Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-01

lie procedures S-OfPN i--
the hustle my movement made, and
everybody, coroner, jurors and spec
tators, gaped st NE.
81 am a LAWYER" I said. May I
ask the witness one or two questions?"
Still the coroner gaped and wait
ed no longer for his permission.
"Was it a yellow letter." I asked.
"Now that you speak OF it kind of
remember that it was"
"Has the letter been found?"
"She was tearing ii in pieces"
Where are the pieces?"
The eyes Of everybody present be.
gan rowing about the room, as if in
answer 10 my question The con-
stabIe instituted a hasty search, in
which l myself, the coroner Sand the
Jurors Joined. ! felt that if we could
only find those pieces, the mystery
might be solved. While the room was
being ransaclied ] kept my eye on
Cook. As | asked the question about
the letters color / noticed that ne
looked startled ! was amazed now
70 see him edging toward the door. /
strained and searched. I felt almost
sure that if the pieces Of the yellow
letter were to be found anywhere il
would be in his pocket. Yet second
thought advised against such rash ac-
ton. I had no positive proof that
Cook was Crandall. Until had, sure
~ it would be unwise TO accuse him
| remembered that there was no train
by which he could leave the town un.
I'll late i'll the afternoon, so there was
little prospect that he could escape
ne.
How did you know it was yellow
lettsr?" the coroner asked me sus-
piciously, pausing suddenly in his
search.
II was an awkward question.
realized that my impetuosity had
placed ME in q predicament. / was
by no means ready to tell him the
whole story, and yet the fact that
knew Or suspected the color OF the
letter that she was tearing up certain.
~ indicated that l knew something
about the woman.
Il didn't know it"
We'll. What'd you ask the question
about it fOr?" he repeated, his sus.
picion Of me rapidly increasing.
| was thinking quickly what I cculG
say fiat would divert his thoughts. ]
noticed with annoyance that the eyes
Of every che in the room were on ne
and that they were curiously await.
ing an answer. I assumed an air o.
mystery and drew the coroner to one
side.
4 am Perfectly willing to tell Won
everything" | said. Il am cut here
on another matter that is something
Of a mystery in which yellow letter
figures. The letter has disappeared.
never saw or heard OF this cid woman
before! but when The witness men
toned that she was tearing UP Il let
ter 4 sudden notion came to NE tina,
it might be the one OF which | was in
search. 4 detective who is working
on the case will be out here this eve.
ming and then I can tell you more
about it,"
| spoke the last sentence in wits.
per SO low that il reached only tic
coroner's ear. He pondered over n.
statement and then abruptly an
nounced that the inquest was ad.
journed until nine o'clock the next
day. | would have escaped him il ]
could, but | saw that he was deter
mined 20 worm cut everything knew
or suspected. I decided that activity
would be the best remedy for his
curiosity. Accordingly I invited the
coroner ana the constable to come Up
to my rooms where, without waiting
for them to question me, | began fir
ing questions hOt-shOt at them, sug-
costing things for them to do, simple
things that would have been the first
thought Of The police OF New York or
an; other large city, but which they
had not thought Of Had they tele-
phoned a description OF the woman 10
the Bridgeport police with her name
TO see if she could be identified as
any one who was missing from that
city? Had they examined her clothing
10 see ii there was any mark on it thai
might identify her? Had they studied
hey writing on the register 70 see if il
gave any indication OF being assumed
or disguised? Had they examined her
poCk"tbook 10 see if it contained any
clur to a motive? Had they consiG-
ered whom she might have come to
this tOwn TO see?
"I!at idea of calling up the Bridge
port police amt such q bad one," said
the -DrcneT. Suppose you do il
now, he said, turning to the con.
stable
- ike TO know who's going to pay
for it if / do" the constable objected.
There amt enough fees in this Of
!ice for me to be spending my money
that way