The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-07-19
What KOtefmann Saw
A Case Where There Was No Need
of Circumstantial Evidence.

mann. As We sauntered through the stub
hle hcldS we diScoursed of this and of
that, aud at last we got upon the topic of
the latest murders which had been re-
ported in the press.
Notelmann, as we talked about these
things, had the look that always makes
my hair stand on end We were dis
cuSSnS the question of circumstantial
evidence and its value
I'm ~ cases out of 100," | remarked
there is nothing else to be done but to
convict the criminal upon circumstantial
evidence. No man in his senses would
perpetrate murder in the presence of an
eyewitness"
Probably not" returned Kotelmann
slowly That kind of thing is usually
done in private. 1t may so chance. how
ever that an eyewitness is present Of
whom the murderer has no cognizance."
After making this remark he walked by
my side for awhile in silence, apparently
deep in thought. Then he began again.
in his characteristic fushion:
"One may travel all around the world
and yet never witness murder. l, how
ever, have seen one"
What, you-you have seen oneI" I ex-
claimed, almost terrified. Explain your
self, man. Was the murderer caught !?
Was he punished?"
1T was no he it was a She" said
Kotelmann with a laugh. "And as she
was not caught it stands to reason she
was not punished"
Yet you began.
My companion interrupted me.
Il had nothing TO do with it. My evi.
dence was never called for nor required.
The thing was accomplished in the neat
est, most refined manner possible. If YOU
like. | will tell you the whole story"
| pricked up my ears.
-Four years ago | was spending nv
summer vacation at the little watering
place Of B. This quiet, retired nest suit
ed me well, and staid there some time.
I'm the house where found lodging
there were already a number of other
visitors, fact which, to a sociable indi-
vidual like myself, was in nowise dis
tasteful.
Among others l made a slight &C
quaintRnce with q family consisting Of
an old gentleman, his young wife and his
daughter by former marriage. The
girl, slim, delicate creature, apparently
about 20 years old, was blind. She could
not be termed pretty, but her personality
was indescribably attractive, gentle and,
! may say, pathetic. The wife was
beauty. She had a splendid figure and
pair Of gray eyes not easily TO be forgot
ten. l should judge her age to have been
about 2S. These people seemed TO be in
very easy circumstances and kept them
selves as much as possible apart from the
other visitors.
Il can boast, as you are aware, OF
some small gifts of observation. Al
though my acquaintance with this family
was, as l have already stated, but
slight one, yet took some interest in
studying the different members which
composed it. For. wherever | 20, make
it rule to study all the new characters
l meet. 1t was not long before l discov-
cred three things about this trio-6rst-
ly, that the old man was passionately in
love with his wife, but had for his daugh-
ter neither eyes, ears nor heart; secondly,
that the daughter had an almost idola-
trous reverence for her father, but Sc
cret dislike for her stepmother; thirdly,
that the wife had a downright hatred for
the other two.
"None of the other inmates of our villa,
however, had any suspicion of this state
of affairs, To the superficial observer
these three persons appeared to be living
together in perfect harmony.
"One morning the old gentleman did
not appear, and in answer TO INQUIRIES his
wife said that he was i'll. In the course
of the day a physician was summoned to
H., ,,,1 =, ~, ,,..,.:..-- -. l.. . :...