The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-11-18
c~.p,dahtIeoi BY
I ~fn.a.re-I4 h~lisy
CHAPTER VI.

shnhte Of feet. the noise Of juryrnen
taking tileir places, the whispering of
ne"sia per reporters, the quick tread
OF policemen passing to and fro. the
rustic of lawyers papers, and the bang
ING of doors ceased. n absolute silence
Tell Upon all as Olive Dumbarton took
the place assigned to her in the cor
ohefss court. In front of the unhappy
woman, who was dressed in black and
heavily yelled, cat her solicitor, George
Crfis, beside her George B%ostoclS, with
Or. olave and his son. Her daughter
and the servant We're in an adjoining
room, II being considered desirable that
each witness should be examined out
OF the hearing of the others.
After the pr~eliminaries, including the
calling of the roll of jurors. the identi-
hcatioh of the deceased, and the state
ment regarding the cause of his death
given by DR.. Quaye, the coroner ad-
dressed the jury. These proceedings,
hessaid, were held to inquire truly not
only how David Dumbarton came to
his death, but likewise to Enable the
jury 10 decide, if possible, by whom
that death had been caused.
Gnhappily, they We're all aware on
when II Was that the graNest suspicion
had fallen. 1t would be idle not 20 sup
pose that each and every one of them
did not know some of the circunlstan-
= - AK SdSti II NY IiltdiiS VI
the press or in other ways, and it was
probable they had discussed the matter.
Bur he knew perfectly Well that now
they had ceased to be irresponsible
members of society, and were there,
a sworn jury, TO decide if this We're a
case 10 be sent to another court, they
would nave no difficulty in dismissing
from their minds all they had heard or
read.
He would lay before them as briefly
and plainly as possible the statement of
this case. But before doing SO he would
have to go back ON years previous
TO the date Of this tragedy.
The deceased, David Dumbarton, had
come eighteen years g married a
lady about five years his junior.
Though their domestic life began in
happiness, It was soon overloaded by
misery, solely owing to the habits and
disposition Of the husband. After a
period on which it would be too painful
to enter, David D~umbarton deserted his
wife, only to strive to rejoin her when
she had earned independence n fame
by her industry and talents. This pro-
ject she opposed, not only for her WI
sake. but for that of her child. A COM
promise was then arrived at between
husband and wife. For a certain sum
should be granted her, and having re-
ceived this he left England, promising
never more to modest her.
Unfortunate for himself, this promise
was not kept, for after a little more
than five years absence he returned
to London and Immediately wrote a
letter which would be read in the
course OF evidence, a letter, as they
would see, which contained more of a
demand than a request. Whether an
answere had been made to this or not,
had yet to become known.
The next principal fact was that on
the night Of the 21st of September,
David Dumbarton entered his wife's
house in the Hoxton road, St. Johns
Wood, and was there found dead at her
feet. they being the sole occupants of
the room where the tragedy occurred,
while the knife which had undoubtedly
caused his death was seen in her hand.
They would hear the evidence, and 1T
would be for them TO decide whether
the case should be sent to another
court or not.
Before the examination of the wit
nesses began, plans OF the house where
David Dumbarton met his death and of
the garden surrounding it, We're sub
mitted to the jury. the draughtsman
giving his testimony as to their ae-
culacy.
Then Olive Dumbarton was called,
when summoning her strength TO sup
press her emotion and wear a SEM
blanee OF composure, she rose and went
forward. AS she stood before the cor
oner, her limbs trembling, her brain
reeitlg, she was acutely war of the
stImulous of excitement cause by the
prospect OF catching sight of her
tenance as she drew back her veil,
snd of hearing her voice as she gave
her evidence. She was conscious that !
Gil eyes were watching hers: that many
lips whispered comments on her: tina
he faces stretched Onward appeared
cruel in the hungry eagerness of their
morbid and vulgar curiosity.
In q low tone, and without hesitation,
she answered the questions addressed
TO her by the coroner, in this manner
telling the story of the scene which
Then came the queries that touched
the case more closely, to all of which
she replied simply. clearly, ENORMOUSLY.
She was not aware the garden door
unbolted on the night in question.
The servant had directions to keep it
She had allowed the window
OF hsr room to remain open because
she had felt the night oppressive. Her
first impression of the man who entered
her study was that he was mad or
runk. She had not fled from him, as
she had not presence of mind or cour-
nge for such an action. He had
terror stricken, but had not
eaid he had been pursued. nor did he
mention n name. She could not tell
why he had called out to her for mercy,
unless in his delirium he had mistaken
for the person who had wounded
him. She did not remember hearing
any other footsteps save his own. or
seeing II person or persons in the
She had not replied to his
last letter, nor had 1t been her intention
TO give him further help.
cross examined by her solicitor, she
she had no reason to suspect
would have visited her on '
the evening Of the tragedy: nor had
she. previous to drawing it from his
breast, ever seen the knife which had
caused his death. She had screamed
on tirst seeing Il man whom she be-
lieyed was a stranger in her room.
but had afterWard been too much over
come by fright to call for assistance.
The maid was e ummoned. who
to hearing her mistress cry
out as II she had been struck. and soon
after to hearing a mans voice call for
help( whereon she had rushed to the
roenl from where the noise proceeded.
there to see Mrs. Dumbarton with a
tnife in her hand bending over the de-
ceased. who was lying on the floor.
Witness then ran out of the house in
search of g. policeman with whom she
-etdrned.
Veronica. pale and trembling and I'M
lble to suppress her tears, described in
ni6h ~ COO M I 49, -