Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-08-15
CHAPTER y-(Con+inued !

slDS. An OHlluOuS hun OF Voices Hlleu
the room and the clerk laid down his
pen. seized his gavel and raped for 81
lence gazing Indignantly around him in
the universal manner of court function
aries, as if a sacrilege had been com
mitted.
Have you any statement which you
wish to make?" resumed the magistra te.
Yes l have. I was not in the room
at the time Of the commission Of the
murder. l was not even the first to
enter the room. | entered the room al
most simultaneously with another person.
Monsieur jules Cbabot.'
Take this diagram in your hands.
There is Madame Roupall's chamber.
This is her sitting room. Where We're
you at the time the shot was fred"
II was just about to enter the sitting
room from the room beyond. which had
been my own apartment during my for
mer visits to the chateau. 1t still con-
tanned some things of mine which l had
not sent for. l recollect a case Of pis-
tolls, particularly, which was lying on
the toilette table,
Look at the pistol shown you, and say
If it is your pistol?"
1T is 1t is one l brought from Amer
lea. l used this pistol for gallery prac-
tice, Of which | am fond"
When did you last see it?"
About six weeks ago. 1t was then in
the pistol case already referred to"
Monsieur Jules Chabot, you say, was
already In Madame Roupell's apartment
when you entered. Where was he stand
ing"
We entered simultaneously. He was
over by the other door"
Would it have been possible for Mon
sieur Chabot to have taken that pistol
from your case without your knowledgeF'
Il cannot tell. 1t depends. he may
have done so, but he would have had to
enter the apartment by way of Madame
Roupel's sitting room, because the other
door was locked"
who locked itT'
Van Lith hesitated for a barely per-
ceptible instant of time ere he replied
Il locked it myself, so as to be secure
from interruption"
why did you wish to be secure from
Interruption"
Because / did not wish it known that
was in the chateau"
Why did you not wish it known"
That is one of the questions | must
decline to answer"
The project and the judge. exchanged
significant glances. The latter had no.
ticed the prisoners hesitation when stat
ing that it was he himself who had locked
the door. THAT Is the first lie he has
told" thought NJ. Bertrand, land it is
told to shield someone. He has an ac-
complice, evidently" Then he said out
loud
Il have no more questions to ask. The
examination of the prisoner is concluded.
You will retain him in the closest Gus
tody, and allow no one but his counsel or
physician TO see him under any pretext
whatsoever"
Jules Chabot was the next witness to
be examined. His testimony was substan-
tally the same as contained in the pre-
fect's report. He swore positively enough
to finding Van Lith in Nine. Roupell's
chamber Immediately after hearing the re-
pert of the pistol. He also swore that
Nine. Roupell and Van Lith were on bad
terms, and gave, though with a we'll
assumed show of reluctance, a pretty full
recapitulation of the facts which had
brought about the final quarrel between
them.
At this stage of the examination, the
project was seen to whisper something to
the Judge, and the latter then asked:
You testify that near an hour
elapsed between the time when you were
shown to your room and the firing of the
pistol. The condition of your bed proves
L. eli in on1 MI
you reached Madame Roupells chamber
you were fully dressed. Why did you
not retire to rest"
simply because l was not sleepy" re-
piled NJ. Chabot, coloring somewhat, and
lingering his long mustache nervously. Il
was busy writing.
What were you writing?'
M. Chabot hesitated and stammered.
"If you do not Immediately answer
nv question, l shall have no alternative
but to commit you, monsieur" said the
Judge in a stern voice.
Jules Chabot hesitated no longer. Draw
ing a letter from his pocket, he handed it
up to the bench.
ut is a confidential communication adj
dressed to a lady" he said "and l trust
you will respect it,
NJ. Bertrand could but with difficulty
repress a smile as he ran his eyes rap
idly over the letter, which was nothing
less than the draft of a written PROPOSE
ton Of marriage to Miss Harriet Weldon.
1t had evidently been the subject of much
care as the frequent erasures and inter
lineations showed. 1t was couched in
fowery and high-flown language, and full
r
alteration. The most peculiar thing about
it was the writer had evidently been I'M
certain as to which of the two young
ladies he should ask for, as the words
"Nflle. Harriet Weldon had been first
written and then scratched out, as if he
Thought there was no hope for him in
that direction, and Mile. Emily Weldon"
nut in their stead. Victor Lablanche
here again whispered in the ear of the
Judge of instruction and the latter said ::
Il would ask you if you were occu-
MED during all the interval which ELAPSED
between the time of your retiring and
hearing the report of the pistol, in writ
Ing this letter.
"I was not 50 engaged during the en-.
tire time; the point of my pencil broke.
and | had no penknife with which to re-
sharpen it."
"1ou were right, monsieur lie project. -
exclaimed the judge, with a meaning
glance at the official. How long a time
elapsed between the breaking of your
pencil and the report of the pistol?"
About five minutes, 1 should say.
Probably longer. 1t might have been
more and it may have been less. / could
not say for certain"
The letter you have shown me-" said
the judge, Il think sufficiently explains
why you did not retire to sleep. You
were the invited guest of Madame Rou-
peIl, and occupied the room shown you
By the by, at which door did you go into
Madame RoupelPs room? The one which
led to it from your chamber?"
.'Oh. no, monsieur, that was locked !
had first to go into the corridor"
THAT will do, Monsieur Chabot. you
can CO." said the judge. and the French
man, considerably relieved, bowed and
refined.