Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1912-05-18

The murder at the aristocratic As
truria. therefore, was hailed by the
editors as an. unmixed journalistic
blessing. and they proceeded to play ,
It up for all it was worth. All the |
features OF a first-class sensation were |
present. The victim, Robert Under |
wood. was well known in society and |
a prominent art connoisseur. The |
place where the crime was committed !
was one of the most fashionable of
New York's hostelries. The presumed
assassin was a college man and the |
son of one of the most wealthy and
influential of New York's citizens.
True, this Howard Jeffries, the son.
was a black sheep. He had been
mixed up in all kinds of scandals be-
fore. His own father had turned him
out of doors, and he was married to a
woman whose father died in prison.
Could a better combination of cir
cumstances for newspaper be con-
ceived? The crime was discovered
too late for the morning papers to
make mention of 1t, but the afternoon
papers fred a broadside that shook
the town. All the evening papers had
big scare heads stretching across the
entire front page, with pictures of the
principals involved and long inter-
views with the coroner and Capt
Clinton. There seemed to be no doubt
that the police had arrested the right
man, and in all quarters of the city
there was universal sympathy for Mr..
Howard Jeffries, Sr. 1t was terrible
to think that this splendid, upright
man, whose whole career was without
single stain, who had served his
country CALAMITY through the civil
war, should have such disgrace
brought upon him in his old age.
Everything pointed to a speedy trial
and quick conviction. Public indigna-
ton was aroused almost to frenzy,
and a loud clamor went up against
the laws delay. Too many crimes
of this nature, screamed the yellow
press, had been allowed to sully the
good name of the city. A fearful ex-
ample must be made, no matter what
the standing and influence of the pris-
oner's family. Thus goaded on, the
courts acted with promptness. Taken
before a magistrate, Howard was at
once committed to the Tombs to await
trial, and the district attorney set to
work impaneling jury. Justice, he
promised, would be swiftly done. One
newspaper stated positively that the
family would not interfere, but would
abandon the scapegrace son to his
richly deserved fate. Judge Brewster,
the famous lawyer, it was said, had al
ready been approached by the prison
er's wife, but had declined to take
the case. Banker Jeffries also was
quoted as saying that the man under
arrest was no longer son of his.
, AS one paper pointed out, 1t seemed
: a farce and a waste of money to have
r any trial at all The assassin had not
only been caught red-handed, but had
/ actually confessed. Why waste time
e over a trial? True one paper timidly
suggested that 1t might have been {
?. case of suicide. Robert Underwood
e financial affairs, 1t went on to say
n were in a critical condition, and the
theory OF suicide was borne out t.
some extent by an interview with DR.
t Bernstein, professor of psychology a
n one of the universities, who stated
d that he was by no means convinced o.
(: the prisoners guilt, and limited tina
O the alleged confession might have
been forced from him by the police
, while in a hypnotic state. This the
II DRY, belittling as it did their pet sen
= sation, did not suit the policy of tn,
n yellow press, so the learned profes
sor at once became the target for edi
!. torial attack.
= The sensation grew in importance
=, as the day for the trial approached
a All New York was agog with excite
- ment. The handsome Jeffries man
e sion on Riverside drive was besiege,
= by callers. The guides on the sight
seeing coaches shouted through thei
n megaphones:
y That's the house where the mul
Is derer Of Robert Underwood lived.
! The immediate Vicinity of the hous
"a the day that the crime was made pull
lie was thronged with curious pee
pie. The blinds of the house wer
;. drawn down as If to shield the IN
. mates from observation, but Their
- were several cabs in front of the mai
entrance and passers by stopped o
e the sidewalk, pointing at the house. 4
= number Of newspaper men stood in
% group, gathering fresh material 70
" the next edition. A reporter al
L preached rapidly from Broadway an
Joined his colleagues.
~ well. boys" he said cheerily. IAN!
g thing doing? Say, my paper is goin
to have bully story tomorrow Con
ID plete account by Underwoods vale
He tells how he caught the murdere
just as he was escaping from tn
apartment. Wen have pictures an
everything. It's fine. Anything d,
u ing here?" he demanded.
u Nav" grunted the others In di
- gruntled tones.
1--WE saw the butler" said one r
" triad 70 cot cfor.y 10,