Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-12

upon one other peep through them just
as that lady was leaving the room and
remembered as If it were yesterday
how clay white her face looked and
how she held her left hand pressed
close against the folds of her dress. 1t
was but few minutes after that Miss
Tuttle left the house.
AS we all knew what was kept in
that drawer. the conclusion was obvi-
GUS She wished to see IL his pistol
was still there or il 1t had been taken
away by her sister.
The temerity which had made it pos
sible to associate the name Of such a
man as Francis jeffrey with an out
rageous crime having been thus in a
measure explained, the coroner recall
ed that gentleman and again thorough
" surprised the gaping public.
Had the witness accompanied his
wife to the Moore house?
No"
Had he met her there by any APP
pointment he had made with her or
which had been made for them both
by some third person?
mo-
Had he been at the Moore house on
the night of the 18th at any time pre-
vious to the honr when he was brought
there by the officials?
mo"
Would he glance at this impression
of certain finger tips which had been
left in the dust of the southwest cham
Der maHtel?
He had already noted them.
Now would he place his left hand on
the paper and see
'It is not necessary" he burst forth,
in great heat. Il own to those marks.
That is, I have no doubt they were
made, by my hand" Here, uncon-
sciously. his eyes few to the member
thus referred to, as II conscious that
IN some way it had proved traitor
to him; after which his gaze Travelled
slowly my way, with an indescribable
question in it which reused my con-
science and made the trick by which
l had got the impression Of his hand
seem less of triumph than | had
heretofore considered it. The next
minute he was answering the coroner
under oath, very much as he had an
swered him In the unofficial interview
at which had been present.
Il acknowledge having been in the
Moore house and even having been in
its southwest chamber, but not at the
time supposed. 1t was on the previous
night" He went on to relate how.
being in q nervous condition and hay
ing the key to this old dwelling in his
pocket, he had amused himself by go
Ing through its dilapidated interior.
All Of this made doubtful impression
which was greatly emphasized when,
in reply to the inquiry as to where he
got the light to see by, he admitted
that he had come upon candle in an
upstairs room and made use OF that;
though he could not remember what he
had done with this candle afterward.
and locke ed dazed and quite at sea, till
the coroner suggested that he might
have carried 1t into the closet OF the
room where his fingers had left their
impression In the dust of the mantel-
shelf.
Then he broke down like man from
whom some prop is suddenly snatched
and looked around for a seat. This
was given him, while silence, the
most dreadful ever experienced, held
every one there in check. But he
speedily rallied and, with the remark
that he was little confused In regard
to the incidents Of that night, waited
with wild look in his averted eye for
the coroner's next question.
Unhappily for him, it was in continu-
alton Of the same subject Had he
bought candles or not at the grocers
around the corner? Yes, he had. Be
fore visiting the house? Yes. Had he
also bought matches? Yes. What
kind? Common safety matches. Had
he noticed when he got home that the
box he had just bought was half emp
ty? No. Nevertheless he had used
many matches in going through this
old house, had he not? Possibly. To
light his way upstairs, perhaps? 1t
might be. Had he not SO used them?
Yes. Why had he done so il he had
candles In his pocket, which were SO
much easier to hold and SO much more
lasting than lighted match? All, he
could not say; he did not know; his
mind was confused. He was awake
when he should have been asleep. 1t
was all a dream to him.
The coroner became still more per-
sistent
Ibid you enter the library on your
solitary visit to this old house?"
II believe So
What did you do thereT'
.Pottered around. I don't remem-
ber."
"What light did you use?"
"A candle, l think
'You must know"
"Well, had candle. 1t was In a
candelabrum.'
"What candle and what Candida
brum?''
..The same I used upstairs, Of
course
"And you cannot remember where
you left this candle and candelabrum
when you finally quilted the house?"
mo. / wasn't thinking about can
dies"
what were you thinking aboutw