New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-05
An


, contrary TO that given by the mother
The medical eXa miner reported to the cor
oner that il was probable murder, ana ad-
visod that the wife and man boarder
with whom she had been intimate be held
until after an investigation. The boarder
failed TO answer to the summons to APP
pear at the inquest and disappeared
Months have past. but the coroners hnd-
ing has never been made public. the
woman under suspicion of being lmph-
Gated in the killing Of her husband re-
turned 10 the farmhouse with her -FOUR
little children Within two weeks. foi-
lowing a drunken brawl. a man visitor 10
The farmhouse was killed while riding out
with the woman and one of the childrens
legs broken ir a runaway. The tragedy
aroused the community. and it was eX-
pected that it would hasten the develop
ments i'm the murder case. which oid
fair to have all the sensational features
of the now famous Bessie Wakefield case
The woman over which the dark cloud
of suspicion hangs. and whose goings anu
comings were eagerly watched by ner
neiehbors, lived for a few weeks at the
farmhouse, or until driven from IL by the
illusion of visits from her dead husband.
She told her neighbors that he returned
every night. and even brought frewood for
the kitchen stove. She left the haunted
house and took her children with her TO
live with relative near by, but finally
moved to a city, where she could hide
away from the curious country people.
The crime cannot be yelled. and an ADAM
doned and haunted farmhouse will stand
as the monument of a cold-blooded crime
until IL tumbles into ruin. 1T VIII say"
the state expense is the explanation Civ
en- by the country people for the passing
of the crime without punishment, and,
besides. What would become Of the chill
dren?' they asked
Can afiinities exist in the small coun-
try town, where female gossips wait n
fire stones at any member Of her sex who
errs in walking the path OF virtue? Yes,
and il is not necessary 10 keep "A heart
wife locked in a back room to retain a
good standing i'm the country community.
The gossips talked and. fiGuratively. n Few
stones were fired when well-to-do mar
ried farmer was seen driving on the back
woody country roads with an educated
young woman Of the community. one of
the stone throwers nearly hit stick or
dynamite by sending 10 the nearest city
paper an announcement of the engagement,
Of the two. The explosion was just
avoided by the state editors knowledge
that the locally prominent farmer had a
wife, with whom he was supposed 10 be-
living The sossips' talk aid not prevent
the evening rides nor the farmer from
building bungalow on a hill overlook
ing the farmhouse whore his lawful wire
dwells The gossips talked n little faster
when his affinity and her mother took up
their abode with the farmer in the house
on the hill They wagged their tongues
still faster when the husband disregardcd
al, pubiic opinion by visiting and asking
favors Of his wife. some OF the favors be-
ing solely for the satisfying OF the pleas
IRE and convenience OF the afhnity on the
hill. II the heart wife wants extra milk
for pumpkin pics 1t is the lawful wife
under the hill who fills the pail brought
6very morning by the farmer. as all the
cows arc kept at the farmhouse under the
hill. The gossips try to comfort the de-
serted wife with tho characteristic neigh
borliness that would be manifested II
death had removed the husband who is
leading a double life in the open.
In "A typical Wild West Christmas cele-
bration two farmers OF the town got into
a dispute. and one shot Off an ear OF
the other with a shotgun and came with
IN a hairs breadth Of committing muir
der. The country authorities have made
no attempt TO punish the wouldbe muir
derer
The hooking IL justice Is demofalizing
the back country towns. and the acct
dental discovery OF back room heart
wife is not a big revelation 10 many
ruralites. who know OF such things In
their own communities. j.
WATERFOWL, Conn. Jan. I, 1914.