davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1906-06-17
Rranded q gndiciaL MHrder

Appeal after appeal was argued
and denied. Those who listened pa
tiently and were under oath T. con
slider carefully and imDa-ti1iiy all the
evidence believed Charles Louis
Tucker a murderer. Nany-thousand
upon thousanGs-who have followed
the case i'm the newspapers. believe
him murdered. ard regard his exccu-
tiOn on Tuesday last as a grave mis-
carriage OF iUstIcc-in short. a iudiciaI
murder
This CRY of judicial murder IS ,.nt
iDfrequcntly raised after an execution
whore the conviction was based en-
tirclv on circumstantial evidence.
Juries are slow 10 convict on purely
circumstantiaI evidenca. And vet. in
the very nature Of things. the evidence
in a murder trial is often purely cir
cumstantial
No man commits coId-bIooded Ynur-
der in the presence OF witnesses.
which doubtless accounts for tht COM
paratively few convictions for murder
n the final degree.
And yet lawyers and legal writer's
generally assert that there are fewer
mistaken convictions based on circun-
stautial evidence than on direct testi-
mony, partly because facts never lie,
while witnesses sometimes DO; and
partly because witnesses even with ev-
cry desire 20 tell the truth may mis-
understand and misinterpret v-l,o- thew
have seen. But the axiom that a
chain is DO stronger than - weak
est link IS nowho-0 truer than in this
matter of circumstantial evidence
There must be no liuk missing. no link
weak According 10 an eminent au-
thOrity guilt mus bc discovered and
brought home by the proof Of a chain
Of facts. a conclusion from which is ir-
The Washington times., 1906-06-17

Charles L. Tucker, convicted by cir
cumStantial evidence Of the murder
Of Mabel Page, and electrOCuei
last Tuesday morning.
But Wei. you know. they couldn't
pi"7 .ce Mrs LeutEert's body. and
supp-s. aster a while she had been
FOUND "a I've. on. yes, we were sure
she wouldn't. but she might. YOU
know Suppose she had. how would
we have felt II We had hanged I,alIr-
Gertc' LcurEert died III prison a year
or so later
Apart from proof CT the act. oppor-
tunity is the most important Link in
a chain OF circumStautiaI evidence.
and 1t Is one Of the links that the
sis1ers OF the great petition in the
Tucker case regarded as particularly
weak To show want OF opportunity
that is. "to prove an alibi''-is an alb
sOlute answer TO the strongest indict-
meut II produces a fatal flaw in the
chain Il must be either proved out
right or inferred from the most con-
elusive evidence IN the Tucker case
IL was noJ proved outright. and there
IS a question In the minds OF many as
The Washington times., 1906-06-17
ET-Attorney General Herbert Par
ker, who conducted the prosecution.

resistible. a conclusion 20 which every
discovered fact must point and With
which every discovered fact must be
consistent Motive must be proved
and opportunity. Instruments. and pre-
paration."
But all the proof in the world avans
nothing unless there Is first Of all proof
that crime has been Committed-un-
less. that IS. the body is found Again
and again, men have been tried under
such circumstances Proof has been
piled on proof. bu, the jury has de-
clined TO convict. arguing that Il may
be disappearance. not a murder
jeremy Bentham has Faid-and there
be none 20 contradict him-'However
strong and luminous may be the cir
cumStanccS. the coincidence OF which
tends 10 indicate guilt. ICY avail
nothing unless the corpus delicti-that
fact that the crime has actually been
pCrpetrated shall have been first es-
tabiished- So long as the least doubt
exists as TO the act. there can be no
certainty as TO the criminal agent"
The Washington times., 1906-06-17

back TO his own home IS a rnooted
question Governor Guild saws he had
that he himself has passed on foor
with time tests. over the roads and
ways about the Page house IN Weston.
and at about the hour OF the day when
the murder was committed" d"
Had Tucker been able 10 establish
his alibi 20 the satisfaction OF the
jury. ne certainly would never have
gone 20 the electric chair. A rema rk-
able instance OF the absolute refuta-
ton OF a charge by an aIibi occurred
not long ago IN London. where a man
was accused. most circumstantiallv.
OF murder. The evidence was com
plete and convincing. but the defense
did not even take the trouble 10 ex-
anime witnesses. When the pr0secu-
tion rested. the prisoner called no wit
nesses- II simply advised the courr
20 consult its own records. and on the
day and at the hour when the accus-
ed was supposed 10 have been commit
ting murder. II was found that he
was IN that SELF same court answering
another charge. Of which ne was found
Ruiltless
The Washington times., 1906-06-17

