Morris tribune., 1904-06-11

Office or the story so told as to make it
evident that Mrs. Jeffrey could not
have been alone in the house at the
time Of her death.
A photograph had been taken Of those
marks, and my Identification of this
photograph closed my testimony.
AS 1 returned to my seat I stole a
look toward a certain corner where,
with face bent down upon his hand,
Francis Jeffrey sat between Uncle Da-
vid and the heavily yelled figure of
Miss Tuttle.
1 was followed by the other detec-
tives who had been present at the
time and who corroborated my state
ment as to the appearance of this un-
happy woman and the way the pistol
had been tied to her arm. Then the
doctor who had acted under the coro-
ner was called. After a long and no
doubt learned description of the bullet
wound which had ended the life Of this
unhappy lady-a wound which he in
sisted, with a marked display Of learn
ing, must have made that end instan-
taneous or at least too immediate for
her to move foot or hand after it-he
was asked if the body showed any
other mark Of violence.
To this he replied:
'There was a minute wound at the
base of one Of her fingers, the one
which is popularly called the wedding
finger"
This statement made all the women
present stare with renewed interest;
nor was it altogether without point for
the men, especially when the doctor
went on to say:
'"The hands were entirely without
rings. AS Mrs. Jeffrey had been mar
ried with a ring. 1 noticed their alb
sence."
'Was this wound which you charac-
teriZe as minute a recent one"
''It had bled a little. 1t was an abra-
sion such as would be made if the ring
she usually wore there had been drawn
off with jerk. That was the impress
sion I received from it's appearance.
do not state that it was so<'nade."
A little thrill which went over the
audience at the picture this evoked
communicated itself to Miss Tuttle,
who trembled violently. 1t even pro-
duced a slight display Of emotion in
Mr.. Jeffrey, whose hand shook where
he pressed it against his forehead. But
neither uttered a sound nor looked up
when the next witness was summoned.
This witness proved to be Loretta,
who, on hearing her name called,
evinced great reluctance to come for
ward. After the coroner had ELECTED
her name and the position she held in
Mr.. Jeffrey's household he asked
whether her duties took her into Mrs.
Jeffrey's room. Upon her replying that
they did, he further inquired If she
knew Mrs. Jeffrey's rings, and could
say whether they were all to be found
ON that lady's toilet table after the
police came in with news of her death.
The answer was decisive. They were
ell there; her rings and all the other
ornaments she was in the daily habit
of wearing, with the exception of her
watch. That was not there.
did you take up those rings?"
''No, sir"
"Did you see any one else take them
up?"
"No, sir: not till the officer did So"
every we'll, Loretta. Sit down again
till we hear what Durbin has to say
about these rings"
And then the man hated came for
ward, and, though 1 shrank from ac-
knowledging it even to myself could
but observe how strong and quiet and
cisive was his testimony.
But it was equally brief. He had
taken up the rings and he had looked
at them; and on one, the wedding ring,
he had detected slight stain of blood.
He had called Mr.. Jeffrey's attention
to it, but that gentleman had made no
comment.
This remark had the effect of con-
centrating general attention upon Mr..
Jeffrey. But he seemed quite oblivi-
GUS of it; his attitude remained un-
changed, and oRy from the quick
out and withdrawal Of Miss
Tuttle's hand could it be seen that
had been said calculated to
touch or arouse this man. The coroner
cast an uneasy glance in his direction;
then he motioned Durbin aside and re-
called Loretta.
And now 1 began to be sorry for the
girl. 1t is hard to have ones weak
nesses exposed, especially if one is
more foolish than wicked. But there
was no way Of letting this girl off with
The PHOTOGRAPH of the