Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-14

/ mere utterance of Miss Tuttle's name
| had almost the force Of an accusation,
| but the dignity with which she rose
Gained all minds and suhdued every
expression OF feeling. She faltered
only when by chance she glanced at
| the shrinking figure of Francis jeffrey.
/ Her name. which she uttered with
out emphasis and yet in way to
| arouse attention, sank into all hearts
with more or less disturbance.
alice Cora Tuttie!" How In days
4 gone by, and not so long gone by eli
| Their. those three words had aroused
the enthusiasm Of many gallant man
and inspired the toast at many gal
LAM feast. They had their charm yet
4 il the heightened color observable on
many cheek there was a true index
to the quickening heart 5elow.
| How are you connected with the
/ deceased Mrs Jeffrey?"
II am the child of her mother by
former husband. We were half sis
ters.'
No bitterness in this statement, only
an infinite sadness. The coroner con-
tinued to question her. He asked for
an account of her childhood and forced
her to lay bare the nature of her rela-
tons with her sister. But little was
gained by this, for their relations seem
ed to have been OF sympathetic char
acter up to the time OF Veronica's re-
| turn from school, when they changed
somewhat, but how or why Miss Tut
tie was naturally averse to saying.
Indeed she almost refused to do SO.
and the coroner. feeling his point gain
ed more by this refusal than by any
not press this subject. but passed on
to what interested us more-the vnri-
Gus unexplained actions on her part
which pointed toward crime.
His first inquiry WAS in reference to
the conversation held between her and
Mr.. Jeffrey !; lie time he visited her
room We had listened to his account
of it, and now we wished to hear hers.
But the cue which had been given her
by this very account had been invalua-
Bile to her, and her testimony naturally
conceded with his. We found our
selves not an inch advanced. They
had talked OF her sisters follies, and
she had advised patience, and that was
all she could say on the subject-all
she would say, as we presently saw.
The coroner introduced fresh topic.
"What can you tell us about the in
terview you had with your sister prior
to her going out on the night of her
death?''
every little except that 1t differed en-
tirely from what is generally supposed.
She did not come to my room for con-
versation, but simply to tell me that
she had an engagement. She was in
an excited mood, but said nothing to
alarm me. She even laughed when she
left me. perhaps to put me off my
guard, perhaps because she was no
longer responsible"
did she know that Mr.. jeffrey had
visited you earlier in the day? Did she
make any a,lusion to 1t, l meanW
None at all She shrugged her shout
ders when l asked IL she was well and
anticipated all further questions by
running from the room. She was al
ways capricious in her ways and never
more SO than at that moment. Would
to God that it had been different!
Would to God that she had shown her
self to be suffering woman! Then
might have reached her heart and this
tragedy would have been averted."
The coroner favored the witness with
look of respect, perhaps because his
next question must necessarily be
cruel
rs that all you have to say concern
ing this important visit, the last you
held with your sister before her
deathY'
mo, sir; there is something else
something which should like to relate
to this jury. When slhe came into my
room she held in her hand q white rib
bon--that is, she held the two ends Of
long satin ribbon which seemed to
come from her pocket Handing those
two ends to me, she asked me to tie
them about her wrist. "A knot under
and bow on top she said, so that it
cannot slip off, AS this was some
thing I had often been called on to do
for her, showed no hesitation In COM
plying with her request. Indeed felt
none l thought it was her fan or her
bouquet she held concealed in the
folds of her dress, but 1t proved to be-
gentlemen, you know what pray
that you will not oblge me to mention
it."
1t was such q stroke as no lawyer
would have advised her to make.
heard afterward that she had refused
the Offices of dozen lawyers who had
proffered her their services. But, ut
tered as it was with noble air and a
certain dignitied serenity 1t had great
effect upon those about her and turned
in moment the wavering tide of favor
In her direction.
The coroner, who doubtless was per-
fectly acquainted with the explanation
with which she had provided herself,
but who perhaps die not look for it to
antedate his attack, bowed in quiet ac-
acknowledgement of her request and then
Immediately proceeded to ignore It,
Il should be glad to spare YOU he
said, "but ! do not find it possible.
You knew that Mr.. jeffrey had pis-
tol?'
II did"
..Tbat n Uos ka,,t In their anart- /