J. H. Vahey, attorney for the de
fenSe, whose fight to save Tucket
from the electric chair exhauSte,
every possible legal resource.
substituted for law and order in this
Commonwealth
The melancholy chapter in our his
tory may not have been written In
vain II II serves TO warn the youth OF
our Commonwealth. tempted BY the
allurements of vice 20 isnobLe life. that
the wages OF sin is death, Il II serves
20 show that government IN mass stUl
stands on the rock Of her own consti-
tuition 70 the end that IT may be a
government Of laws and not OF men o"
That was the governors decision.
There was some talk of appealing -
the President bat there was no
ground upon which the President could
have intorfered. And he would not
have iuterfered anyhow He fully
agreed with Governor Guild. and
wrote him 20 tha- effect. There are
thousands OF others who also greed
with Governor Guild The ev1dsn,-
satisfied the trial jury. II found him
guilty and the judge who haa heard
the case in pronouncing sentence de
clarcd the verdict. proper, lawful.
and just. and even added. 1T is hard
to imagine q more wauJOu. wicked.
and causelcss murder than this Of
virtuoUs and blameIess woman"
The Washington times., 1906-06-17

the verdict was unwarranted by the
evidence nor on the grounds usually
urged can I interfere with the execu-
ton Of this Just sentence. Every citi-
zen sympathizes with this unhappy
mans afflicted faE5Ty, but OF more
Importance than the life OF any one
citizen is the protection by govern
ment OF the life OF every citizen, the
safeguarding OF woman's chastity IN
the lonely farmhouse as IN the patroll-
ed streets Of the city, tho assurance
to the people that t..e ordered actions
OF their courts are 70 be respected and
that irresponsible agitation cannot be
The Washington times., 1906-06-17

A y OLD man returning 20 his
~ home at Weston. a suburb
OF Boston. finds his daughter
Il lying dead in the afternoon
sunlight. stabbed TO death
in her own room. In the
solemn midnight. before the day which
IS 10 be is fifteen minutes old. a man
is strapped in the electric chair al
CharlestOwn prison. and in the pres
ence Of only a few official witnesses
the fatal current is turned on. What
was a man becomes n thing. An eye
for an eye. a tooth for a tooth, a life
for life! Charles l. Tucker has paid
the penalty OF the law for the murder
Of Mabel Page
And did he murder herr Who knows?
More than two years elapsed between
that afternoon OF March 81. 1904, and
that midnight which was to merge into
the dawn OF Tuesday. June y. 1906.
And those two years have witnessed
one OF the hardest fought legal battles
this country has ever known. over the
life Of Charles L. Tucker. It was
fought through the State courts, and
the United States Supreme Court. and
finally during the early days OF June
before the governor OF Massachusetts,
S--A~ Al bAlI tdtl III turn came the solemn
iteration, "A life for a life; Il is the
law"
While there are few who do not IN
dorse the laws demand OF q life for a
lie. there We're many who questioned
whether II was right in taking this
life for that life. It was one OF those
cases Of purely circumstantiaI evt-
dence- There was no acquaintance be-
tween the girl who was murdered and
the man who was executed No man
saw Charles Louis Tucker either go
ing IN or coming out Of the Page
home He was in the neighborhood
about the time the murder was prob
ably committed, but not in the very
immediate neighborhoOd In fact, IL
was maintained by the defense that he
could not possibly have been there
II he was he left no trace behind him
unless II was a name and address
Scrlbbled On Il bit Of paper. over which
handwriting experts wrangIed, those
summoned by the prosecution claim
Ing that IL undoubtedly was that OF
Charles L. Tucker; and those en-
ployed by the defense asserting that IL
was quite rs much like that OF Miss
Mabel Page herself, though probably
written by neither.
The Washington times., 1906-06-17
GOUeFHOY Turned DetectiUe.

And yet Governor Guild felt obliged.
remembering his oath TO enforce the
laws Of the Commonwealth. 70 deny
this petition and let the law take its
course In his announcement he says
that he has read all the evidence pre-
sented IN the lower court, and the Of
fetal stenographic reports C2.696 pages
OF the proceedings IN the superior
court together with various afhdavits
and reports submitted 10 him; that he
has made. moreover. an exhaustive in
vesugatioD of the case on his own ac-
count 7 myself he says. have
fitted the blade Of the knife OF CHARLES
l. Tucker into the slit in the blood
stained corset OF Mabel Page.
/ am compelled TO an undoubting belief
IN his guilt.
Neither on the ground urged that
The Washington times., 1906-06-17
It Was Not So Much the Question Of
Charles L. fuckers Guilt or InnO-
CGnCe ThGt Aroused All MdSSQChu-
sets TO q Fever Pitch, But Whether
or Not He Should Have Been Con-
ViCtGd on the CirCunStQntial Ev-
denCG That Semi Him TO the EIoC-
triC Chair. ID. I'D. .db.

