The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-07-04
Mystery Of the
Bayou Woods
By WALKER KENNEDY.
Copyright, 1909 byA. Kellogg Newspaper CO
CHAPTER V.-CoNr1NuED.

ness, Herbert Wright, was called, and
all heads turned to look at him as he
made his way to the witness stand.
He was not nervous, though he was
the very picture of forlornness. He
appeared to take only vacant inter-
est in the investigation, and was
either careless or Obvious of his own
danger. At the moment he took his
seat every mind there was revolving
the probability of his having been the
guilty cause Of the present tragedy.
With rather bored air he waited
Me coroner's questions. After giving
his age, name and other formal in
formation, such as is required on oc-
casions of this kind, he was asked the
following questions:
"You and your father were not ON
the best of terms, were you?'
''No, Sir"
'What was the cause of your fall
ang out?"
"My MARRIAGE"
"Why did he object to your mar
riage?"
81 can't see" said Wright, testify,
~what my fathers objection to my
marriage has to do with his MURDER
''It may have great deal to do
with it, said the coroner, significant
".
ooh, see" said Wright. with cool
sarcasm. "You think that perhaps
this may furnish clew to connect me
with his death. Very well. If the
troubles that have overtalen me and
mine will satisfy your curiosity and
entertain his crowd. why | am ready
to narrate them. Ask me what you
will"
81 will repeat my former question"
said the coroner. "Why did your
father oppose your maria geo"
Ellis objection was to my wife?"
con account of her poverty, or any
thing of that Eindo'
mot that ] know Of"
ellis objection was personal one?"
Hardly that. For she was beauti-
q. full and lmiable as Well"
81 don't understand then what his
objection to her could have been.
Will you explain it?"
"Well, if you must have it, my
father many years ago got into a
difficulty with his overseer, Jefferson
Baxter, and killed him. 1t was very
unfortunate affair in every way, and
reference to it was carefully avoided
in our family. My father was very
taciturn man naturally, and he never
told me anything about it. l was
from home great deal, having been
sent to college when I was Is, and l
never knew the full details of the af-
fair. Indeed, only knew that years
ago he had killed his ovcrseer and
that he had been cleared by jury.
To make d long story short, my wife
is the daughter of jefferson Baxter
and when my father learned that
was about to marry her he moved
heaven and earth to break off the
match; but would not listen to his
objections. and he accordingly disin-
herited me and forbade me to ever
come again into his presence"
>'Tou have sometimes solicited aiC
of him, have you not?'
Eyes: | have been very unfortunate
in business. My wife's continued ill
ness has been the cause "f NY losing
several good positions, as have al
ways thcrght t!.nt MY nrSt duty wa:
to her. At times we have been II
great distress, and have gone to lni
fA1hcr to see if he would not relcn
and help us. The last time ! wen
was few days betor" his body wa
eliscove, ed; indeed it was the da,
before he was murdered"
Did y"n quarrel with him ant
threaten Elm on that day?'
"t,,jr interview was Il little stormy
a,lt was half era y wit h hunger AN
despair. am certain. however, tina
Z never threatened kim, and ! nevc
pe,atcrta;nrd amy idea of wrcakng ven
sseanrr upon Kim: for, of course,
s,as his; privilege to make hin,srl
granite, toward me If he so chose.
Can you think o! anyone VIII
would have "a motive for committing
this crime:
Il suppose could; but | dccln
"a give my snriniaas for testimony.
This answer created cpnSitieraDl
speculation, but insist as they woult
the witness could not be made to sd
whether lie had any suspicious, q
what they were. His testimony d
vided sentiment, some thinking tina
he was the guilty person, others si@
ing with him because they believe
he was innocent, or because the
could not blame him much if he ha
rid the earth of such man as job
T. Wright.
The next witness was a young ma
by the name of Frank Bradley, wi
had been out hunting the same Ola
as Wright. He was asked whetht
he had hunted anywhere in the ,
cinity of the murder. He replied
the affirmative.
81 dropped in at Uncle Dicks cab
to get warm" he said, land aft
had left him and was going to Il
city, I met Herbert Wright betwe'
there and the city,"
"Who is Uncle Dick?"
HE is an old hunter who lives
himself in cabin in the Bay
Woods. Doesn't have much to do wi
the world, but he's always very 81
to see anybody who comes to
place.
"Where is his cabin?"
cts on the long road through t
Bayou Woods
"You know Herbert Wright?'
eyes; have known him since
were boys"
did you stop and talk any?"
"It was bitterly cold, and