The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-01-12

7 arison and Crowley Isft the house together
to 80 downtown. \ few moments latsr
| Bessie Phyllis. a servant, with an escort
and the three children went out. intending
to go TO the Episcopal Church, where an en-
/ tertainment was to take place. and where
little Howell was to speak a piece Mrs.
Richardson remained at home alone. It be-
ing understood that she was to finish the
decoration of a Christmas tree. and was
then to so to the church, as she wished to
hear her sons juvenile elocutiOnary at
tempt.
IRE Two men walked together into the
! market square of the town. and parted in
front of a hardware store. which was near
the Fife-Richardson establishment. Rich
ardson went into the store to purchase
skates. which were to be hung upon the
tree at home as gifts for his sons.
! TELEpTiONED TWICE
20 HER HUSBAND.
Meantime. Mrs. Richardson was busy at
her labor of love-.aaternaI love. Upon the
Spires OF The evergreen she fixed the cam
Gt5@ wired on the silver and gilt hangings.
attached little bags of candy and found
places Tor The chief gifts. Al go D. M.
she crossed the street 10 the home of Doc
tor William NJ. Kerr. where she teIephoned
'@'"i-N - vi pshll4S cIit u NV
clerks to tell her husband that she was
starting for the entertainment. According
to her statement. she left the house. but.
after walking a block. remembered that
she had forgotten a brooch wbich her hus-
band mad given her for Christmas, and she
turned back to procure this. When again
In her home. she has stated that she felt
very tired. that she had only half finished
the work upon the Christmas tree and
that she decided to remain at her residence.
She said then that she again crossed TO
Mrs. kerr's house and telephoned TO the
store, asking that her husband be informed
OF her changed intention. The sending of
this message was questioned. but the at
torneys for the defense claim now to have
Mrs. kerr's positive testimony to the fact
that 1t was sent Whether or not Richard
son received it is a point open for proof,
though again Mrs. Richardson's LAWYERS
say that they will show circumstantially
that he did. But. with light. on this de-
TAI, 1t does not seem to explain why, about
a halt hour or forty minutes later, Rich
ardson suddenly started for his home.
Al so. as nearly as can be ascertained,
an incident occurred which would indicate
that Richardson had not received his wife's
second message. His second son. Frank.
Jr., came running to his store. saving that
MS mamma hadn't come to the entertain
ment- Richardson appeared surprised and
asked his son 10 run up to the house 10
see what the trouble was. The lad re-
piled That he was too cold, whereupon Rich
ardson himself left the store and. so far az
Is knoWn. was last seen by anybody ex-
cept his wife and his unknown SLAYER. az
ne was crossing the Savannah market place
his residence.
what occurred a few minutes later in
that plain frame house. and in Mrs. Rich
ardson's bedroom. as told by Mrs. Richard
son, forms as dramatic a scene as was ever
staged.
MURDER AS DESCRIBED
BY WIDOW AT INQUEST.
The wife states that she heard tho
crunching OF snow without. that she recog-
nlzed her husbands step. and that she
thought she could discern the tread of .
second person. thinking to surprise her
she planned ii practical Joke. She
hastened to the dresser and turned down
the light, but allowed the wick to sink TOO
lar within the burner. leaving the room in
darkness. Then her husbands tread. shs
heard uron the porch, and she heard him
enter the hall; and, it seemed, too, that
III SOuiu sui near tne Cldp-Cldp of an
other persons shoes.
Her joke unique as it was, is almost |
ancient history, 80 much has been said
about it. The door of her room. which was |
on the ground floor in the front part of the |
house, was open wide, and swung back. al |
most touching her bed. Against the wall. On |
the opposite side Of the door, was a lounge. |
She has told that she now crouched upon |!
the end of this lounge. a few feet from the |
door. When her husband stepped into the |
chamber she had intended to jump up sud I
denly before him and cry "Boo!"
This, in the darkness. she thought would |
him, and she expected to explain i
away his surprise by saying an instant later |
that it was only Addie, his wife.
But she said as he stood upon the thresh-
old-that other strange. unexplained tread
still aud,ble-she heard a shot.
Richardson staggered and fell backward.
Then, she has stated, the mysterious foot
Of the third person TO the tragedy