Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1912-01-05

ed Immediately with his examination:
"You swear that you have seen this
ring but once since the night of your
sisters death. and that was when II
was shown you In the coroner's Officer
81 do"
Does this mean that 1t was not in
your possession at any time during
that interimY'
1T certainly does"
"Mr. Cumberland. more than one
witness has testified to the fact of
your having been seen to place your
hand in the casket of your sister, be-
fore the eyes Of the minister and of
others attending her funeral. Is this
true?"
at is"
"Was not this a most unusual thing
to doP'
perhaps. | was not thinking about
that had a duty to perform, and I
performed It,"
"a duty? Will you explain to the
jury what duty?"
The witness head rose, then sank.
He, as well as every one else. seemed
to be impressed by the solemnity of
the moment. | even thought | could
detect tremor In his muscles as well
as In his voice:
81 had rebelled against my sisters
wishes; had grieved and deceived her
up to the very night Of her foul and
unnatural death and all through
drink" Here his eye flashed. and for
that feeting moment he looked a man.
Il wished to take an oath-an oath
would remember. 1t was for this
purpose ! ordered the casket opened
and thrust my fingers through the
flowers I found there. When my fin
gers touched my sisters brow l in
wardly swore never to taste liquor
again. l have kept that oath"
1t was an unexpected explanation
and calculated to cause decided and
favorable reaction in the minds of
those who had looked upon this espe-
cial act of his as an irrefutabe proof
Of guilt Mr.. Moffat's voice was heard
rising again In his strange but telling
examinations:
when you thrust your hand in to
take this oath. did you drop anything
into your sisters casketT'
81 did not. My hand was empty. I
held no ring and dropped none in. I
simply touched her forehead"
This added to the feeling. and in an
other instant the excitement might
have risen into hubbub had not the
emotions Of one little woman found
vent in low and sobbing cry. which
relieved the tension and gave Just the
relief needed to hold In check the over
strained feelings of the crowd. knew
the voice and cast one quick glance
that way, in time to see Ella sinking
affrightedly out of sight under the dis
mayed looks of father and mother. Mr..
Moffat continued his examination by
demanding why. when the ring was
discovered in Adelaides casket and he
saw what differences would be drawn
from the fact. he had not made an i'm
mediate public explanation Of his con-
duct and the reasons he had had for
putting his hand there.
"I'm not muff." shot from the pris-
oner's lips in his old manner. "a man
who would take such an oath. In such
a way and at such time Is not the
man to talk about 1t until he is forced
to. ! would not talk about 1t now
He was checked at this point, but
the glimpse we thus obtained Of the
natural man in this indignant and sui
len outburst, following so quickly upon
the solemn declarations Of the moment
before. did more for him in the minds
of those present than the suavest and
most discreet answer given under the
instigation Of his counsel.
The question as to who had dropped
the ring into the casket II Arthur had
not-the innocent children, the griev-
ing servants-was latent, Of course. in
every breast but 1t had not yet reach,
ed the point demanding expression.
"Mr. Cumberland. you have stated
that you did not personally drop this