- OLD man returning 20 his
home at Weston. a suburb
OF Boston. finds his daughter
lying dead In the afternoon
sunlight. stabbed TO death
The Washington times., 1906-06-17
NNWp


not murder hts wife; that II be did
it was certainly murder in the first
deGree-and a peculiarly revolving In
stance OF it-for which hanging was a
lot too good. If he did not he Ger
tainly should not be imprisoned for
life. One juror explained the attitude
of the rest when he said: I'VE were
convinced OF Leutgert's guilt-per-
fectly sure. he had killed his wife.
The Washington times., 1906-06-17

TO whether the evidence was conclu-
sive enough 10 inf,r il.
Tucker is known to have been at
certain place not very far from the
Paee house at a given time. He IS
known to have been at his own home
at given time. Whether IN the
meantime he had time 10 go on to
the Page home, commit the crime for
which he was electrocuted, and get
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19

mentioned to be IAN arid, sandy des-
ert" beside his, and Just to show
them" said: Il went out to plant Gu
cumber seeds only this morning, and
after covering a few hills heard a
rushing sound. Turning around, the
vines were coming through the ground
and spreading in all directions. Fear.
ing to be strangled, | started for the
house, but the vines tangled about my
legs and threw me down. When.
thinking of my knife to cut myself
loose, reached in my pocket, found
it full with big cucumber, all gone to
seed"
The others looked at one another.
some with pity mingled with CON
tempt. The scufTle of cowhide boots
bound for the door as the lights went
out, with here and there a mutter oi
"Garden!" "Cucumbers!" "Liar!" were
the only responses.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19
HIS EXCUSE WAS GOOD

1t was in Westchester, the county
town of Chester county, Pennsylvania,
on a Monday morning, the opening
day of court, and the court room was
the center of attraction. Judge Futhey
was on the bench, the court docket
before him, and the preliminaries
were being gone through. The judge
ordered the jury to be called and in
the meantime busted himself looking
over the docket and papers pertaining
to the business of the court.
Among those summoned on the jury
was Mr.. c., a dealer in cattle, who
wanted to be in Lancaster that day on
business. He had consulted lawyer,
who said the judge was pretty strict
and no excuse short of illness in his
immediate family would be accepted
Mr.. c. felt discouraged, but did not
despair. He carefully considered the
situation. All members of his family
were in their usual health in fact, his
wife was preparing to attend the mar
riage Of his sister; but his mother-in-
law, chronic half invalid, was COM
planning some as usual. The case
seemed desperate, but he decided to
try.
When Mr.. C's name was called his
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19
PAID PRICE FOR LIBERTY

"Why don't you ask me about my
wlfe?" querieu the bearded man as he
took a seat by the woman at a little
party.
"ln the first place." explained the
woman, 81 haven't seen you for a year
or two and many things are likely to
happen in that time. In the second
place. 1t isn't CONNIE IL faut in New
York to ask a man about his wife or
woman about her husband unless
they are standing right in front of YOU
Even then, If they stand in opposite
corners of the room, they are likely to
be divorced"
I'VE are divorced" sighed the
bearded man. "You never knew her,
did you? One of the most insanely
jealous women l ever met in my life.
Now, If we were married and she saw
me sitting here by you she would have
a thousand fits. If she heard me com
pliment you almost anything would be
likely to happen. | wouldn't dare to
pay you little compliment in her
hearing I, six feet high and bearded
like pard would be afraid
Women make great mistake to
allow their jealousy to run away with
them so. Why, she got so she wanted
to know who that Mrs. Cash was l
wrote checks for. l had some houses
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19

that l rented. | didn't dare paper or
paint those houses, though they were
occupied by men and their wives, or
she would accuse me of catering to
the wives. finally sold them.
at was terrible. A man with such
wife can't call his soul his own, |
can't tell you'll can't begin to tell you
how thank heaven every day Of my
life for my freedom. | permitted her
to have her divorce. | gave her all
the evidence she wanted. 1t seemed
a shame. l was fond of her, but
couldn't stand the constant chickering's,
the accusations. We lived together
for ten years. When a man has a
home for ten years, then to be turned
adrift, then to become all at once
homeless. But the liberty! The liber'
ty! If she were here now and my wife
wouldn't dare to sit by you. Liberty
is everything in this world, isn't it?''
asked the bearded man.
Just then a girl danced by.
Hello, Gertrude" smiled the WON
an.
The bearded man sighed so deeply
that the woman turned to look at him
He was white.
Gertrude" he repeated. Ger
trude! Why, that was the name of my
wife. New York Press.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19
SHE WAS. A MINDREADER

