The Holly chieftain., 1903-04-10
MQuhAeGk, I|e Lion Toner.
BY SEWARD W. HOPKINS.
Author Of Jack ROBBINS q Ameriea," ia tn
Chins Sea-" Two 0entiemea q
Hawaii" "Os . False
Charge" Etc.
s.,,r..A.. 1855, by Rorr.r Bo--.,'. se.>
CHAPTER XIV.

The attempted murder of the child, |
Alice GraYiscourt. whose body you
threw into the East river on certain
night, and on the same day you filed a
certificate of death of Alice Grayis-
court of smallpox"
Good heaven!" gasped the quiver-
ing wretch. His face was pallid, his
eyes staring. his manner that of a
man beside himself with fear.
The superintendent paused, giving
the Italian a few minutes in which to
recover.
After the pause the superintendent
/turred, and, looking the scoundrel full
in the face, he said:
Now. Sigmotta, you see we know
y all about you. How would you like to
spend the remainder of your days in
dark cell in Sing Sing prison?"
excitement. and exclaimed:
1T is all lie! 1t is all lie!'
IS it?" replied the superintendent
Sigmotta cried out in his fear and
Now listen to me while | read you
two little documents have here. Did
you ever see the original of this?"'
He held the portrait of Charles
Graviscourt's wife before Sigmotta.
Yes, yes, knew her." he whis-
pered.
Now listen"
The superintendent then proceeded
to read the statement of Antonio Sig
motta, and the .wretched brother of
the trapeze actor sat shivering and
quailing as the damning sentences
were hurled at him in the superintend
ents stern voice.
By the time Byrnes had finished
that statement the wretch in the chair
seemed ready to die of fright.
Now listen to this said the super
intendent. and he continued to read as
follows:
The sworn statement of Luigi Dambo
of Cagliari. on the Sth day of - in
the year 18-.
Il, Luigi Dambo, being sworn, and
compelled by the obligation thus put
fupon me by my fear of future punish
ment to tell the truth, do declare that
this is the true statement of my con-
nection with the murder of Pacho
Maligni, and the affairs in which he
was an actor.
Il became attached to Malgnis cir
Gus in New York. and knew no person
connected with it save my employer,
and him oMy in the sense named.
After few days of the exhibition
at Madison Square Garden, in New
York city, was met by an Italian,
who gave his name as Tortoni, who
offered nae a large sum of money if
succeeded in killing the girl, Nita Bar
lotti, in some way that would not
drag him into the matter. | made one
attempt by cutting the rope of the
trapeze on which Nita Barlotti acted,
in the hope that her weight might
cause the other strands to break, and
thus she would be killed by the fall.
The severed rope was discovered, for
the girl did not appear that night, and
new rope was substituted for the
one | had cut.
"On the following night tried fire,
and saturated the ropes of the trapeze
with oil, and when Barlotti was aloft
| set fire to them, but she was saved
by Maubikeck, the Lion-Tamer, and a
man from the audience whom l now
recognize as Signor Wilberton.
"On this same night some person
Ired at Maligni and shot him in the
.cheek.
The next day Malign and the girl
we're missing, and so was Tortoni
Il kept myself secreted, knowing
that the affair would stir up the police,
and I saw neither Maligni, Barlotti
SeS,or Tortoni for several days.
Then it became known to me that
4 Maligni had taken passage for Europe
I with Barlotti, and that he had plenty
Il of money, and would, perhaps, return
II to Sardinia and settle.
A5 Il sought Tortoni and found him.
He told me that he had fired the shot
at Maligni, and that he wanted me to
follow the Snowman to Sardinia, and
there complete the work that he and
had begun in New York Tortoni
informed me that Maligni was in pos.
session of certain things contained in
red tin box which were most essen
tal to him. and l was to get the box
at all hazards. The murder of Malgni
and its contents were obtained.
Il came to Sardinia and awaited an
opportunity. At last it came. | had
obtained an entrance into the Villa
di Maligni by bribing some of the
servants, and one night | killed Ma