefore to be considered above
If the car porter had 70
an the bag he had passed it to some
during the night, but the defense X
not even hint that he might have do
en- it. II
} was a singular and yet q strong re-
snse. If the prisoner preferred to tn
t the case out without revealing an
identity that was to her credit, and
ID not be used against her. AS wi
did not know the contents of the Gu