There's going to be an entertain
ment at the hall tonight, aunt Maria
Prof. George is to give an exhibition
of hypnotism and mindreading, and
tell how it's DONE" said Mary Eliza
beth, who always stopped in to see
her aunt on her way home from
school, and tell her the village news.
Aunt Maria looked up with her
ready smile and said, well, you don't
need to go to that entertainment do
you, Mary Elizabeth? You can save
your quarter this time just as well
as not"
81 don't know" answered the girl,
slowly. Don't you believe in mind
reading, aunt Maria?"
"Of course l do, child. I'm not one,
and never was, to deny facts.
your uncle is just coming in now,
Mary Elizabeth, and if you are OBJ
serving I guess you'll get a good I'M
derstanding of what mindreading it."
Mr.. Pratt opened the door, and after
speaking to his niece, looked ques-
tionably toward his wife.
eyes, father" she responded, as if
he had asked her "a question. I've
mended your coat, and it's right in
the bedroom closet"
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19

Mr. Pratt disappeared, and returned
in a moment wearing the mended
coat. He seated himself near the fire,
and after asking Mary Elizabeth how
school prospered, he again turned his
gaze upon aunt Maria.
She shook her head solemnly. mo
the gray kitten hasn't come back, "
she said, land I'm afraid some harm
has come to it."
TOO bad!" murmured Mr. Pratt.
A short silence followed, and then
Mrs. Pratt remarked, as If in answer
to some question, mo, Amos, l didn't
gather the eggs today. | guess you
had better tend to it before it gets
late"
Mr.. Pratt rose at once. 81 was just
going to speak about the eggs" he
answered, starting toward the kitchen
door.
you forgot that package of pepper
after ALL" his wife called to him,
"but it's no matter"
Mary Elizabeth laughed as she
gathered up her books and started
for home.
"Mindreading takes time" said
Aunt Maria. I've given about forty
years to getting a real good under
standing of it."-Youths Companion
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19
YARN BROKE UP MEETING

Lyman Spinney of South Eliot, Me-,
was known far and near for his fund
of stories, always at hand to match
the yarns of his rivals, whether at
Staples grocery store, on the river in
his wherry, or at his work in the navy
ward, just below. 1t was often init
mated by those who failed to success
fully cope with Mr.. Spinney that in a
close contest he had slight tendency
to embellish.
The question as to who had the best
garden was holly contested at Staples
store one evening. Frank Staples, the
store keeper, was vainly trying to hear
the order of a customer for pint Of
kerosene and two gigs,ng girls tried
to get their mail by pantomme ges-
lures that few comic artists could re-
produce.
Above the finally subsiding tumult
Mr.. Spinney declared every garden
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19
"My Endorsement of Pe-ru-na
is Based On Its Merits"
Ed. CrumbO.

I'D. CRUMBO, Ex-Mayor of New
II Albany, Ind, writes from 81 e..
Oak street:
"My endorsement of Peruna is
based on it's merits.
I" If man is sick he looks anxiously
for something which will cure him,
and Peruna will do the work.
81 know that it will cure catarrh Of
the head or stomach, indigestion, head
ache and any weary or sick feeling.
1t is bound to help anyone, if used
according to directions.
81 also know dozens of men who
speak in the highest terms of Peruna
and have yet to hear of anyone being
disappointed in it."
Mr.. Crumbo, in a later letter, dated
Aug. 25, 1904, says:
my health is good, at present, but if
/ should have to take any more medi.
cine l will fall back on Peruna."
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19
WHEN SKIES ARE DARK

When the dolorous dumps get hold of
Ho and Ohio! Worry and woe!
When he feels he's part of Beezelbubs
plan
What is the show for mortal below?
When the sky that was blue turns black
err and black
And the deuce take the load that you tote
on your back;
When the thing that on yesterday glad
dened and cheered
Is a thing, you opine to be dreaded and
feared
1t is Ohio!
Worry and woe!
Unfortunate devil, you haven't show,
AS l needn't remark, for you feel it is So
Ohio!
Here is a "go!"
For the dolorous dumps hit a terrible
blow.
When the dolorous dumps settle down on
Oh and oh my! Life is sigh
When you feel that old Nick is demand
ing his toll
To hold them we try, but blisses will
fly,
and the kid
And y S5a too, would like for the rest of
the day
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19

