The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-10-06

also could distinguish. though not so
clearly. the figure Of Alice at the win
dow.
'YOt're sure you're not afraid?''
asked Alice. speaking from the window
scat
why. how can I be?'' replied Mrs.
Parsons, unhltching the sweep from
the restraining notch. when I can see
and talk with you Ike this
Mrs. Parsons drew the water, filled
the pitcher with the sweet Ruyter well
water. glanced I'D and saw that her
sister was sim there and then hastily
returned to the house.
Alice. In her room. heard Mrs Pan
sons coma quickly but quietly I'D the
creaky staircase: heard her hesitate
In her progress along the passage and
then tiptoe on. so that she might not
disturb her sleeping husband OF Jen-
ner.
When Mrs. Parsons entered her sis
tors room the hand that held the
heavy pitcher OF water was shaking
with the nervousness that came from
her quick little night excursion and tho,
strained walk upstairs; while Alice
had evidently not assumed sudden
faintness in order TO close an embar-
raising conversation. because her face
vas white and there was quite a drop
to her chin, ordinarily rather too firm
feature OF her strong oval face She
begged Isabel to remain with her for
a time and Mrs. Parsons lay down
beside Alice on the bed. There she
dOzed until she heard the cuckoo
~ ~ aae4-pr hak
Alice was sleeping, crept TO her own
room
Next morning al o'clock Sterling
Jenner was found dead I'm his bed. He
had been murdered; stabbed in the
heart as he lay asleep. Death had
evidently come instantaneously. Jen-
ner lay ps -tly on his right side; partly
on his back and the knife with which
he had been stabbed. and which still
stood in the wound. had done its work
so swiftly that the sleeper's left hand
lay open Just below the knife up
toward which II had spasmodically
moved in the shock Of the fatal blow
The doctor. called post haste, declared
that Jenner had been dead about
eight hours.
The weapon was a pruning knife
whicn At the inquest the gardener
said h. had left in the conservatory
two days before the tragedy. Such
other facts were brought out at the
investigation that the verdict Of the
jury was that Sterling Jenner had
been murdered and that the evidence
tended TO implicate Alice Greer.
Alice Greer was arrested and at first
her lawyer. James Hobson. Junior
member OF the law firm OF Hobson.
Jones & Hobson. was inclined to use
the plea OF emotional insanity. The
most damaging testimony against her
adduced at the inquest was that fur
Elshed by her sister who-under COM
pulsion-admItted that there was grave
cause for Miss Greer's hating tho dead
man, and that Alice had actually
threatened TO kill the murdered man.
Yet when Mr.. HObson asked his client
il there was my way in which her
sisters testimony could be nulllhed at
at the trial. Miss Greer only smiled
mysteriously and said. Let her tell
her story. Ny only prayer is that she
shall be my accuser; my only satisfac-
ton will be that she shall be my &C
cuser"
So Mrs. Parsons on the witness
stand, the strong witness for the prose
cution furnished the State with that
essential-the motive for the crime.
Tier direct testimony lasted up to the
noon recess. counsel for thu accused
announcing that he would begin his
cross-examination when the court re-
assembled.
II was during the recess that Miss
Greer gave her attorney his second
shock Isabel has done her best to
convict me. Now Mr.. Hobson, she
shall set me free"