Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-23


mind even at this early stage OF the matter.
They were drawn up under three heads.
First, was the death of this young woman an
accident?
Second 1t a suicide?
Third, 1t murder?
Under the first head ! wrote:
Ny redsons for not thinking 1t an accident
/. If 1t had been an accident and she had
pulled the cabinet over upon herself, she would
have been found with her feet pointing toward
the wall where the cabinet had stood
Out her feet were toward the floor and her
head under the cabinet)
2. The decent even precise arrangement
of the clothing about her feet. which precudes
any theory involving accident.
Under the second:
Reason for not thinking IT suicide
She could not have been found IN the posi-
ton observed without having lain down the
floor while living and then pulled the shelves
down upon herself.
"a theory obviously too improbable to be CON
sidered)
Under the third:
Reason Tor not thinking 1t murder
She would need to have been held down on
the floor while the cabinet being pulled
over on her, something which the quiet aspect
Of the hands and feet made appear impossible
To this | added
Reasons for accepting The theory Of murder.
l. The fact that she did not go into the house
alone; that q man entered with her, remained
ten minutes, and then came out again and dis
of haste and an anxious desire to leave the
spot.
2 The front door, which he had unlocked on
entering. was not locked by him on his depart
ule the catch doing the locking Yet, though
lie could have re-entered 30 easily, he had shown
no DISPOSITION TO return
8. The arrang cement Of the skirts, which
show the touch OF n csrsful hand after death.
Nothing clear you | was doubtful OF all;
sud yet my suspicious tended most toward muir
Ger.
/ had eaten my luncheon before interfering In
this matter. which fortunate for me, as 1t
was 3 o'clock before ! was summoned to meet
the Coroner, of whose arrival / had been con
sCious some time before.
He was IN the front paror where the dead
girl lay, and as | took my way thither felt the
same sensations OF fsintness which had so
nearly overcome the previous occasion.
But | mastered them and was quite myself
before I crossed the threshold.
There were several gentlemen present but of
them all / only noticed two. one of whom took
TO be the Coroner, while the other was my late
interlocutor Mr.. Gryce. From the animation
observable In the latter. ] gathered that the
was growing In interest from the detective
standpoint
All and is this the witness?" asked the
Coroner l stepped into the room.
81 am Miss Butterworth,' was my calm reply
Amelia Butterworth Living next door and
present at the discovery of this poor, murdered
body"
Murdered" he repeated. why do you say
murdered?"
For reply drew from my pocket the bill on
which had scrubbed my conclusions In regard
The result was an odd but grudging look OF ad-
to this matter
Read this" said I.
Evidently astonished, he took the paper from
my hand, and, after some curious glapres In my
direction. condescended to do as | requested
miration directed toward myself and a quick
ssh q pf tha noD 70 ba dat
The latter who had exchanged his bit OF
broken china for very much used and tooth
marked lead pencil. frowned with a whimsical
air Mt the latter before he put 1t in his pocket
Then he read my hurried scrawl.
Two Rlchmonds in the field" commented
the Coroner, with sly chuckle. 81 am afraid
shall have to yield to their allied forces Miss
Butterworth, the Cabinet is about to be raised:
do you feel as if you could endure the sight?"
81 can stand anything where the cause of JUS
tice Is involved" | replied
Very well, then sit down. II YOU please
When the whole body is visible will call you"
And stepping forward he gave orders to have
the clock and broken china removed from about
the body
As the former was laid away on one end of
the mantel some one observed
What valuable witness that clock might
have been had 1t been running when the shelves
fell"
But the fact was so patent that It had NOT
been IN motion for months that no one even an
swered; and Mr.. Gryce did not so much as look
toward It. But then We had all seen that the
hands stood at three minutes to s.
had been asked to sit down, but found this
impossible. Side by side with the detectives l
viewed the replacing of that heavy piece Of
furniture against the wall. and the slow disclos-
ure Of the upper part of the body which had so
long lain hidden.
That | did not give way is proof that my
fathers prophesy was not without some rea-
sonabe foundation; for the sight was one to
try the stoutest nerves, as well as to awaken
the compassion OF the hardest heart.
The Coroner, meeting my eyes. pointed at
the poor creature inQuirngy.
rs this the woman you saw enter here last
night"
| glanced down at her dress, noted the short
summer cape tied TO the neck with an elabo-
rate bow OF ribbon, and nodded my head
Il remember the cape" said l. But where
Ia her hat" She wore one Let me see II
can describe It." Closing my eyes endeavored
TO recall the dim silhouette OF her figure as
she stood passing up the change to the driver
and was so far successful that | was ready to
announce at the next moment that her hat pre-
seuted the effect OF soft felt with one feather
or one bow ribbon standing upright from the
side OF the crown.
Then the identity Of this woman with the
one you saw enter here last night Is estab.
llshed," remarked the detective. STOPPING down