Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-04-29
close up shop when Jowatt came in,

given by the clerk tallies with young
Wright's appearance, and the giving
in of fictitious name aroused my
suspicious. A visit to Neckar's pawn
shop revealed the fact that under
like mysterious circumstances Wright
had pawned another watch under the
name of Jowatt, and it was done
shortly after six o'clock. I obtained
from the pawnbrokers the various ar
ticles and turned them over to the
chief"
The witness then identified the ar
ticles already offered in evidence as
those which he had obtained from
the pawnbrokers.
Neckar~ and the clerk from Rosen-
that's were then introduced, and they
identified Wright as the young man
who under the name Of Jowatt had
pawned the watches and other arti-
cles.
The testimony was completed with
the evidence Of the sheriff and the
chief Of police. The material point
in their testimony was that they,
with the permission of Mrs. Wright,
and in her presence, had gone
through all the private papers of her
husband and had found no will. The
significance of this fact was, of
course, brought to the attention of
the jury by the coroner, who stated
that in the absence Of will Mr..
Wright's property would be divided
without prejudice between his chill
dren, and consequently Herbert
Wright was a direct beneficiary by his
fathers death.
The testimony given by the Off
GERS produced profound impression
not only on the jury, but on the
crowd assembled there. Even Warde,
who had been inclined to entertain
belisf in Wright's innocence, was
staggered for a moment. It was not
an easy matter to conceive an ex-
PLANTATION Of the damning facts that
had been brought to light. AS for
Herbert Wright himself, he seemed
to be dazed by the chain Of circum-
stantial evidence which had been
wrought around him. His face was
strong psychological study, and
upon it growing horror depitced it.
self. Was it the despair of innocence
surrounded by network of appar-
emily unanswerable accusations?
Every bit of testimony seemed to en-
body a charge. Or was it the stupor
of guilt detected that appeared in his |
face?
The coroner's jury made no at
tempt to construct any theory of in
nocence, but brought in a verdict
that the deceased had come to his
death from blows and wounds in.
ficted by his son.
CHAPTER vi.
Irving Warde could not have ex-
planned the impulse which caused him
to seek IN interview with Miriam
Wright when the coroner's jury had
finished its investigation. 1t was
certainly not idle curiosity, nor the
mere professional instinct Of the
newsgatherer; but some occult SYM
pathy seemed to draw him to the
cold, emotionless young woman
whose beauty had been as great a
revelation to him as her personality
had been mystery.
Miriam Wright had had no expert
ence with newspaper people, and had
no horror of the interviewer. At that
time he had not attained the pin
nacle Of caustic opprobrium that has
since then been erected to his indus
try and his dicredit. So when Irving
Warde sent up his card she came
down Immediately to the parlor to
see what was wanted of her. He had
the appearance and manners Of a
condemnation he was one-and SO
Miss Wright's suspicious of prying
newspaper reporter were never
aroused.
From her appearance it was evident
that she was the victim of nervous
relapse from a great mental strain.
Her behavior on the witness stand.
her marvellous self-possession until
she was led to testify in the dark,
had visibly been the result of an in
tense benumbing excitement. The
iciness had gone from her face, and
it was a helpless, feverish woman
who confronted him.
Warde found himself. strange to
say, endeavoring to allay her alarm.
s.Miss Wright" he said, st am one
of those who believe that your
brother,s ;nnocenca viii eyan+n,1l,
be established, and 1 have come to |
ask you whether I can be of any as
sistance whatever to you."
After he had said this Il sounded
very foolish; but she evidently ap-
preciated his good Intentions. for
she said: at is yery kind of YOU. Mr..
Warde. hardly know what to say.
It has come upon us 80 suddenly. SO
horribly that 1 cannot tell what we
shall do. If, however, we should see
way in which you could assist"
Believe me, I shall be only too