Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1912-08-16
The Mystery of Susanna TankerMI|e
Strange Experienced In fbe Life
of Doctor.
Copyright. by w. G. Chapman.)
BY A. T. MEAD

1
Were you asleep or awake when
you saw him?' MIR. Minchin asked her.
I was asleep she said. 1t was
only dream
Mr. Minchin had to admit that
there was nothing in this dream, and
although 1t was just mentioned at
the trial. no stress was laid upon 1t.
And my child was declared guilty
She is to be electrocuted on the 9Th
of December, in less than three
weeks time. Do you believe in
dreams, Doctor Halifax"
There are occasions when dreams
seem to prophesy coming events" L.
replied
81 am glad to hear you admit as
much. You will be then merciful to
my dream. My daughter has dreamed,
and so have |. / have dreamed that
the murderer is a man, and that he
is to be found in the west. | have
dreamed that his accusing conscience
is driving him mad, and that he will
confess if given time. The governor
of the state has already refused to
grant reprieve, but he must be APP
pealed to again"
What! on the plea that you have
dreamed a dream, and that your
daughter has done the same?" | ex-
claimed.
You speak like the Others" she
said slowly. my lawyer refuses to
interfere. Will you do this thing for
me? have heard of your goodness
of heart, doctor; surely you will not
condemn me to despair"
Il would most readily help you to
appeal If there was the slightest
chance of success, Mrs. Tankerville,"
/ responded. But 1t would be wrong
to deceive you-there is none Dreams
are not tangible evidence. Have you
nothing further to go upon? What
other relations had the murdered
woman besides your daughter?"
Some nephews and nieces in Cali
fornia; no one else"
Nov, Mrs. Tankerville, / wish you
would give me an outline of the evil
dence for and against your daughter"
There were witnesses to prove
that Susanna disliked Miss Stuart
from the start" she answered. THE
old servant, Peggy by name, gave
SIdpLlt dCCOuHtS vi uSI InlSlIeSS . LSi-
rible temper and the many ways in
which she tried to curb and annoy
Susanna. who was a high-spirited
girl. Her final taunt was that Susanna
had come to visit her in the hope of
inheriting a portion of her money. On
one occasion, a few days before the
murder, old Peggy happened to be
passing through the room and she
heard Miss Stuart say to Susanna that
it had been her intention to leave her
100000 in her will, but that she
meant to alter 1t and had written to
her lawyer for that purpose. Susan
mas reply to this was mocking
laugh, and she ran out of the room,
slamming the door behind her. Miss
Stuart turned to the old servant and
said:
THAT girl thinks l am not in earn.
est. but l will prove my words. She
shall never have cent of my money
AT the same time Miss Stuart
spoke to old Peggy of her relations
in California and said that they would
not be forgotten in her will. But the
part of the evidence which most
strongly pointed to my child's guilt
was the following:
Peggy had a daughter in a distant
part of the state, who was i'll, al
though not dangerously SO. She want
ed to go and see her, and Susanna
begged that she might be allowed to
remain away for the night. Miss
Stuart refused, but Susanna pleaded
offering to undertake Peggy's duties
in her absence. Finally Miss Stuart
yielded. It was on the morning
previous to the murder that the old
woman went away. Thus Susanna
and Miss Stuart were alone. The
man, James Hitchin by name, who
lived half a mile away, came to the
cottage night and morning to chop
wood, carry coal, and do other do
nestle matters. He affirmed that on
the night of the murder he saw a
light in Miss Stuarts window, be-
tween twelve and one o'clock. She
was known always to retire at nine,
and never to keep a light burning.
Hitchin said he watched the light In
some establishment, wondering II the
old lady were i'll. AS 1t was extin-
guished, however, In about Ave min
uteS, ne WENT On nome, ana InOuBnt
no more about 1t. In the morning he
came early to the cottage and was at
tending to certain duties in the, yard,
when Susanna rushed up to him and
brought him into Miss Stuart's room.
The old lady laid In bed stabbed to
the heart. Susanna seemed almost
insane with terror. Hitehin went to
fetch a doctor and the police. The
house was examined. and the garden
knife which Susanna had been known
to purchase a week back was found
In the girls room on a chair. stained
with blood. Then Susanna disappear
ed. Her flight made suspicion doubly
strong and her arrest followed. You
can see what fatal web of circum
stantial evidence was thus woven
around my girl The motive was sup
posed to be discovered in my daugh
ter's desire to get the old woman out
of the world before she altered her
will, and the fact that Susanna had
large fortune of her own made no
difference In the feelings of judge and
jury against her. ALI ask for Ia a
postponement of the execution, doc
tor. II can secure that, something
tells me that my child will ultimately