To move from yourself quite distance
away;
For it's oh my!
Life is a sight
When the devil moves in, then our house
And the spirits of kindness and charity
fly.
oh my!
You know it, you guy
know the dolorous dumps as sadly as l.
When the dolorous dumps come around
with their bluff
All and ah whew Worry's our due!
Why, then is the time when a man knows
his stuff
The story is true of me and of you.
He may fall with groan or stand with
He may bar trouble out or shut trouble
in;
He may much weaker be than the least O.
his woes
Or may laugh at his blues till the last Of
them goes.
1t is all wheW!
The games up to you.
To smile through your woes or to truckld
thereto
Or write brief lyric as l strive to do
All Whew!
The story is true
To add a slight pink to an atmosphere
blue.
San Francisco Call.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19

U. S. NAVY enlists young men and
mechanics. Permanent Recruiting sta
ton, Postofiice Building, Omaha, Neh.
Sub-Stations, Burr Block, Lincoln,
Neb., and Postofiice Building, Council
Bluffs, Ia. Temporary Recruiting sta
ton open at Sioux Falls, S. D., April
9th to 14th Yankton, s. D., April 10th
to 21st; Sioux City, Ia April 23rd to
2Sth; Des Moines, Ia, April Goth 10
May 5th. inclusive. Opportunity for adj
vancement and special mechanical
training better than ever before. Pay
SIG to $40 per month, besides allow
ances. Apprentice Seamen enlisted
between II and 20 years are trans
ferred to Naval Training Station,
others to a Navy Yard. Good openings
for Machinists Electricians, Copper
smiths, Musicians, Carpenters Stenog-
raphers, Firemen, Bakers, etc. Call at
or address any of the above Navy Re-
cruiting Stations, for full information
as to pay and terms. Enlistments four
years Only citizens of the United
States of good character are accepted.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19

Going through the hospitals In our
large cities one is surprised to find such
a large proportion of the patients lying
on those snow-white beds women
and girls, who are either awaiting
or recovering from serious operations.
Why should this be the casep Sim
ply because they have neglected them
selves. Female troubles are certainly
on the increase among the women OF
this country-they creep upon them
unawares, but every one of those
patients in the hospital beds had plenty
of warning in that bearing-down feel
ing, pain at leftorrighto of the abdomen,
nervous exhaustion, pain In the small
of the back, dizziness, tlatulency, dis
placements of the organs or irregular
tiles. All of these symptoms are indi-
cations of an unhealthy condition of
the female organs, and If not needed
the penalty has to be paid by u danger
GUS operation. When these symptoms
manifest themselves, do not drag along
until you are obliged to go to the hos
pital and submit to an operation
but remember that Lydia T.. Pink
hams Vegetable Compound has saved
thousands of women from surgical
operations.
When women are troubled with IT.
regular, suppressed or painful periods,
weakness displacement or liberation
of the organs, that bearing-down feel
ing, inflammation, backache, bloating
Tor flatulency), general debility, indi-
gestion, and nervous prostration, or are
beset with such symptoms as dizziness,
lassitude, excitability, irritability, ner-
vousness, sleepIessness. melancholy,
"all-gone" and "want-to-be-left-
alone" feelings they should remember
there is one tried and true remedy.
Yydia Y. plnkham'S VeSefahle Con
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19

lawyer friend arose and with some
show of dignity addressed the court.
MAY it please your honor" he said,
"Mr. c. would like to be excused"
Would like to be excused, Ell?
What is his excuse?" asked the judge
in perfunctory sort of way, as he
continued to examine the papers be-
fore him.
Sickness" said Mr.. c..
sickness, Oh! Who is sick?"
asked the judge, seemingly not much
interested.
my mother-in-law," said Mr.. c..
The stern judge was Immediately
all attention, and, drawing himself up
in his seat with look of amazement,
paused a moment, apparently to re-
cover from the shock, and said:
You say your mother-in-law is
sick?"
Eyes, sir" said Mr.. c..
And you want to go home to wait
on your sick mother-in-law. You shall
go Many have been the excuses Of
fered here, but never in the history Of
this court has man asked to be ex-
cused that he might go home to wait
on his sick mother-in-law.
you are excused. Baltimore Sun.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-04-19
Victoria Cross.

The Victoria Cross was instituted
fifty years ago, Jan. 20, Since then
only $40 persons have received it, SIT
of them soldiers or sailors and three
of them civilians who were acting in
military capacity when they did "in
the face of the enemy" the gallant
deed which won them the cross.