The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-12-20

fore, and gave book. paper and pen to
Miss Estfilla. IL was the best possible
compliment TO the inspectors third de-
gree methods. that she signed without
A protest. Rosalie took the paper 81.
lently; but she did not deposit IL where
II belonged among the official papers
on Detective Kennedy's table. AS she
resumed her station outside the door.
she was folding II in her fingers.
The police went on, then, with their
searchings and questionings. They
tailed TO notice. so absorbed were they,
.he sound OF retreating footsteps on
he stairs.
We resume. with the palnstaking
Detective Kennedy, the statement OF
Margarita Perez. alias Estrilla.
III was apoplexy. But Juan did not
know II yet. He only knew that Cap
tain Hanska had fallen on the knife
and died, and that 1t would look like
murder. He understood your law, he
knew that to get our property he was
committing what looked like burglary,
and hat burglar who commits muir.
der cannot plead self-defenee. lie wait
Cd by the window TO see whether the
BAL had disturbed tie house. No one
stirred-probably an elevated train
was passing al the time IL happened.
frightened as he was, he still thought
OF the jewels. and decided to take
them, whatever the risk. He exam
ined the box; the bill OF sale was there.
Circumstances had changed now; an
empty strong. box In the room OF man
who appeared to have been murdered,
might set the police on the track He
thought OF this. SO he took the box,
open as It was switched of the cleo
trio light, and started 10 leave by the
door. The catch OF the spring lock
was on. To lock the room from out
side, he would have had 10 slam the
door-you know how a spring lock
works. That would have made a great
deal OF noise IL might awaken some
one, who would hear footsteps going
from Captain Hanska's room TO mine.
He put the box under his arm and
fastened back the catch OF the spring
lock, so that he could close the door
without sound or course. that left
II unlocked. In doing all this, IL seems,
he spilled out Of the box the diamond
buckle which found on the stairs.
Juan went back to my room be
cause he wanted time 10 think His
first idea was to leave the house
dressed In my clothes. just as we had
planned, and join me. Then we would
escape together But he knew that the
police generally catch fugitiyes from
justice In the end. We were In a
strange country. We had no friends
to help us. II we were missing from
the house In the morning. Ii we were
caught escaping, every one would be-
lieye US guilty. Then he had another
idea. II could return. still disguised
as Juan, after the body was discov-
cred, he would have a perfect alibi.
while he was thinking about this,
Mr.. North came home and fell into the
blood, as you know.
Immediately, Juan heard some one
calling murder from below. That was
his chance to carry out his plan. lie
telephoned me. | came. | have told
you about that. He changed TO his
own clothes. ! made him go down
stairs and offer to help. My clothes,
which Juan had worn down the fire
escape In the rain, were still little
wet | looked them over carefully;
there were no blood stains on them.
| put them by the register 10 dry; and
| cleaned the shoes-that pair OF red
ones there In the closet. BY the time
they came TO take me away to this
house, no one would have known that
my garments had been out in the wet.
When they moved me, took away
the jewels and the strong box In my
bedding. Later Juan dropped the box
into the river. and sent the jewels
10 my cousin In Caracas.
1T was his plan TO leave the country
AK soon az we might do so without
attracting suspicion But when they
arrested MIR. Wade, | could not agree
to that could not have his death on
my soul. Juan was imploring me to
leave: but | told him that would not
until Mr.. Wade was released or acquit-
ted. IL Il came TO the worst, would
confess. persuaded Juan that | was
right That Is why we stayed. We
had no other reason.
Il make this statement without hope
or offer OF reward or immunity, solely
in the interest OF justice.
"MARGARITA PEREZ"
reiterate-this narrative, which TO
you may seem 10 run so plainly and
simply. was broken all along the way
with police questions, with exclama-
tons, with hesitatlons. with parox-
ysms, mental and physical At times.
the voice OF Miss Estrilla Cor Sonora
Perez was a mere whisper OF horror.
Al times Il swelled to a full poignant
note as she tried TO make her points
In Juan's defense. Now, as she fin-
ished. II simply ran down until Il was
silence. And with the tired motion OF
child who falls asleep. she quietly