The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-02

am furnished an Office where you may
| come for that purpose. I dare not come
| TO your Office she cried, fog should be
murdered IL did There are parties on my
| track who threaten me with destruction
| IL I should dfvulge something that know.
am trying to and out some way to pro-
tect myself. and hence have come to YOU
Let me implore you to hear my story I
| then pointed out to her that a more dan
gerous place than the board walk could
scarcely have been chosen for the relation
OF such a tale, since discovery was immi-
nent at any moment.
HALLS HEARS THE STORY.
I'VE went over the railroad track and
walked along 1t until we came to a trestle
bridge. and on the upper side of the bridge
we came TO a secluded yet open place on
the prairie. where thought our conversa-
ton might be resumed with safety. I
cautioned her to look in one direction for
approaching pedestrians. while I would
keep an eye out in the other direction
After making me promise solemnly never
to divulge her story unless she gave me
permission to do so, she began her mar
rative, or rather confession. Her name
was Mary Ann Hudson; she lived at Sar-
dorus, eighteen miles from Champaign;
formerly kept dressmaking establish
ment, at which she formed the acquaint-
ance OF T. NJ. Lane. She became intro
duced to Lane in this manner: Having
business to transact at Champaign one day,
a neighbor woman told her (Mrs. Hudson)
that Lane was going over in his buggy
and she could go with him. When Lane
and Mrs. Hudson were returning to Sar-
ha
to her, such as that she was too smart
a woman to be making her living by dress
making, and that if she were under his
direction he could tell her how to make
money faster. He kept calling upon Mrs.
Hudson, and at frequent intervals would
resume his mysterious manner of talking.
She did not quite understand his meaning,
but finally got the impression that he re-
ferred to the commission of forgery or
some such crime. On the night OF the
day when the sun went into total eclipse,
Lane threw off his mask of mystery and
told Mrs. Hudson that what he wanted
was for her to become a member of his
gang of counterfeiters and act as their
''stool pigeon" When she demurred he
threatened to blast her reputation. She
persisted in her refusal, however. In
few days she began to notice that her
friends treated her with marked GOODNESS.
Places in which she had always before
been welcomed were denied her. In time
she discovered that Lane had carried out
the most diabolical scheme of which she
had ever heard or dreamed. At night he
would haunt the yard of the house where
she lived and when he knew some passerby
on the street would observe him he would
creep stealthily into the yard and then
hide. In a few minutes, when he heard
another person going by, he would emerge
as stealthily. being careful. however. that
he should be observed from the street.
Driven to desperation, Mrs. Hudson at last
acceded to his proposition, and became
a member of the gang. The woman con-
tinued her narrative, giving as full de-
tails of the gang, its operations and the
names of its members as she was able.
She told of the terrible espionage which
was kept over her and of the constant
threats made against her life should she
betray or attempt to betray the law
breakers.
"Still, however, could not help wonder
ing why she was so determined to betray
Lane and put the question to her bluntly.
1 shall never forget the reply 1 received.
There are some things she said, that a
woman will never forgive man for and T.
NJ. Lane has treated me just So 1 ques-
toned her further and she replied: You
are so quick at drawing conclusions L
should think you might guess without max
ing me explain. 1 will stop at nothing now
to get him in the penitentiary where he be-
longs I told Mrs. Hudson that I would
place full credence in her story provided
she would agree to turn Lane over to me
entice him to some place where 1 could
get him easily. She assented and we ar
ranged to carry correspondence
the subject. Her last words to me were:
Now. be very careful what you do My
life is at stake. These parties are very
desperate and will stop at nothing If they
suspect what I am doing. Never recognize
me in public under any circumstances, nor
admit that you know any such person as
/. They will try to catch you off your guard
You will be asked by persons whom you
will not suspect If you are acquainted with
Mary Ann Hudson, but remember what /
have said assured her that would make
no slip in the matter and we parted. she
pursuing her way to the house where she
boarded. following closely enough to keep
her in sight to guard against possible harm
coming to her. When l saw her safely at
home / returned to my own home and fell
into bed at an early hour in the morning
had just got into light doze when Ritten-
house burst into the room in state of
great anxiety. He gave me quite 'raking
over the Goals for having given him the
slip In the fashion 1 did, when he was so
sure that was being lured into a trap of
some sort. He said he had become more
firmly convinced of the truth of this sur
mise when the hours passed by without
any word coming from me. To his many
inquiries as to what happened during my
absence, I returned eyasive replies, mind
full of Mrs. Hudsons warnings
SHE KEPT HER PROMISE.
IT heard frequently from Mrs Hudson
during the next three or four weeks She
kept me advised of Lanes movements, ac-
cording to her promise. / met her several
times on the street, but did not recognize
her publicly or betray any sign Of ac-
quaintance with her. In daylight she APP
peared very prepossessing woman, of
about thirty-five years of age, wore good
clothes, and seemed TO be neat In her per-
II 1oo-