The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-05-26

all, Bne was Dy no means sure her
self that Underwood had committed
suicide. Howard had confessed, so
why should she jeopardize her good
name uselessly?
NO." repeated the Judge, shaking
his head, there's something strange
in the whole affair. | don't believe
Howard had any hand in it,"
But he confessed" exclaimed
Alicia.
The Judge shook his head.
That's Iothing." he said. There
have been many instances OF untrue
confessions. A famous affair OF the
kind was the Boorn case in Vermont
Two brothers confessed having killed
their brother-in-law and described
how they destroyed the body, yet
some time afterward the murdered
man turned up alive aYd well. The
object of the confession, of course
was to turn the verdict from murder
to manslaughter. the circumstantial
evidence against them having been
so strong. In the days OF witchcraft
the unfortunate women accused of
being witches were often urged by
relatives to confess as being the only
way OF escape open TO them. Ann
Foster, at Salem, in 1892. confessed
that she was a witch. She said the
devil appeared to her In the shape Of
bird, and that she attended a meet
ing of witches at Salem village. She
was not insane, but the horror of
the accusation brought against her
had been too much for a weak mind
Howards confession may possibly be
due to some such influence
Il hope for his poor fathers sake"
said Alicia, that you may be right
and that he may be proved innocent,
but everything is Overwhelmingly
against him. | think you are the only
one in New York to express such
doubt"
Don't forget his wife," remarked
the Judge, dryly.
NO. she replied. II really feel
sorry for the girl myself. Will you
give her some money IL /"
The lawyer shook his head.
"She won't take It. tried IT, She
wants me to defend her husband
tried to bribe her to go to some other
lawyer, but It wouldn't work"
We'll. something ought to be done
to stop her annoying u.s." exclaimed
Alicia, Indignantly. "Mr. Jeffries suf-
fers terribly. can hear him pacing
up and down the library till three or
four in the morning. Poor man, he
suffers so keenly and he won't let any
one sympathize with him. He won't
let me mention his sons name. feel
we ought to do something. Try and
persuade him to let me see this girl
and-you are his friend as well as his
legal adviser"
Judge Brewster bowed.
Your husband Is a very old friend,
Mrs. Jeffries. can't disregard his
wishes entirely"
There was knock at the door Of
the private Office.
Come in," called the Judge.
The door opened and the head
clerk entered, ushering in Howard
Jeffries. Sr The banker, still aristo-
cratic and dgnifled, but looking tired
and careworn, advanced into the room
and shook hands with the Judge, who
greeted him with a cordial smile
There was no response on the bank
er's face. Querulously he demanded:
brewster, what's that woman doing
out there again? It's not the first
time I've met her in this office"
Alicia looked up eagerly. is she
out there now?" she cried.
What right has she to come here?
What's her object?" went on the
banker irritatedly.
The lawyer shrugged his shoulders.
The same old thing" he replied
"She wants me to take her case"
The banker frowned.
Didn't you tell her 1t was impos
sible?"
laughed the Judge. She comes just
the same. I've sent her away dozen
times. What am l TO do If she in
sists on coming? We can't have her
arrested. She doesn't break the furni-
ture or beat the Office boy. She sim
ply sits and waits
Have you told her that l object to
her coming here?" demanded the
banker, haughtily.
IL have" replied the Judge, calmly,
but she has overruled your objec-
ton" With a covert smile he add
ed, You know we can't use force"
Mr.. Jeffries shrugged his shoulders
impatiently.
you can certainly use moral force" I"
he said.
What do you mean by moral
force?" demanded the lawyer.
Mr.. Jeffries threw up his hands as
IL utterly disgusted with the whole
business. Almost angrily he an
swered
Moral force is moral force. |
mean persuasion, OF course. Good
God, why can't people understand
these things as | dG?'
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