The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-07-13
e The ~
TROWBRIDGE
CASE
A Lesson as to Circumstan-
tial Evidence
By EDITH v. ROSS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation fQ11
By EDITH v. ROSS

The case of the state against Edith
Trowbridge. a girl of twenty-five. had
been tried before Judge Grihths. and
the evidence had proved her guilty be-
yond a doubt. The charge was grand
larceny. though 1t was afterward
changed to receiving stolen property.
Some goods bud been missed from
sto, y A woman was seen to take
them nd had been followed. She was
tracked to an apartment house, where
she was lost Among others the apart
ments In which Miss Trowbridge lived
was searched. and the articles-some
lingerie-were found between the mat
tresses OF her bed.
Miss Trowbridge had captured both
judge and jury by her innocent and
modest appearance. but the evidence
was so strong against her that II was
impossible for the twelve jurymen to
acquit her. The Judge gave her the
lightest sentence the law would al
low-two years In the penitentiary.
But even 80 light sentence was q
horror to one who had been carefully
reared and we'll educated. After 1t
had been pronounced the prisoner. hav-
ing been embraced by her mother,
turned to George Whitcomb, to whom
she was engaged to be married and
on whose face were written horror and
indignation.
Cheer up, Georgep she said. you
and know that am innocent. Two
years will soon pass, and then we will
be reunited"
"Its horribler' was his only reply.
When Judge Griff1ths left the court
room at the end of a days work he
thrust from bis mind, as was his GUS
tom. the scenes of the day. A hap
pier scene to come took their place.
In a few days would occur birthday
to his daughter. girl just emerging
from her teens. and her father was
thinking of giving her a present OF
some article of jewelry. On his way
home he stopped at Benkard's. the
principal jeweler Of the town. There
he looked over various articles until
his fancy was caught by bracelet,
golden serpent with two ruby eyes.
He asked the price, but found II TO
be greater than what he had laid out
for his purpose. The salesman show
ed him others. which he examined ap-
provingly. but always returned to the
snake with the ruby eyes.
20 wish It." he said, for my daugh-
ter, whose twentieth birthday comes
around In q few days. But I'll not de-
eide today. Perhaps I'll come In to-
morrow"
When after Judge Griftiths' depar-
ture the clerk put away dozen or
more articles that he had been show
ing the Judge he missed the bracelet
Frightened. he looked over every ar
ticIe on and In the case. thinking that
he might have overlooked II. then on
the floor to see II 1t had been dropped.
The bracelet was not to be found.
One thing was certain-the bracelet
had been taken. The salesman report
ed that while showing goods to an
eminently respectable appearing gen
tleman a bracelet had been lost. A
member Of the firm questioned him
closely. but got no further information
than has been given here The sales
man had recently been given position
on trial. He was very anxious to
make sales, and both he and his en-
pioyer considered that his anxiety In
this respect had momentarily diverted
his attention from what every sales
man must constantly be on the watch
for-theft.
A week passed and nothing had been
heard from the missing bracelet. Then
one day an anonymous note In an evil
IDENTIFY disguised hand was received at
Benkard's. 1t was as follows:
ION Wednesday. the 7th Of June last
I was In your store looking at some
jewelry. stood near a case at which
gentleman was examining different
articles. saw a lady standing at the
same case. She picked up several ar
ticles, looked at them. examined the
tags attached to them and put them
down. While the salesman was intent
on his customer she took up bracelet,
held It in both hands and examined
1t closely. She wore loose flowing
sleeves, and while the salesman was
examining the tag on a brooch for the
purpose Of learning its price she drop
ped the bracelet into one Of her sleeves,
'"rhe young lady was evidently not
common thief. At any rate, she was
handsomely dressed Curiosity led me
to discover whom she was and what
her object might be In stealing the
bracelet She went directly from the
store, hurrying as soon as she reached
the door. followed her and saw her
get on trolley car. | boarded the
car myself and left 1t when the thief
I left It Passing of the main street,
she turned into a residential avenue.
stopped at a stone front dwelling and
entered with latchkey.
1.-THE adventure interested me, and I
took pains to investigate as to who
lived in the house. learned that 1t
was the residence of prominent citi-
zen. Describing the girl thief to those
who were familiar with the family.
was told that had described his only
daughter.
IT found myself In an unpleasant po-
sit1on. To accuse young lady, the
daughter Of q respectable and infiuen-