The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-26
SIGNATURE ON REGISTER AT INDIANA RESORT
CORRESPONDS TO WRITING OF l. E. |MB0DEN
Lille Belle Pierce, Plain.
tiff in the Suit TO Share
Imb0den's Wealth, Is
the Author of a
Temperance Play.

The signature IL. Pierce and Wife, on
the register at the French Lick Springs Ho-
tel in Indiana shows a remarkable resera-
blance TO such samples of the handwriting
OF Luther E. Imboden as are in the posses
sion of Lille Belle Pierce. plaintiff in 4 suit
10 be declared the wife Of Imboden and to
share in the large estate left by him.
The name 'Imboden'' is found written on
the fly leaf of a volume entitled stolen
Waters" presented to Miss Pierce by her
supposed husband. book which will enter
into the evidence of the case. The initials
Il. B. p representing the full name.
Lille Belle Pierce" are written upon the
cover of a box Of chessmen. also presented
to the petitioner by the dead capitalist
The general style of the IL and the ''I'''
on the box and on the hotel register seems
to be identical.
The book. Stolen Waters" it appears,
was valued by Imbodsn and Miss Pierce.
as Its contents bear somewhat on their own
case. 1t is a narrative, in rambling verse.
which tells of the love of an unmarried girl
for married man. 1t is a composition
credited to Celia Gardner"
The matter in it Is extremely romantic. 1t
winds up by the man. Colonel Adair.
being released from his responsibilities by
mis- first marriage and rushing to the arms
of the only woman he ever loved
The moral OF the yarn is defined in a
prelude Three things it has been my en-
deavor to show" procairns Miss Celia
Gardner. These are the three:
First that no man can tell what they'll do till
Must in like circumstances he placed to decide
immacGlateness arr most often the ones
Not alone to be tried in that speciaI respect.
met
-i,a. y lie fa-
That's OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and earnest above
Al expression. be not aions true but pqrs :.
stTes
CrtEniHalIty for those who TO it snccumb
Benehcially. and refiner become.
And. third. that though conscience and principle
For time be crushed down. in the end their
They'll resume. and accomplish wha, noush, else
And with this prelude brief I. my work leave
with you.
Then begins the book proper. which con-
tains 32S verses. AS notices upon the title
Sweet are stolen waters! Pleasant is the bread
In secret eaten :
And a quotation from I.ongfellow:
And thus. unnoticed and apart
listened to that single Voice.
Until the chambers OF NV heart
Were filed with it night and day
Joseph Wheless, attorney for Miss Pierce.
thinks mat one OF the strongest Points in MS
case will be evidence which he considers
proof that the plaintiff. who, as an elocu-
ZIONIST and an actress had a source of
livelihood, gave up this TO enter a secret
marriage.
Aside from her professional Iabors as
public reader and speaker. Miss Pierce as
pired to become q playwright. She has
written much verse. and wrote play. The
title is ''Tha Village Pride; or, The Broken
Vow"
Her idea was that 1t should be a moral
play such as could be used effectually at
Woman's Christian Temperance Union gath
ering, to point out the horrors OF drunken
ress. 1t has five acts, which are divided
into numerous scenes.
The following is the cast of characters:
The SQUIRE .---.----.-.--.--...- t.dwaTG CAR
The Village Pride. ..-....Nay tSinscodEt
A Rejected Sutton and Villain Reuben Slade
A butler of the Joseph
A maid of the C1airs Ruth
The Young Heir. Master Edward
In addition are a recruiting officer and
VILLAGERS =" TIE general scene is an Amer
lean village. and the time Nineteenth Cen
fury. 1868 TO 1876
Contrary to the run of plays. this one
starts off with the wedding. The SQUIRE and
the Village Pride are to be united in matri
muny, because of which is much rejoicing in
the village
strewing flowers. upon which tle devoted