Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-09-22

age at 3,l5?
1t WAS an odd discrepancy, but not
by any means sufficient to clear him.
A cunning man might have arranged
things SO.
l obtained !. photo "aph Of the label,
and distributed copies among his
friends.
But accident suggested curious
possibility. a friend of mine was in.
tcrcstcd in a benefit" which was be-
ing organized for an actor. He called
to let me know how it was progress
ing.
II have had such bit of luck" he
said. II wrote to Lady Epworth.
When she was on the stage che was
n pal Of old Burrows, and thought
perhaps she might fork out flyer.
However, to my surprise, the old
screw has sent five and twenty pounds.
Here's no" is..>..''
While reading her letter l noticed
that there was, at any rate, some re-
scmblance between her writing and
that on the label. 1t seemed to me
that the writing on the label was
about midway between that of Lady
Epworth and Dalton Humphrey. If
he had tried to initiate her handwrit-
ing or she had tried to initiate lis.
one could imagine that this would
be the result.
submitted the three specimens to
an expert.
His report was unfavorable.
In his opinion the address had hot
been written by Lardy Epworth. He
was satisfied that the label was ad
dressed by The person-whoever he
was-who had written the third speci-
men. That person was, Of course, the
accused.
Mcssrs. Perott and Mcnson told me
that they knew Lady Epworth by
sight, but had never seen her in the
shop, and l began to lose what little
confidence l had ever had in the case.
But not so with Miss Doughty. She
didn't believe experts nor, in fact,
anybody who had anything to say
against Mr.. Humphrey, and suggested
we should try another interview with
him.
At first lie was. as obstnatcly silent
as ever, but | mentioned the discrcp-
Hncy in the time of posting. Instantly
his attention was aroused.
"Do you mean to say" he said bit
tcrly. that YOU don't take it for
granted that | am guilty"
Il don't take anything for granted"
replied sharply. "And if you would
only pull yourself together like man
we might do some good"
what can dog he said. cOloring.
answer Il few questions. Whom
do you suspcct?'
Nobody. 1t is that which BOWL
dcrS me-
what about your aunt? Would she
benefit by Lord Epworth's dcath?'
"Indircctly she would he sand,
thoughtfully. "When my uncle mar
ried he was wildly in love, and made
cXtravagant settlements"
'But she has an annual allowance"
said.
"Yes; but she doesn't always get it,"
he said, with smile, because Ep-
wOrth's affairs were in such Il pickle.
But now that he is dead nobody could
prevent her stepping into large prop
crty.'
what kind of Il woman is she?'
"a thoroughly bad lot" was the
prompt answer.
"Docs she know your handwriting?"
asked.
"Certainly. She has had letters from
me-"
This gave us something to work on.
Further conversation brought to light
the fact that there lived with Lady
Epworth a Miss Denton, who seemed
to be half lndy's maid, half companion.
Humphrey said lie believed she was n
rclation-probably sister. 1t was
possible that, although Lady Epworth
herself had never entered Perott and
Mcnson's shop, her creature might
have done so.
With some difficulty I procured n
photograph of this Miss Denton, and,
placing it among a number of others
took it to NIcssrs. Pcrott and Men
son.
They picked it out Immediately. The
lady was regular customer. She
purchased choral. They knew her
name, and she gave the address of a
h,, IN, I1, Ey1t,nrth'. ul
bOrhOod
Moreover, they had transmitted
through the post a bottle of choral to
the woman few days before Lord
Epworth's death.
She or Lady Epworth had evidently
initiated Humphreys handwriting,
watched his movements and posted
the poison mt time when suspicion
would inevitably fall on him.
Having proceeded so far with the
it over to his solicitors to complete it,
us l had no wish to pose as a detect
i've.
Mr.. Bennett. instead Of consulting
the police and taking steps to have
the women arrested, or mt any rate,
watched, simply wrote to Lady Ep-
worth requesting her to call ut his
Office.
Evidently she and her Gladys maid
took alarm. for the effect was start
lingly tragic.
Next morning London was clcctri,
fled to learn that Lady Epworth had
died by poisoning by her own hand,
and her accomplish had disappeared.
The expert on handwriting had blum
dercd, as experts sometimes do, but
we had no difficulty in obtaining Hum
phrcy's release Mt the next magistcrial
inquiry. There was. however, still
one point which had not been cleared
up, and in Miss Doughty's presence
put two questions to him.
Why had he purchased n bottle CT
choral? and above all, why had he
tacitly admitted his guilt:
His answer was n painful one.
Il have been secretly addicted to