Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-24

" RESTORED the picture to It's
place and left the building. AS
did SO the first signs of dawn be-
came visible in the east. l had
expended three hours In picking out
the meaning concealed In the wavy
lines Of the old picture.
| was early ut headquarters that
morning. but not SO early as to find the
superintendent alone. A group of men
were already congregated about him in
his small office. and when, on being adj
mitted. saw among them the district
attorney, Durbin and another famous
detective, | instinctively knew what
matter was under discussion.
There was with them fourth man,
who stood apart. On him the general
attention had been concentrated at my
entrance and TO him it now returned.
He was an unpretentious person of
kindly aspect TO any one accustomed
to Washington residents, he bore the
unmistakable signs Of being one OF
the many departmental employees
whose pay is inadequate to the neces-
stiles Of his family. OF his personal
peculiarities | noted two. He blinked
when he talked and suffered pain
fully when excited. Notwithstanding
these defects he made u good impress
sion and commanded confidence. This
I soon saw was Of Importance. Tor the
story he now entered upon was one
calculated to make me forget my own
errand and even to question my own
convictions.
The first intimation received OF the
curious nature Of his communication
was through the following questions,
put to him by the major:
You are sure this gentleman is
identical with the one pointed out to
you last night?
Every sure. sir. can swear to IT.
"You recognize him positively?'
positively. should have picked
him out with the same assurance II
I had seen him in some other city and
in crowd OF as fine looking gentlemen
as himself. His face made great I'M
preston on me. You see, had ample
time to study 1t in the few minutes we
stood SO close together.
$50 you have said. Will you be kind
enough to repeat the circumstance?
should like the man who has just come
in to hear your description OF this
scene. Give the action, please. 1t is
all very interesting"
The stranger glanced inquisitively In
my direction. and turned to obey the
superintendent.
II was returning to my home in
Georgetown on the evening of May
IL, the day Of the great tragedy.
My wife was Ill, and l had been into
town to see physician, and should
have gone directly home; but was GU
rious to see how high the flood was
running--you remember 1t was over
the banks that night. So | wandered
out on the bridge, and came upon the
gentleman about whom you have been
questioning me. He was standing all
alone leaning on the rail-thus.'
Here the speaker drew up a chair,
and, crossing his arms over its back,
bent his head down over them. Il did
not know him, but the way he eyed the
water leaping and boiling in yellow
food beneath was not the way of q
curious man like myself, but Of one
who was meditating some desperate
deed. He was handsome and well
dressed, but he looked miserable
wretch and was in state of such
complete self absorption that he did
not notice me, though / had stopped
not five feet from his side. expected
to see him throw himself over, but in
stead Of that he suddenly raised his
head, and, gazing straight before him,
not at the heavy current, but at some
vision in his own mind, broke forth IN
these words, spoken as l had never
heard words spoken before
Here the speakers suffering got the
better OF him and the district attorney
had time to say:
"What were these words? Speak
them slowly; we have all the time
there Is
1AbtunlIy ILC Aduh piuSASu VIZ AASNAA u
and, eying us all impressively, was
able to say:
"They were these: She must die! She
must diev No name, but just the one
phrase twice repeated, She must die.
This startled me, and, hardly knowing
whether to lay hands on him or to turn
about and run, was moving slowly
away when he drew his arms from
the rail--like this-and still staring
into space added in the same hard and
determined voice this one word more
Tonight and, wheeling about, passed
me with one blank and wholly uncon'
scious look and betook himself toward
the city. AS he went by, his lips open
ed for the third time. Which means,
he cried, between groan and shrek
"A bullet for her and l wish | had
heard the rest, but he was out of my
hearing before his sentence was fin
ished"
what time was this?'
"As near half past 5 as possible
1t was when I reached home few
minutes later"
"Ah, he must have gone to the GENE
terry after this
II am quite sure of it,"