The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-06-05

Al a lew minutes AFTER SIX clOct
men at the Metropolitan Print work.
were crossing Winchester's field, ma
king short cut for home and break
fast, when one of their number uttered
cry OF horror and broke into a run
His companions stared after him, al
first in wonder. but the next moment
they, too, were running in the same
direction, and In few bounds came
upon their fellow Ii borer, who, in q
frenzy of haste IND excitement, was
dragging the body of a woman from
the waters of the small brook which
flowed there.
is she browne q" whispered one.
Drowned" exe,-..Hed another, sig
nifcantly. and pointing at the red
stains on the face and clothing.
Don't touch it, Barney" cried an
other. Wait for the police. Leave 1t
exactly as you iom d it-man, don't
you know enough s-r that?"
"'Tis Sadie Patrick" breathed the
first who had SPOKEN, gazing with
frightened eyes from the pretty fea-
lures to the gaping wound in the
throat. Put her down, Barney" he
whispered, shrilly. You are dabbled
In blood"
But / can't let her stay in the wa
ter" Barney demonstrated. He laid
his burden on the shore and stood
looking at it awkwardly, while one of
the men ran swiftly to the police sta
ton and the others crowded around
and In awed tones discussed the prob
abilities Of the case. The girl had
been known to them all, in a general
way, for she had formerly worked in
the factory and lived among them in
the boarding house quarter, though
for the past year or two she had
served as a domestic in various rich
families in the city. Her reputation
was that of a quiet, well-behaved and
thoroughly respectable girl, a steady
church-goer. without either enemies or
men followers girls girl, fond of
innocent amusements among her own
sex, bright, good-humored and inoffen-
sfve. Vaguely these workmen felt that
such a tragedy as this was incongru-
out with her character. They could
not imagine any motive for such a
crime against her, and in their low
toned conversation long periods of
grewsome silence were more frequent
than words.
The medical examiner with the am
bulance and police soon arrived and
Immediately pronounced the girl dead. |
The body was taken to the nearest
undertaking establishment, and then
the police began their search for the
murderer.
That evening a refined appearing
woman. dressed In the fashion and |
heavily yelled. called on DR.. Furpivall. |
Il have come to you. DIR. Furnivall."
she began, 'in the interest of Justice.
You have read in the papers, doubt
less, of the finding of the body of the
domestic. Sadie Patrick. this morn
ng?"
Yes" answered the doctor. II his
speech was brief, one who knew him
veil would have seen that he was i'm
nediately alive with interest. This
stranger saw only an impassive face
'eneath professional beard, the eyes
concealed by colored spectacles.
WELL" the lady continued, 81 do,
lot wish to give you my name, for rea-
ons which you will appreciate. am
ure. / cannot be openly connected
Nth such an awful matter. But If you
ave read the evening as well as
norning papers"
She paused inquiringly. He said
Yes" and she continued:
You have seen. then, that they
ave arrested a man for the crime.
hat man is innocent. l know it. III
wear it now, here. to you. He must
OF be convicted. know that all the
ppearances are against him, that he
the person who was last to be seen
her company, that they say she had
lied him, that he loved her, and that
Q swore falsely, as they afterwards
'und, when he said that he went to-
ed at seven o'clock that evening. II
ny | know all this. But I know ,
more. too. and that is that ,
Her voice trembled. broke, and he :
1T that she was exerting all her will 9
refrain from weeping aloud. She ,
lade movement as II to use her ,
andkerchief, but the thought of the :
I'll evidently stayed her hand on its i
ay to her eyes, and she sat in silence /
moment with heaving breast. Then
lie continued:
Il can give you only woman's rea.
nj realize that it would not be 4
lid In law-but that man is innocent. 4
be doctors who performed the au- !,
psy declare that the process of d. 4
'stion had continued for two or per r
Fps three hours, and as she ate at six 4
clock the crime must have been y
'rpetrated between eight and ten. To a
y certain knowledge this young man "
, q nj L