The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-09-16


| A quick spark of memory kindled
her mind, and with the first flash, she
understood the import Of his question.
Mrs. Missioner told me the history
of the stone,' she said. II believe
| there was some scandal connected
with its purchase in India. She told:
me that when her husband obtained
it, there was some talk OF 1t having
been stolen from temple and that
the provincial native government tried
to regain possession OF it. Mr.. Mis-
sioner succeeded, however, In retain
ing it as part of his collection
What opportunity did the Indian
servant have Of obtaining the neck
lace?"
''None at ALL" she answered hope
lessly, unless he broke into the safe,
and l believe that was not DONE"
Mrs. Missioner informed me that
on one occasion, when the necklace
was lying on the table, the servant en-.
tered the room with a box You were
in the room at the time. Was he
close enough to the table to touch the
necklace?"
Il remember the incident very
WE'LL" she replied. i took the box
from him at the door and he turned
around and went downstairs. do
not believe he was within ten feet of
the table at any time"
II don't know what TO think" Brits
| said, after some reflection Almost
as soon as a new cleW hobs up, it
falls down and I have to begin all
over again. l have no more questions
to ask today"
Fitch accompanied the detective out
of the prison, begging vainly for some
word of encouragement. Britz an
swered his questions with nonosyl-
tables, as If he feared to commit him
self with regard to the outcome of his
Investigation. Just before parting,
however, Britz said:
Every line that develops in this
case, you can rest assured, will be foi-'
lowed to the end. So far, nothing has
been discovered that changes the as
| pect of the case in the slightest de-
gree"
The detective walked TO Headquar
tiers and entered the Office Of the
Chief.
HAS Donnelly or Carson reported
anything new?'' he inquired.
Nothing answered the Chief
! .sAnd your
Nothing that.throWs any light on
the case. -
"Britz,o the Chief remarked, an
though delivering some Weighty con-
clusion, Il think you're working on
the wrong hypothesis. You seem To
have decided that Miss Holcomb Is In
nocent. II you will survey the case
as 1t stands, you will have to acknoWl-
edge that absolutely everything In It
points to her guilt. do not under
take to say what her motive was IN
stealing the jewels, unless 1t was sim
ply the feminine lust for ornaments.
I feel certain, also, that she was nogs
alone in the crime. MY belief Is thas
she took the necklace cut of the safe.
Turned 1t over to DR.. Fitch, or some
one else, to have the duplicate made,
and then returned the false jewels to
the safe
But where were the paste gems
nader" inquired Brttz.
That's for you to find out" snapped
the Chief.
81 have personally visited every
manufacturer Of paste gems in this
city and in Philadelphia, Boston, Buff
falo, and Washington. My men have
= been to all the places in the smaller
cities. Manufacturers in all the other
cities of the country have been Wis
tied by the local police, and feel abb
solutely sure that the duplicates were
not made in this country. Logan is
on the way to Paris now, and until
we hear from him I don't think we
are safe in venturing any opinion as
) to the identity Of the thief. | am re-
ceiying daily reports of the move
ments of Sands, Griswold, the butler.
and the Indian servant, but they show
nothing"
, why do you think Logan will dis
cover anything? Has the real neck
Place ever been abroad?"
"Mrs. Missioner had it with her on
the other side, but don't know that
) it ever left her possession
The Chiefs lips coiled into an
amused smile.
} "Kind O. looks as If you're on the
wrong scent" he baited.
"Wait till we hear from Paris,
Britx returned.
I ITO BE coNTINUED.)