The Elbert County tribune., 1911-01-13


the cemetery. The detective thought
she might have come there to meet
this man. but had been foiled in her
Intentions by the appearance of a
third person
1t was Sunday that the occurrence
described took place. On the same
day of the week following the detec-
tive. disguised as a decrepit old man
apparently almost blind, went into the
cemetery early and took a seat beside
tomb not far from the one upon
which the woman had placed the flow
ers the Sunday before. 1t was nearly
nocn-day when the suspected woman
with her basket upon her arm came
in. The basket was filled with flow
ers as before. She was dressed in
deep mourning and seemingly bent on
sorrowful errand. This time she
did not kneel. but sat down beside the
tomb and bowed her head as If in con-
temptation. After-a short time the
stranger OF the week previous entered
the cemetery and approached the sor-
rowing woman by a circuitous route
Neither of these persons seemed to
take any notice of the old man lean
ing upon the nearby tomb. The
stranger and woman met and engaged
in conversation. They were partially
concealed from the view of the old
man, who now Strengthened up and
hobbled towards them, upon which the
stranger suddenly bolted over an ad-
Joining tomb and took to his heels
The disguised officer rushed up to the
widow and demanded to see what she
carried in her basket Upon an ex-
animation 1t was found to contain
set of dies for coming imitation silver
half dollars.
The woman was arrested Her lit
tie store was searched, but nothing of
an discriminating nature was found
there. The woman said her name was
Wood. and that her husband had died
but a short time before She had
since his death regularly visited the
cemetery every Sunday for the pur-
pose of decorating his tomb. She had
young daughter to support and had
been sorely pressed for money. The
dies which she carried in her basket
had been left with her by a man who
asked her to sell them for him. On
second thought she had resolved not
to comply with his request as she
feared such an act might be wrong.
She had gone to the cemetery that
day for the purpose of returning them
Her explanation was not altogether
satisfactory to the mind of Fitzpatrick.
The Widow Wood. Notwithstanding
her protestations of innocence, was
placed upon trial charged with having
counterfeit dies in her possession.
There was no question in regard to
the possession of these dies-but did
she have knowledge of their nature,
or was she victim of a cunningly
devised scheme of a person who was
seeking to dispose of them.
There were at that time existing in
New Orleans as in other cities at
least two classes of persons subject to
sit on juries. On the one hand there
was the fellow with the dark brow,
who thought there was no great harm
IN passing counterfeit money. On the
other, there was the man who would
scorn to commit a crime himself or
have neighborly feeling for sny per-
son engaged in swindling the public,
best of him when called upon to sit
upon jury and try a woman for an
offense.
The Widow Wood told a lame story
in regard to the counterfeit dies, but
the tale of her struggles to maintain
herself and keep her head above
water was touching in the extreme.
1t brought sympathetic tears to the
eyes of the warm-hearted and chival-
rous southerners. They could not
think of convicting her.
One evening a few months subse-
quent to the widows honorable ex-
oneration, good-natured gentleman,
a member of the jury that had ac-
quilted her. was on his way to his
Yes. Madam, at your service" re-
sponded the gentleman gallantly.
home from his office on Carrondolette
street. lie suddenly felt his coat
skirt pulled. Turning around he was
not little astonished to find himself
confronted by a prepossessing wom-
an whom he could not remember ever
having seen before.
Are you Mr.. Chappela7" she asked
in a sweet voice.
Without further ceremony she In.
troduced herself es Mrs. Wood. the
lady who had been falsely accused by
United States detective. She said
she had approached him because she
had learned that he was a benefactos
to the worthy poor and that she now
stood sadly In need of assistance. Her
story was that she and her daughter
of tender age had been keeping a
small variety store and had become
heavily involved In debt. Through
humiliation and want she had man.
aged to struggle along and eke out
an existence. An attachment had now