The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-09-01
Loretta's testi m ny
creates a sensation

on this. pressed the girl to continue,
asking If 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 aGtated way and
with more than one anxious look be-
| hind her into tie adjoining room, where
she paused before large bureau. As
this bureau was devoted entirely TO
Mr.. Jefrrey's use. Loretta experienced
some surprise at 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
evident emotion thrust her hand into it.
What she took 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. perceiving that Miss Tuttle
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
| Tuttle left the house.
As we all knew what was kept in
that drawer, the conclusion was obvi-
Gus. She wished TO see if his pistol
was still there or If 1t had been taken
away by her sister.
The temerity which had made IL pos
slble to associate the name of such Il
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.
| 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
W hlNh lttl HIdNlt loT lutIu Dblu
by some third person?
No"
Had he been at the Moore house on
the night of the 11th at any time pre-
vious to the hour when he was brought
there by the officials?
mo"
Would he glance at this impression
! nf tot n xx-hint, hoI
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
! 1T Is not necessary" he burst forth,
in great heat. Il own TO those marks.
That is, ! have no doubt they were
made by my hand" Here, uncon-
sclously. his eyes few to the member
thus referred to, as II conscious that
in some way il had proved traitor
to him; after which his gaze travelled
slowly my way, with an indesuibable
question in it which reused my con
science and made the trick by which
i had got the impression of his hand
seem less of a triumph than had
heretofore considered II. 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.
y acknowledge having been in the
Aos4e house and even having been in
its southwest chamber, but not at the
time supposed. II was on the previous
night" He went on to relate how,
being in nervous condition and hav'
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 looked dazed and quite at sea, till
the coroner suggested that he might
have carried it 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
10 the incidents of that night, waited
with wild look In his averted eye for
the coroner's next question.
Unhappily for him, 1t was in continu
alton Of the same subject. Had he
bought candles or not ut the grocer'f
around the corner? Yes, he had. Be
fore visiting the house? Yes Had ht
also bought matches? Yes. What
kindf Common safety matches. Had