Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-03
Continued from Yesterday,

He returned to join Sedgwick. To-
gether they entered the building.
while behind them rising hum tes-
titled to the interest felt in them
by the villagers.
Within, tall wizened man, with
dead fishy eyes, stalked nervously to
and fro on a platform, beside which
hastily constructed coffin with a
hasped cover stood on three saw
horses. On a chair near by slouched
the sheriff, his face red and stream
ing. A few perspiring men and wom-
en- were scattered on the benches.
There was quick inflow of the
popuiace, and the man on the plat
form lifted up chittering voice.
"Feller citizens" he said, "as
medical officer, l declare these pro-
ceedings opened. Meaning no disre-
spect to the deceased, we want to get
through as spry as possible. First
we will hear witnesses. Anybody who
thinks he can throw any light on this
business can have a hearing. The
burial will take place right after
wards, in the town buryin' ground,
our Teller citizen and sheriff, Mr..
Len Schlager, having volunteered the
expenses
"That man." said Sedgwick in
Kent's ear. is a great deal more
nervous this minute than l am"
Perhaps he has more cause to be-"
whispered the scientist. Here comes
the first witness"
A sheep-h erder had risen in HIS
place, and without the formality of
an oath told of sighting the body at
the edge of the surf at seven o'clock
in the morning. Others, following,
testified to the position on the beach.
the flashing of the body to the
grating, the wounds, and the
manacles. Doctor Breed announced
briefly that the deceased had come
to her death by drowning, and that
the skull had been crushed in, pre-
sumably, when the waves hammered
the body upon the reefs.
"Then the corpse must have come
from a good ways out" said Sailor
Smith, "for the reefs wouldn't catch
it at that tide
Nobody knows how the dead come
in his deep voice.
There was a murmur of assent. The
people felt certain pride in the ill
omened locality.
Elder Ira bennett was the next
and last witness called. Somewhere
beneath the Elders dry exterior
lurlxed the instinct of the drama.
Stalking to the platform, he told his
story with skill and fervor. He made
telling point of the newly-finished
picture he had seen in Sedgwick' S
studio, depicting the moonlit charge
of the wave-mounted corpse. He
sketched out the encounter between
the artist and the dead woman vivid
ly. AS he proceeded the glances
turned upon Sedgwick darkened from
suspicion to enmity. Kent was al
most ready to wish that he had come
armed when bennett, with a final
fling of his arm toward the artist,
stepped from the platform and re-
sumed his seat, amid a surcharged
silence.
Then Sedgwick rose He was white,
but his voice was under perfect con-
troll as he said: 81 presume I have
the right to be heard in my own de-
fense?"
"Nobody's accused you yet
growled Schlager.
Public opinion accuses me. Thai
is not to be wondered at, in view OF
what Elder bennett has just told
you. II is all true. But I do moi
tx..u, ~. x.ro,,oou xr,oo oooos+od -,
| never saw her before that evening
She spoke strangely to me, and indi,
Gated that she was to meet someone
and go aboard ship, though saw nc
sign of a ship"
you couldn't see much of the
ocean from your house." said the
medical officer.
~ walked on the cliffs later" sale
Sedgwiclx, and murmur went
through the courtroom, but never
found the woman. And as for throw.
ing her out of ship or any such
fantastic nonsense, l can prove thai
was back in my house by littl,
after O'Clock that night
| a He sat down. coolly enough, but
his eyes dilated when Kent whispered
to him:
Keep your nerve. The probabiIit,
will be shown that she was killed be
fore 10 o'clock"
Now, however, DR.. Breed was OF
his feet again. Form In line, ladie.
and gentlemen" said he, "and pas.
| the coffin as spry as possible
At this Sheriff Schlager stepped for
ward and loosened the hssps. prepar
atory to removing the cover 'Th,
body has been left said he, slipping
the lid aside. just as-" OF a sud
! ana i4fa avAa rffAaacA f.r< sI~t,,.