Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-05-03

''This young man"-it was the re-
porter he referred to-"thinks the man
who attempted to rob Miss Dodge
about year ago and was thwarted
returned to make another attempt. He
says Miss Dodge was probably work
ing at Mr.. Morse's desk and that this
man stole in behind the subpartition
unobseryed. agree with him that
she had been working at that desk, but
am unable to coincide with his belief
that the glass globe was probably
knocked from it's place during strug-
gle between Miss Dodge and her as
sumed adversary. Any struggle that
might be made would scarcely bring
either of them in contact with the
globe. Moreover, after one disastrous
attempt to rob the cashier this man
should have learned wisdom and not
attempted it again. and don't believe
he did
AS for the theory that Mr.. Morse
shot his cashier. there is not much to
be said in support Of it. 1t is true, the
man seen on the stairs might have been
he. He might have gone up that way
in order to avoid being seen by the ele-
vator man, who would have recognized
him. do not regard this as probable,
however. The people where he boards
believe he was in his room during the
shower, and believe SO Also There
are stories in circulation that he was
in love with the young woman, but l
have been unable to discover that he
took more than friendly interest in
her. IL that is true, jealousy could not
have prompted him to kill her. AS for
the theory that he discovered she had
stolen money from the firm and in his
anger shot her, that may be dismissed
at once as foolish.
Having thus cited objections to 9TH
er theories. let me give you my theory
1t was the curling tongs and the little
mirror hanging over the high desk that
gave me the clew. | am going to try to
follow, in imagination, the probable ac-
lions of Miss Dodge that afternoon. 1
assume she was doing some necessary
work upon the cashbook. She habitual-
~ worked at the high desk near the
cashiers window. Here, however, she
had to use artificial light. Any one
working on books prefers natural light.
AS has been stated. it was the custom
of Mr.. Morse to leave his desk key in
the desk. Miss Dodge doubtless open
ed the desk and took her book over
there, where she would have good light
from the window
About Is minutes before the storm
broke the sky was overcast with thick
clouds, which, mixed with the smoke
made it very dark in the streets and
still darker in the buildings. 1t became
too dark for Miss Dodge to see to work
even by the window. Instead Of light
ing the gas by Mr.. Morse's desk and
continuing work. it was natural for her
to stop as the gloom grew deeper 1t
Is not necessary to assume that she
was afraid of thunder showers-in fact,
don't think she was-but she was
alone in the office, and as the storm
drew nearer and the air became more
charged with electricity it was natural
for her to become a little restless. We
have all felt that way, and when the
feeling comes on us we would rather
leave the work we are engaged on and
get up and move around.
81 assume that is what Miss Dodge
did. By that time it was very dark in
the office, so she lighted the gas over
the high desk. Then an idea occurred
to her-she would improve the time be-
fore resuming work on her books. The
day had been humid-bad weather to
keep the hair in as women say. Like
a good many other women, Miss Dodge
used curling tongs to curl her hair
with. The presence of the tongs in
the office would be presumptive evil
dence of that fact, but ! have verified
it from her mother and one or two init
mate girl friends whom have talked
with. Well. the moisture in the air had
taken the crimp out of her hair. and
she proposed to restore it.
Accordingly she opened the drawer
In which she kept the curling tongs
along with her stationery, needles.
thread and other trifles. She found
the tongs and proceeded to curl her
hair before the little mirror hanging
above the desk. heating the tongs In