Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-12-12

like she was my own. Ny brothers
narne 10 Charles Sigmotta. but ! do
not know where he Is. Little Nita
10 ct Madame De Longs school In Al
bany, in the stat OF New York.
Il swear by all the holy saints that
what hat written Ia true.
ANTONIO SIGMOTTA."
Here; indeed. was valuable docu.
ment. My exultation was so great
that seemed to have Ralph Gravis.
court completely routed, and Edith
Broughton's sweet face seemed to
smile encouragingly at me from way
across the sea. But after few min
utes Of supreme qualification, the
thought flashed over me that the
statement of Antonio Sigmotta, other
wise known as Barlotti, did not In any
way connect Ralph Graviscourt with
the case OF course. the photograph,
the pin with the name Alice engraved
upon 1t and Nita Barlotti's striking
resemblance to the wife of Charles
Graviscourt, were to my mind conclu-
sive evidence, but would the evidence
hold In law? knew it would not.
took the locket from my pocket,
removed the picture and found. slip
OF white paper bearing date. ex-
amined this, and my heart throbbed
with excitement when saw that the
date of Doctor Sigmotta's attempted
murder of Nita Barlotti was the same
as that inscribed upon the tomb
stone in Trinity cemetery, New York,
as the date Of little Alice Graviscourt's
death. carefully replaced the paper
and the picture, and with wild dreams
OF what might occur II ever escaped
from the clutches of the prefetto. /
passed the remainder of the night half
sleeping on broad. low couch that
stood in one corner of the guard room.
In the morning was served with
substantial breakfast and soon
after had disposed OF 1t: Il was con-
Quoted before the prefetto. The elder
Maligni looked at me with q venom
GUS glance, and saw In the faces of
the crowd Of men around him not one
gAance Of friendliness.
Among the spectators was a rascal
Unlocking fellow who was called by
the prefetto "Pordino," and a. he
seemed to have the friendship of the
powerful Maligni, at once identi-
fed him as the Count di Pordino, the
uncle Of Henry Thorlans, spoken Of
by Mutterelli. e
Mia was not brought into the room
during the trial, and did not seem to
be an important factor. There. was
not friendly voice raised in my be-
half. made an attempt to speak,
but was ordered to be quiet.
When the testimony was all in, the
prefetto turned to me, and said:
Young man, have listened to the
evidence against you, and find that
you are guilty Of the murder of my
brother. From to-day. you are the
same as dead. The sentence which l
shall impose upon you is that you be
put in the Cagliari prison and work
TOR the state during the remainder Of
your life. That is all have to say
to YOU"
Butt" I cried, springing to my feet,
II am not guilty. swear to you, pre-
fetto, that do not know who killed
your brother! I had no cause to hate
him or to wish him dead! But others
had! An attempt at his life was
made in New York. saw it, but I
had nothing to do with it. Your
brother had enemies who have
tracked him here T.
Enough! You were seen yesterday
in company with another, examining
my villa and grounds. At night my
brother is murdered and you are
found on my property. carrying of
my brothers promised wife. It is
enough"
Then turning to the guard, he Ut
tered a command, and was conduct
ed from this hall Of justice to my pris-
on.
AS entered the great iron gates of
the prison yard, and heard them clang
behind me, felt the deepest despair.
My clothes were taken from me,
and I was clad in the bi-colored pris-
on suits with which Sardinia clothes
its prisoners.
These suits are made of stun very
similar to that In use for the same
purpose in the United States, but the
colors, instead of running in stripes,
are divided in the middle. One-half
measuring from q line drawn from the
nose downward, is dark and the other
light. When had been thus clothed
had one arm. leg and the right side
of my body black, and the left arm,
leg and half of my body dirty gray.
My watch, the gold locket and pin
that l had taken from Maligni were
taken from me, but the letter Of An.
tonic Sigmotta was returned to me
with a shrug Of the keepers should
ers, as if to say that If the possession
Of a piece of paper would make me
any happier, | might have it. for all
lie cared to the contrary.
This done, I was conducted with
scant ceremony to- dungeon cell
MY cell was perhaps twenty feet
square, high up in the tower, and
overlooked the north.
The floor was Of stone, and tie walls
of some kind Of cement. The fur
niture consisted of an iron bedstead,
an old chair, and small tble. The
light came through small grated
window which was above my head.
For time, after reached my cell,
I was greatly worked up, the excite
ment of the day and Of the previous