Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-05-17


exacted from me promise not to
take up this case. should be tempted
to-consider the matter. In the first
place, you know always liked How
ard. i saw a good deal of him before
your marriage to Mr.. Jeffries. He
was always a wild. unmanageable
boy. weak in character, but he had
many lovable traits. am very sorry,
indeed, to see him In such terrible
position. 1t was hard for me to real
ize 1t and should never have be-.
lieved him guilty had he not con-
fessed to the crime"
Yes" she assented at is an aw-
full thing and terrible blow to his
father. OF course. he has had moth.
ing to do with Howard for months.
As you know. he turned him out of
doors long ago. but the disgrace is
none the less overwhelming"
The lawyer looked out Of the win.
dow and drummed his fingers on the
arm of his chair. Suddenly wheeling
round. and facing his client, he said:
You know this girl he married is
no ordinary woman.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, sarcastically.
"She has succeeded in arousing your
sympathy"
The Judge bowed coldly.
NO" he replied. II would hardly
say that. But she has aroused my
curiosity. She is very peculiar girl,
evidently a creature of impulse and
determination certainly feel sorry
for her. Her position is very pain.
full one. She has been married only
few months. and now her husband
has to face the most awful accusation
that can be brought against man.
She is plucky in spite of 1t all, and is
moving heaven and earth in Howard
defense. She believes herself to be in
some measure responsible for his mis-.
fortune. Apart from that, the case
interests me from purely profession.
al point of view. There are several
strange features connected with the
case. Sometimes, In spite of Howara's
confession, don't believe he com.
mitted that crime.''
Alicia changed color and. shifting
uneasily on her chair. scrutinized the
lawyers face. What was behind that
calm, inscrutable mask? What theory
had he formed? One newspaper had
suggested suicide. She might herself
come forward and declare that Rob.
ert Underwood had threatened to
take his own life, but how could she
face the scandal which such course
would involve? She would have to
admit visiting Underwood's rooms at
midnight alone. That surely would
ruin her in the eyes not only Of her
husband, but of the whole world. II
this sacrifice of her good name were
necessary to save an innocent mans
life, perhaps she might summon up
enough courage to make It. But. after
all. she was by no means sure her.
self that Underwood had committed
suicide. Howard had confessed, sc
why should she jeopardize her good
name uselessly?
mo-" 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. Il
The Judge shook his head.
That's nothing" 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, vel
some time afterward the murdered
man turned up alive and well. The
object of the confession. of course
was to turn the verdict from murder
to granddaughter. the circumstantia
evidence against them having beer
so strong. In the days of witchcraf
the unfortunate women accused o.
being witches were often urged by
relatives to confess as being the onl,
way of escape open to them. AM
Foster. at Salem, in 1892, confessed
that she was a witch. She said thu
devil appeared to her in the shape o