The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-12-08

Tested upon the charge of having
rdered his wife, and the evidence
hinst him was as follows:
His wife, vaudeville actress, had
him the preceding spring and had
Xused to return to him. The prin-
al cause for this separation ap-
red to have been his inability to
#port her in comfort, so that she
p ferred independence, with the GER
Xhty of a moderate income through
own efforts, to the tiresome rou-
d of household duties in the home
a man earning a clerks salary.
Sing the unreasonable months Of
y and August she had earned a
Plihood by posing for moving pic
plays. Sanford had repeatedly
ted her at her apartment to be-
ch her to return to him. He had
n heard to utter threats in case
remained obdurate. On the occa-
of his last visit previous to the
gedy his wife had been heard to
Ter him out of the house, and she
forbidden him to molest her fur
+.
ne week later, at nine o'clock in
morning, the maid who came in
y to clean the apartment found
J. Sanford lying dead in a chair
b deep stab wound Immediately
cath the right arm. Death had
iently been almost instantaneous,
there was no sign of a struggle,
the woman's face was as tranquil
though she had flung herself down
% the cushions for brief rest
the labors Of the day.
he chief witness against Sanford
the woman who rented the apart
It adjacent to Mrs. Sanford's. She
flied that she had met Sanford
p the stairs on the preceding eve
had seen him enter his wife's
ftment, and subsequently heard
sounds of a violent alteration,
which Sanford left the house in
ondition of intense excitement.
hours or so later she heard him
rn and ring Mrs. Sanford's bell.
heard voices raised in alteration
he apartment and heard Sanford
n leave, but in a stealthy and
etive manner wholly unlike his
Il method of departure. She heard
creep down the stairs and list
at the wall, but could make out
urther sound next door. Doubtless
murder had already been accom-
ned.
L be weapon with which the murder
been committed was found in
iguous building lot next day. 1t
a Malay kriss, knife with an
edibly keen edge, which Mrs. San
had owned, and the murder had
committed with an upward
st. Upon the right side of the
handle, when the blade was held
upward, were the blood-prints of
gloved fingers.
hen called in for the defense
d Sanford to plead guilty to man.
ghter. told him there was every
on to hope that he would escape
a sentence of fifteen or twenty
3. In the first place, the fact that
bad worn gloves, in the second
fact that the weapon had been
n from Mrs. Sanford's wall, where
ID hung, clearly indicated absence
generalization; while the jury
ID show every consideration to a
whose wife had deserted him.
Sanford obstinately insisted that
vas innocent. He admitted that
bad called on Mrs. Sanford the
ling before the tragedy to induce
o return to him. She had refused,
aid, and taunted him with the
Of rival for whose sake. she in
ed to obtain a divorce.
was only half convinced, in spite
= vehemence of Sanford's denial.
s. We heard criminals assert their
cence most convincingly, only to
their guilt after conviction.
I've you any theory as to who
murderer was?" / asked.
7 |he man she taunted me about"
Sanford. "He had been poster
= ler for weeks to divorce me and
y him, had threatened her with
unless she consented. She pre-
Pd to me that she intended to
ply; but know In my heart that
always loved me. If / had only
- ed more money she would have
back to me. Do you think I
d have hung round her for
hs without some reasonable hope?
you she hated that fellow; she
tried to play ,each of us off
st the other"
hford insisted that this man had
the second visitor on the night
4 be murder, and had slain Mrs.
brd in a jealous rage when she
Z y refused to marry him. But he
pever seen him and knew nothing
b identity.
BAT was all had to go upon. The
hn in the apartment next to Mrs.
brd's admitted that she had not
lily seen Sanford return on the
el of the murder. She was con-
d. however, that the second Wis
was he. She had no reason for
conviction, but she was all the
certain of it.
va willing to believe that San