The sun., 1908-05-10

way William Deisslen puts II, and he ought
10 knJw, because his farm is next to the
Guinness place.
sMy aunt was always a strange woman,
her nephew. John Larson, told the police
the other day when you first knew her
ahe would be very cordial Then she
you'd get ofish'
HER PLACE or SINISTER REPUTATIoN
She has always been "ofish,' TO say
the least, in Laporte. Her home has Tor
wears borne a sinister reputation. Before
she bought il IL was known AZ the Matte
Attic place. and under that name was run
openly as a resort for disreputable charac-
ters Of both sexes.
When the neighbors heard that the police
had CLOSED Matte up and that Mr. and
Mrs. Guinness we're coming there 70 live
they we're all delighted. But their pleasure
was short lived. From the very first Belle
Guinness repelled advances. Nobody ever
went TO call on her but once.
Before many weeks had passed on one
pretext or another she had picked quarrel
with her neighbors. Usually the trouble
arose because she let her hogs run at Will
among her neighbors crors, 1t was the
same with the men who Visited her place
on business. Within elk months she was
at sword points with everybody who ever
went near the house When anybody had
10 visit the Guinness place he made a hasty
Job Of it every time.
THE DEATH or GUINNESS,
On top Of all this came the suspicious
death of Guinness After that the place was
marked. They might almost as well have
hung out the yellow flag over the front door
Since that time Laporte has shaken its
head over Mrs Guinness for these reasons.
Three o'clock on cold December morning
An 1902 Jennie Olson hurried down the road
20 the house Of William Nicholson, the near
est neighbor, and beat upon the door She
shouted TO Nicholson that Guinness was
very sick and wouldn he come and help.
Nicholson found Guinness lying stone
dead upon the kitchen floor with the back
Of his skull stove in. Mrs Guinness said
that heavy sausage grinder had fallen otl
n high shelf by the stove and struck him.
There we're no other witnesses, and though
the Coroner shook his head nothing was
ever done about it.
Belle Guinness collected 5000 insurance
on Gunness's life. II Laporte had then
known that she had previously collected
5000 insurance on her first husband
Iaporte might have taken steps, but
iaporte did not know. All Laporte knew
was that it was all very queer and that II
certainly did not like Belle Guinness,
All this must have suited Belle Guinness
pxcelently well, for at this very time she
must have begun 10 plan her campaign
Of wholesale murder Every day in the
year, her neighbors say, she drove TO town,
and sometimes twice a day, and always to
the post Office.
Once said the very German Mr. Diess-
len to-day. 'once | have TO go and pull
her from the snow out She herself gets
stuck. 1t was a terrible day else
went by all der day but only dis devil
woman"
And 30, though nobody really knew the
woman, nearly everybody in Laporte has
a distinct recollection Of her heavy, pudgy
figure seated in an old covered buggy
drawn by a bobtailed dapple gray, At
the various stores at which 6he made in
freouent calls, she scarcely ever alighted
from her buggy The clerks had TO come
out TO her, and without exception they
disliked her.
"She never looked at you square, said
one Of them to-day. 'She sort OF glanced
at YOU from under her brows and then
looked away quick while she talked In
her funny broken English. The words
she used we're all right. but she pronounced
them queer and in a thin squeaky voice,
And yet she looked and acted more like
man than woman
ONE OF HER LOVE LETTERS
II was this same gross, masculine, repul-
sive creature who was at that time writing
love letters to strange men whose murder
she was then plotting Andrew Helgelein
got one Of them, Andrew Helgelein, whose
poor human remains, covered with grave
mould and scarce now to be distinguished
from refuse. are now lying in a wooden
box in the carriage house at the Guinness
farm. Here is what it said
To he Dearest Friend in N { World
No woman in this world is happier than |
am, | know you are now TO come tome and
be my own | can tell from 20 ur letters that
YOU are the man want. IL does not take me
long 70 tell when like person, and you like
better than anybody in the world know.
The King will be no happier than you when
you get here. As for the queen, her JOY Will
be small compared with mine | think now
we will enjoy each others company. You,
the dearest man 10 the whole world We will
be all alone with each other Can you con-
ceive Of anythi ng nicer!
You will love my farm, sweetheart In all
I.aporte county there is none that will COM
pare with it, 1t on a nice green slope near
two lakes. The breeze is fine and its very
shealthful here. All Of my neighbOrs are kind
,and lovable You will love them, | know,
sweetheart Andrew.
[ think of you constantly When hear
your name mentioned, and this is generally
when one VI the dear children speaks OF YOU
;or hear myself humming II with the wo rds
.of an old love song, It is beautiful music TO
my ears. My heart beats in Wild rapture for
you. My Andrew. ! love you,
Come prepared TO stay here forever When
YOU find what a nice farming country this IS
YOU will not leave for the world. IL will suit
you and me. With many kisses.
Mrs BELLE GUINNESS.
Other letters Of similar character must
have been sent, for here is fragment Of
letter found by AISLE Helgelien, the muir
dered mans brother, in the Guinness car
rage house. The fragment read;
December 81, 1907
DEAR SWEETHEART, Mus. GuNNfss You
Any you are happy when you hear from me.
A.. I,Ng fras, 1 n