Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-08-10
The implied suggestion caused some
excitement, but the coroner, frowning
Loretta's testimony
creates y sensAtion

on this, pressed the girl to continue,
asking il Miss Tuttle left the room
Immediately after turning from the
bookshelves. Loretta replied no; that,
on the contrary, she stood for some
minutes near them, gazing in what
seemed like n great distress of mind
straight upon the floor, after which
she moved in an agitated way and
with mere than one anxious look be-
hind her into the adjoining room, where
she paused before a large bureau. As
this bureau was devoted entirely to
Mr.. Jeffrey's use, Loretta experienced
some surprise Mt seeing his wife's sis
ter approach it in SO stealthy manner.
Consequently she was watching with
all her might when this young lady
opened the upper drawer and with very
Ise..tis eide tthat Aion thrust her hand into It,
What sne rock out or whether she
took out anything this spy upon her
movements could not say, for when
Loretta heard the drawer being pushed
back into place she drew the curtains
close, percelving that Miss futile
would have to face this window in
coming back. However, she ventured
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
futile left the house.
AS we oil knew what was kept in
that drawer, the conclusion was obvi-
GUS. She wished to see if his pistol
was still there or if it had been taken
away by her sister.
The temerity which had made it pos.
sible to associate the name of such q
man rs Francis Jeffrey with IN out
rageous crime having been thus in a
measure explained, the coroner recall
ed that gentleman and again thorough
ly surprised the gaping public.
Had the witness accompanied his
wife to the Moore house?
NO"
Had he met her there by any ap-
pointment he had made with her or
which had been made for them both
NO"
Had he been ut the Moore house on
the night of the 18th at any time pre-
vious to the hour 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 mantel?
He had already noted them.
Now would he place his left hand on
the paper and see
at is not necessary" he burst forth,
in great heat. 81 own to those marks.
That is, have no doubt they were
made by my hand" Here, uncon-
scionsly, his eyes flew to the member
thus referred to, rs If conscious that
in some way it had proved q traitor
to him; inter 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 Ind got the impression of his hand
seem less Of a triumph than bad
heretofore considered It, The next
minute he was answering the coroner
under oath, very much us he had an
swered him in the unofficial interview
Mt which had been present.
Il acknowledge having been in the
Moore house and even having been in
Its southwest chamber, but not Mt the
time supposed. 1t was on the previous
night" He went on to relate how,
being in nervous condition and hay
ing the key to this old dwelling in his
pocket, he had amused himself by 60
ing through its dilapidated interior.
All of this made doubtful impression
which was greatly emphasized when,
In reply to the inquiry us to where lie
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 looked dazed and quite at seu, till
the coroner suggested that lie 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 Il man from
whom some prop Is suddenly snutched
and looked around for seat. This
was given him, while silence. the
most dreadful l ever experienced, held
every one there in check. But he
speedily rallied and. with the remark
That lie was II little confused in regard
10 the incidents of that night. waited