Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-18
THE ACCOMPLICE
FREDERICK TREVOR HILL.
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which also opened on the veranda roof and
t .t INTO ped room situated at the head of
the main stairway. That bed room was oc-
cupied by Miss Alice Emory Mr.. Shaw s
private secretary and confidential clerk. In
1act, gentlemen, every window of this mys-
force every curtain you tear aside will
disclose Alice Emory, the prisoner at the
bar"
Again the prosecutor paused, and the re-
laXing rustic and stir indicated the nerv-
Gus tension of the audience.
very little was known to the outside
world about Mr.. Gregory Shaw prior to his
death Gilbert went on Beyond the fact
that he was a bachelor about forty-five
years of age, active in mind and body and
unusually successful in business, having. ex-
tensive interests In New York and other
large cities, his neighbors in the country
knew practically nothing. His farm at
Pollcet was apparently a fad, conducted
upon business principles. The household
consisted of three women servants Qnclud-
ing the waitress, Betty Field, the house
keeper, Miss Madeleine Mapes-and l ask
you to remember her name, for you will
hear of her again-and the private secre-
tary, Alice Emory. Besides these. there
were in the farm building and stables, at
some distance from the house, five men and
two women With these meager facts to
guide them. the police started upon their
Investigations, and little by little unearth-
ed state of affairs which was undreamed
%
shock to the few who claimed to be among
his closest friends.
'In the first place, a will found in nv
Shaw's desk indicated that he was not a
bachelor as every one had supposed. This
instrument had apparently been executed
short time prior to his death, and by 1t he
bequeathed his entire estate to his wife
Alice Up to date, however, no record OF
Mr.. Shaw's marriage has been obtained,
and no person of the name Alice has yet
appeared to claim possession of his estate
The calm tone in which this statement
was uttered did not lessen it's significance
but the speaker paused and silently studied
the Jurors faces for some moments before
he again proceeded.
But, gentlemen" he resumed, at last,
mot only was Mr. Shaws wife missing,
but his supposedly large fortune had like
wise iSappea red. An examination of his
business affairs revealed the astounding
fact that. although his credit was unques-
toned and his transactions apparently
sound, all his discoverable assets including
his Pollicet farm, would not more than suf-
flee to discharge his very moderate Habil-
tiles. To say that this revelation amazed
his business acquaintance is to state the
matter very mildly. They were fairly in
credulous. Almost every one in touch with
his affairs believed him a millionaire at the
very least, and his manner of living
tainly indicated wide resources and hand
some income There was only one person
to whom the news did not come in the ma
tuIe VI SllCck, ana lndl was ms Secre-
tary, Miss Alice Emory, She received the
news of his finances calmly as-well as
calmly as she had received the tidings OF
his death, and nothing could exceed her
self-control at the moment of that an
nouncement. Another discovery in this
case was calculated to surprise her, how
ever. but whether it did or not no one but
she and her lawyer knows, because she
has, under the advice of counsel, declined
to answer questions which might tend to
q II
was speedily demonstrated that the will in
favor of the unknown Alice was a clumsy
piece of forgery"
Perhaps 1 was the only person IN the
room TO whom this statement was an utter
surprise, but | saw more than one fright
ened face in the audience Gilbert paused
al this point, gentlemen of the jury" he
proceeded, there were further investiga-
tons to discover what had become of Mr..
Shaws reputed fortune, and when the
search was about to be abandoned certain
clews led to the discovery of nearly a mil
lion dollars In frst-class railroad and other
bonds deposited with a trust company in
Venezuela. These securities the police be-
Neve to be the property of the late Mr..
Gregory Shaw, and the basis for this belief
IS the fact that the safe deposit vault where
they We're secreted was held in the name of
Alice Emory, his private secretary and con-
fidante.
But, strange as these facts are, gentle
men,, continued the prosecutor in even
the explanation, however, / must tax your
credulity still further. / dislike to speak
Ill of the dead, but am compelled to state
that Mr.. Gregory Shaw had not always been
the successful and respected business man
and estimable neighbor Pollicet had known
and honored. He had once been without
money, but not without price. The crime
which we are now investigating has brought
to light another crime in which the founda-
tion OF his fortune was laid, and which,
though undetected for many wears still
Swallowed his whole career and finally re-
suited in his tragic death. 1t is not neces-
safy at the present moment for US to go
into the. details of his wrongdoing, which
the testimony will fully disclose Suffice
1t to state that his crime was known to AZ
least one other person besides the perpe-
in this case.
Now, gentlemen, this is the crux Of the
whole matter, for 1t is the theory of the
prosecution-and 1 shall not claim it to be
more than theory until 1 substantiate it
by proof-the theory of the prosecution |
say, is that Alice Emory desired to become
Mrs. Gregory Shaw-that she threatened
her employer with exposure unless he made
her his wife, and threatened so effectively
that he turned all his property into negoti-
able securities and prepared for immediate
nlght-that such was the pressure brought
upon him that he contemplated suicide, and
thinking he might take his life, the secre-
tary forged a will in her own favor in
dered him when he discovered this docu-
ment and threatened exposure for exposure
But you will naturally ask why Gregory
Shaw did not accede to the woman's de-
mands and marry her. Had he done so his
secret would have been safe, for the law
does not look favorably upon O. wife who
volunteers testimony against her husband
There must have been some strong reason
for his resistance, and l think 1 can show
you what 1t was when we come to inves-
tigate the life and letters of the prisoner
at the bar.
But, your honor"-here Gilbert turned On
his heel and addressed Judge Dudley-'be-
fore we proceed further in this case de-
sire the jurors to view the scene of the
tragedy, and see for themselves the pos
sibilities of entranceNan escape and famil-
iariZe themselves with other essential de-
tails which are difficult to explain. I there
fore move for an immediate inspection of
the Shaw residence under such guidance
and instruction as the court may deem
proper"
Go be continued tomorrow
E>A MOMcTHF