The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-02-04

tween the man and the woman. The
latter, having completed her seeming
errand OF love. peered cautiously
around for q moment and retired from
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
It was Sunday that the occurrence
described took place. On the same
day Of the week following the detec-
tive, disguised as decrepit old man
apparently almost blind, went into the
cemetery early and took seat beside
4 tomb not far from the one upon
which the woman had placed the flow
ers the Sunday before. II was nearly
MONDAY when the suspected woman
with her basket upon her arm came
in. The basket was filed with flow
ers as before. She was dressed in
deep mourning and seemingly bent on
a sorroWful Grand This time she
did not kneel, but sat down beside the
tomb and bowed her head as If in con-
temptation. After short time the
stranger of the week previous entered
the cemetery and approached the sor-
rowing woman by circuitous route.
Neither of these persons seemed to
take any notice of the old man lean
ing upon the nearby tomb. The
in conversation. They we're 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 adj
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 it was found to contain a
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 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 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 a victim of 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 crime himself or
| have nefghborly feeling for any per-
son engaged IN swindling the public,
yet whose sympathy might get the
best Of him when called upon to sit
| upon jury and try a woman for an
| offense.
| The Widow Wood told 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, a good-Natured gentleman
| a member of the jury that had &C
/ quilted her, was on his way to his
Yes, Madam, at your service" re
sponded the gentleman CALAMITY.
home from his Office on Carrondolette
4 street. He suddenly felt his coat
1 skirt pulled. Turning around he was
not little astonished to find himsel
confronted by a progressing WON
an whom he could not remember evel
having seen before.
aAre you Mr. Chappela?" she asked
/ in sweet voice.
Without further ceremony she in
troduced herself as Mrs Wood, thu
lady who had been falsely accused b.
q United States detective. She sait
she had approached him because SHIT
/ had learned that he was a henefactol
/, to the worthy poor and that she nov
stood sadly la need Of assistance. lie
story was that she and her daughter
] OF tender age had been keeping ;
small variety store and had becnm.
heavily involved In debt. ThTougl
humiliation and want she had man
aged to struggle along and exc on
an existence. An attachment had nov
i t.nan issued and a keeper put Ia he