Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-05-18

she became more and more enamored.
She would risk anything to have him
near her. 1t was not long before he
was spending most of his time in her
handsome home.
The woman now exhibited a new
phase of capriciousness. The Jewels
which she had SO priced she lavished
upon the fireman. Vaunce might view
with c~omplacency any folly. crime or
deceit of the woman but this. Now
she was basely ~ungrateful. He had
picked her out of the gutter and she
was going back to 1t. What was to
become of him If she lost both hus-
band and millionaire? What of all
the fond dreams he had of the future?
The sinful waste of the Jewels must
end. The woman must be saved from
herself.
So it was that Vaunce, meaning
nothing more than to scare the wom-
an, said something that opened the
husbands eyes to the absence of some
Of the gems. The husband questioned
the wife. She, in a panic, said she
did not know where they ~were-they
must have been stolen. The husband
said nothing, but, without her knowl-
edge, employed detectives. They found
some of the jewels in pawn shops and
some others ana pawn tickets in the
fireman's room.
Mans ChivaIry Shown.
An arrest followed. The woman
could not acknowledge the mans in
nocence without proclaiming her
shame. He could have gone free If
he had told the truth, but it would
have involved her. He simply did
what in his rudely chivalric mind
seemed the proper thing to do. He
took the brand of thief and went to
prison, where he now is. The hus-
band, who may or may not have had
suspicion Of the true state Of affairs,
brought suit for divorce, but named as
the correspondent the young million
aire. The latter man, though discard
ed, accepted the situation. The testi-
mony was taken before a referee in
secret, the divorce granted and the
woman freed.
She has expressed no regret, the
former husband has none, the core
spondent is silent, and only the fire
is punished. Strange part Of it,
though, is that Vaunce really believes
he is the one that is injured. He can
not see any moral obliquy in his
having gambled with a human life for
his pecuniary advantage or in being
the indirect cause of w~recking, If not
the fortune, at least the happiness Of
a generous friend. All he sees Is
that his plans have gone astray and
that he faces in his old age the pinch
ing which he had planned so elabor-
ately to avert, for the pension he
thought SO secure is paid no longer.
Out in Chicago recently Mrs. James
Schmidt told to a court a story that
has been soaring her heart for two
years. It has brought shame to her.
self, but 1t will bring freedom to a
man under a life sentence. Two years
ago the wife Of DR.. Haldane Clemin-
son died from poisoning. There were
circumstances that directed suspicion
the husband. There was evil
dence of q%uarrels, of some neglect, Of
jealousy w~ellfounded. The defense
was a general denial with an alibi as
the main reliance.
To Prison to Save Woman.
But the alibi was weak. It led him
away from his home, but whittier?
Where he was not was almost reason
ably determined. 1t was where he
actually was that was shrouded in
mystery. 1t seemed to the jury the
physician should have been able to
account for himself on the night his
wife died, and they found him guilty
Of murder In the second degree. He
was sentenced to prison for life and
went there accomplishing.
Mrs. Schmidt now has come forward
to clear MIN. And again 1t was
his protest, for her statement
brings dishonor On her. At the cost
Of the love Of her family and of the
friendships that helped to make her
life pleasant, she has confessed that
be was in her company at the time of
the alleged crime, and 1t was only at
HIS command that she did not testify
1T the trial.
Things must be bought" says Life.
Mrs. Schmidt has paid and will go on
The man she saved was ready
% pay, although the price required
was his life. Vaunce, sitting before
he cold ashes in his broken CRATE,
pays for an unworthy ambition, and
crashes his teeth at the price. His
ward, In her paint and her life OF sin
pays as she looks at the woman with
] home and q baby.