Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-02-27
The Woman Who
alked to Herself
By MARTIN 3. ERICH

with its deep tones the hour OF 10
This is a double anniversary fol
me-" said to myself.
What meant was this: Ten years
before. on the 10Th Of April, 1861,
had been with the troops cutting their
way through Baltimore to the relief OF
the national capital threatened By the
secessionists. and on the present 18th
of April. 1871. had only an hour be
fore | heard the clock strike been ac-
reIlted as the future husband Of the
womIn who has for forty years been
my WIFE
There Is a third reason why l have
remembered that 18th OF April, 1871.
While passing before dwelling q wo-
man cQme out. mnttering hnprecatl0ns
on some one. She was so wrought up
By what she was thinking about that
she did not appear to see me. walk.
ed ON behind her and heard her talk
ins to herself don't remember her
words. but she was heapiRg maledic-
tons upon the head OF her husband.
who bad deserted her. leaving her to
support and care for two little chill
dren. These words remember hear
ing her say:
Poor dear little Bob. sick and hun
CRY and nothing to give him to eat but
dry bread when he needs dainties! I'D
like to kill
She turned into a baker shop and
asked for loaf OF bread. offering 4
cents instead OF the full pnce. which
was & The baker had evidently
granted similar requests.
When she came out spoke to her.
told her that had overheard her talk
Ing to herself and what she had said
She burst into tears and wrung her
hands. told her that It would give
me pleasure to supply her immediate
wants and handed her a bin quite suf-
ticient for that purpose. Not only
were my sympathies enlisted for her.
but l was myself mt the moment the
happiest man In the world.
As she thanked me the moon shone
down full on her face. showing It to
me distinctly. 1t WIS face not soon
to be forSotten-not beautiful. but sad.
We would like to forget the sad sights
of life. hut we can't 1t Is much easier
to forget the happy ones.
A few months later the pubic be-
came Interested In the trial of a wom-
an accused OF having murdered her
husband read some accounts Of the
trial. aud certain features of It seemed
familiar to me. Witnesses swore that
they had heard her say that she was
going to kill him II she hanged for It.
Where and when had heard some
one say Il should like to kllr'- Then
1t came to me that 1t was the woman
whom I had seen come out of house
talking to- herself. who had been de-
serted by her husband. whose sick boy
needed dainty food and for whose Inn
mediate wants had provided
A thrill of horror ran through me at
the thought that she had been infiu-
enced By her wrongs to do what she
had said she would Ike to do. / re-
solved not to speak to any one Of my
having met such woman lest be
called to testify against her. For
awhile kept away from the court
rooms. but something uncanny-a
strange curiosity-drew me there. and
on the day Of the summing up yield
ed and went to the courtroom.
l had not been mistaken. The pris-
oner's face was the same that had
last seen on the street in the moonlight.
though the sadness OF It had given
place to sort Of stupor.
The prosecutor was summing up as
I entered the courtroom. heard him
say that he had proved that the wo-
man had threatened to kill her bus
band: that at the hour of at night be
had left friend to go to his home. say
ing that be had received some money
and was going to return with it to his
wife. At ten minutes past 10 one In
the adjoining house had heard cry.
had gone in and found the man muir
dered. the money gone. Later his wife
had been found at a confectioner's with
a ten dollar bill buying delicacies.
What could be palmer than that she
had in mad desire for revenge killed
him. taken the money and gone ont on
an ordinary errand to avert suspicion?
/ sprang from my seat among the
spectators and cried out: THAT woman
Is innocent. know it ! can prove
1t. Put me on the stand"
There was hubbub In the court
room. but when I took the witness
stand and had been sworn all was 81
lence to hear what would say. told
how I had followed her to the bake
shop and had given her ten dollar
bill. When asked how / remembered
the date and the hour. even almost
the minute. gave the reasons ! have
given in the beginning Of this story.
The woman was acquitted What |
did for her after that is for me and
my family and for no one else.
l was curious to know how the bus
band had met his death. 1t was very