Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-07
| The Altenburg Case.
Bv GEORGE DYRE ELDRIDGE.
COPYRIGHT 1909 GEORGE DYRD nzlDRIDGE


\
train of acts, SO undisguisedly calculated
to make tracing and detection easy
should have been followed, save that de-
lection, IL not actually courted, was no
feared
UNLESS you assume purpose to ere
ate the very impression that has beer
created in your mind
"Of course, that is within the range Of
the possible, and if you feel 1t has any
approach to the probable we can go int
it,
NO" Russell frankly admitted, 81
don't. The very statement of the as
sumption seems to me to show its alb
| surdity."
Now I find that both the Caldens spent
Tuesday night in the Altenburg house
time when the writer of the note was &c
see Altenburg, and to the natural ques
ton, had the writer of that note kept his
appointment or not? He had based his
suggestion of coming to the house on the
fact of the absence of Mrs. Calden
which enabled him to come without being
seen. Yet. as it happened. at that time
there were two possible witnesses there
in place of one. Whoever he was, he
didn't want to be seen during the visit
Altenburg, on the contrary, didn't seem
to attach much importance to the mat
ter, if we consider that he didn't even
destroy the note. So far then as Alien
burg is concerned there doesn't seem
much to cause us to give weight to this
incident. So far as the writer of the
note is concerned, there is every reason
to accept it that he thought the matter
of not being seen extremely important
OF course. If he was coming there to kill
Altenburg he would want his visit as
unknown as 1t was possible to keep it.
But IL he was coming for that purpose
it could scarcely be that Altenburg would
not have had some ground for apprehen-
sion: Would he not have taken steps to
protect himself?'
aren't we wandering a good ways into
speculations, or at least deductions. con-
sidering that we are seeking what can
be proved only?" asked Russell.
Perhaps" admitted Trafford. I'm
willing to confess that this proposed Wis.
itor and the identity of the proposed Wis.
itor have had a fascination for me. and II
is entirely possible that I have come to
give them undue weight. At the same
time. it will be proved at the inquest that
this appointment existed, and Beckwitl
will be keen to make the most of the
between the Caldens and Altenburg to
be kept under cover, and 1t isn't right
that 1t should be. Against the presump-
ton raised by that Beckwith will play
this unknown for all he Is worth. We
must determine in advance where. rea-
sonably, we stand regarding him. the
more imperatively as we know nothing
whatever about him save this scrap of
paper
mot even that he kept the appoint
ment.'
LAS yet, as matter of proof, not even
that he kept the appointment. / think,
too, that we are bound to determine In
advance whether we shall question the
Caldens as to their having seen or heard
anything of visitor Tuesday evening.
It's my opinion that, in fairness to them,
no less than in the interest of truth, we
ought to-
Cant we leave that to Beckwith?"
eff it was trial and they were the
accused. yes. But it isn't. This is a
search in the interest of justice. and
therefore in their interest II they are in
nocently involved"
"But the confession?' suggested the
county attorney.
rs no confession at all, as / don't
need to tell you. You've got the right
man. That's ell there was to it. Is that,
honestly. to be accepted as confession
that murder has been done?'
''Not If unsupported and uncorrobo-
rated-that is, If he holds his tongue
from this on and puts US to the proof
wouldn't you almost agree. on a trial,
If you were his lawyer. to keep it out
altogether" demanded Trafford.
Eyes, / think I would: at least with
nine judges out of ten"
"Well, that settles 1t to my mind. 1t
isn't specific enough to rank as confess
sion. and If we accuse Calden, which l
am far from prepared to do as yet, we've
got to count that so-called confession out.
If it gets in at all, why SO much gained"
"And you haven't found out anything
regarding the proposed visit?"
(To be continued tomorrow