The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-19
bOGREAT MYSTERY
. IN HAWKINS CASE
Arrest May Follow Coroner's
Inquest, but This Is Not
Certain.
EVIDENCE OF FLlMslEsT VaND
Prosecution Utterly Fails to
Fasten Crime Where Sus-
picion Points.
tBy Stat. correspondent.1

Hendersonville. N O., September ID,
While the death OF Myrtle Hawkins,
whose body was found in Lake os-
oeola eight days ago. was tragic, yet
there Is no great sensation, no great
mystery in this story. which has ex-
cited the people of whole State up
here In the mountains. When the
coroner's inquest is concluded to-mor-
row night somebody may be crested
charged with murder. yet that Is not
at all certain, for tho States owl
dence Is OF the hlmsiest kind. Tho
murder has been overplayed.
This much may BIO said without un-
JUST criticism on newspaper correspon-
dents who have undertaken to build
Ioiiowlns the recent killing of Mrs.
Henry c. Beattie. Jr., near Richmond.
Tor which her husband has been GEN.
eenced to eleotrocution.
But the facts won't Justify It, Any
little town is apt to get excited when
girTs body is found in lake. That
is natural. Moreover, the air has been
hlled with rumors. world without end.
suit nobody could nall them down: SO
there you are.
An Ugly Story,
1t Is not n Beattie case; it Ia sim
ply the ugly story of hayward girl
and an illegal operation. performed
In the hope OF saving her from dis
grace. It killed her. Then her body
was left in the woods. and finally
thrown into the water. There was
none OF that malice aforethought" in
the eyes OF the law. 1t Is murder. but
hardly murder. in the first degree.
The evidence points to the fact. II
would seem that the victim was party
to the scheme. But the prosecution
thus far has utterly failed to fasten
the crime where suspicion points. And
1t is doubtful IL 1t ever will
A week ago coroner's inquest was
held; the jury returned the bald YER
diet that Miss Hawkins came to her
death in manner unknown When
was reopeneS. and the new inquest,
which was adjourned from day TO day.
was resumed this afternoon. Ton wit
nesses went on the stand, and failed
to produce the promised sensation.
They knew nothing more than had
been admitted heretofore. None OF
them could agree. One Young farmer
did testify that nc saw Miss Hawkins
near the lake on Thursday a week ago,
and later In the evening ne says he
saw George Bradley and a strange
woman in the same neighborhood BY
questions of the examining attorney
1t was brought out that Bradley had
been under suspicion. but mono o. the
witnesses could tell anything that
would be discriminating.
Detective Is Sensation.
A Washington detective. who has
created n bigger sensation, II you mus
know. than the murder !tselt. has been
unable tn produce any direct or indi-
rect evidence He has throughout the
dull proceedings looked exceedingly
grave. while the crowded court room
Uttered. All this talk about that re-
ward of $500. has hwindled down to
the $3.50 which It IS reported the Gov
ernor has offered. Taking up the mys-
terry from another angle. there Is no
society end. There IS no golden end.
The girls father conducts jewelry
store. and IS not rich The town has
known Myrtle Hawkins since she
pranced around in pigtalls and pima
fore. and the town proper agrees tina
the murder was most shocking. But
murder was hardly premeditatad or
hardly planned. The girls parents
knew OF her t-buble before she dis
appeared It is another case where
one might wisely quote that old text
that "the wages OF sin Is DEATH"
During the summer season Hender-
sonville IS overrun with gay and
giddy throng. The town this year ap-
pears to have cocktailed its way into
the limel!Ent One newspaper went SO
far In discussing the murder as to
say that the brutal killing OF an !gno-
rant girl was visitation OF Provi-
dence. hut there is no relation be-
tween the giddy throng and Myrtle
Hawkins. because they swung about In
different circles.
Speaking as one who understands
the public's weakness for mystery and
crime in type, the Hawkins case has
been overreted. 1t would never have
burdened the wire except for the one
fact that the body was fished out OF q
lake. 1t is a dull, sordid, unspeak
able thing. This much may be truly
said in dismissing It: The attempt tc