Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-05-16
JARNAGiN DEATHS,
Mystery in Chicago Cases Still Re-
mains UnravelIcd.

| chicago. ILL.,. May 15.-The mystery
of the Jarnagin deaths has yet to be
unravelled. but what may prove to be
light on the case came yesterday
when Miss Bergatha Johnson, steno-
grapher in Edward Jarnagin's office
told straightforward story of the ro-
mantle relationship between herself
| and her employer, and expressed the
| belief that she was under the surveil-
| lance of detectives employed by she
knew not whom.
Il can keep silent no longer" said
Miss Johnson, ''or 1 shall go mad ]
have nothing dishonorable to conceal,
no matter what may have been the
results Of our affection for each other
Mr.. Jarnagin told me he loved me- /
am frank to say that 1 looked upon
him as the embodiment Of all that was
good and noble. loved him as a father.
for the reason that he was married
man.
Il believe that Mrs. Jarnagin was
Jealous of me. believe it because Of
Mr.. Jarnagin's attitude toward me OF
late, of his wife'S attitude toward me
when she visited the Office, because of
a letter which she might have seen, and
because l believe that detective was
in the office on the last night that Mr..
Jarnagin and I worked over the books
together, after going out to take dinner
at a restaurant. Mr.. Jarnagin adver-
tiscd for a stenographer last Septem-
Der. 1 answered the advertisement, but
found that he had no work suitable for
me. He kept track of me. and then,
l,ft he he
"a warm affection grew up between us.
told him all my girlish troubles. and he
used to show me things about the office
| work. Many times he stayed down town
in the evening when reports were to be
when We worked over the books confided
in each other. Mr.. Jarnagin told me he
loved me, and | know he died. He told
ME that he had once lived q. fast life.
HIS morals were very sharply defined.
He rated me sharply for little iibs l used
to tell for fun.
letter that I wrote Mr.. Jarnagin about
three days before his death. There had
been some irregularity in connection with
a valuable letter, for which a boy was
later found responsible. | was sensitive
about it, because Mr. Jarnagin had talked
to me about it. but had not cleared up the
matter. l wrote him a letter. which ran
this way: Dear Ed: If you love me as
y =
clear up this matter for my sake?
There were three pages of it. | think
he had taken it home with him. and now
believe that someone gave her enough
hints so that she looked for and found it.
L positive that detectives have been
watching me since Mr.. and Mrs. JarnaSIn
died"
Miss Johnson is a pretty young woman
nut brown. Her eyes were red with
weeping. yesterday. and she trembIeu
with nervous fear as she told her story.
Miss Mary l.. Woodbury. of Boston, SIS
ter of the dead woman, and Jarnagln $
brother insist that Jarnagin never had
anything to do with Miss johnson, ana
that Mrs. Jarnagin was happy and CON
tented. Despite these assertions. Fred
Robertson. head of the Potter wall paper
office, declares he knew of the relations
of the couple, and advised Jarnagin to
drop Miss Johnson to avoid trouble. One
result of the confession of Miss johnson
is that it is stated at the Potter office
that she will not be connected with the
office after today.
While the coroner's physician stoutly
declares the couple were accidentally as.
phyXiated despite the fact that there was
no OdOr of gas and three je:s were burn
ing when the bodiS were found. Coroner
Traeger is making an investigation, and
the mystery is not yet solved Plans for
taking the bodies to Boston for burial
were postponed, today. Jarnagins
brighter is undecided as to when they
will be taken.