Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-12-30
CHAPTER NNvIn.-(Continued).

.plSC oilu IL W C0St lOuIiO Mltl IliS
address on it. Why he had sent in to
Vantine d card not his own, and what
his business with Nantine had been,
We're details concerning which the 10
lice could offer no theory. and which 1
did not feel called upon to explain. since
neither in any way made clearer the
mystery of his death.
An amusing incident of the inquest
was the attempt made by Goldberger
to heckle Godfrey, evidently at Grady's
suggestion.
On the morning after the tragedy
eoldberger began sweetly, you printed
TN The Record a photograph which you
claimed to be that OF the woman who
had called upon MIR. Nantine the night
before. and who was. presumbably. the
last person to see him alive. Where die
You get that Photograph"
1T was Il cOpN of one which DrOuet
carried IN his watch CASE answered
Godfrey.
Since then" pursued Goldberger.
you have made nc further reference
to that feature of the case. l presume
you oundo out that You We're mistaken"
ION the contrary. l proved that / was
correct"
Goidberger's face REDEEMED, and his
look was not pleasant.
Prove is rather Il strong word, isn't
it " he asked.
1T is the right word"
What was the woman's connection
with the man Drouet?"
She had been his mistress"
You say that very confidently said
Goldberger, his lips curling. After all,
it is merely a guess, isn't it"'
Il have reason to say it confidently"
retorted Godfrey quickly, "since the
woman confessed as much in my
presence"
Again Goldberger redeemed.
Il uppose she also confessed that 1T
was really she who called up Mr.. VAN
tin?" he sneered.
"She not only confessed that" said
Godfrey, still more quietly, but she
told in detail what occurred during tina
| visit"
The confession vas made to your
self alone. of course?" queried Cold
berger, i'm a tone deliberately insulting.
Godfrey flushed a little at the words,
but managed to retain his self-control.
Not at an he said. 1T was made in
the presence of Mr.. Lester and of an
other distinguished lawyer whose name
l am not at liberty to reveal"
Goldberger swallowed hard, as though
he had received a slap in the face. /
dare say. he felt as though he had!
'"Thls woman is in New York? ' he
asked.
II believe So"
What is her name and address%"
Il am not at liberty to answer"
Goldberger glared at him.
You will swe he Numbered, "or
ri commit you for contempt!"
Godfrey was quite himself again.
Very well.' he said, smiling. II
have not the slightest objection. But
{ would think it over, if l We're you. Mr..
Lester will assure you that the Wom-
an was in no way connected with the
death either of Drouet or of Mr.. VAN
tine"
Goldberger did think it over; he
realized the danger of trying to punish
a paper so powerful as the Record, and |
he finally decided to accept Godfrey's |
statement as Il mitigation of his refusal
to answer.
That is only one of the details which
Commissioner Grady has missed" God
frey added. pleasantly.
THAT will do Goldberger broke in, |
and Godfrey left the stand.
I was recalled to confirm his story. l
also, of course refused to give the
woman's name. explaining to Cold
berger that 1 had learned it profess
sionally, that was certain she had
been guilty of no crime. and that
to reveal it would seriously
embarrass an entirely innocent wom-
an. With that statement, the coroner
was compelled to appear satisfied.
Grady did not go on the stand: he
since h first day, he had not APP
peared publicly in connection with the
case at all: and I had surmised that he
did not care to be identified with al
mystery which there seemed to be no
prospect of solving, and from which no
been placed in Simmonds' hands,, and
1t was he who testified On behalf of the
police. admitting candidly that they
We're all at sea. He had made a care
full examination of the Vantine house.
he said. particularly of the room in
which fIon hOdinC bod 1,~o- f,.- ---1 .
had discovered absolutely nothing in
the shape of a clue to the solution of
the mystery. There was something di-
abolical about it; something almost SUI
~pernatural. He had not abandoned
hope. and was still working on the
If the mystery was ever solved. it would
be only by some lucky accident or
through the confession of the guilty
man.
Goldberger was annoyed; that was
evident enough from the nervous way
IN which he gnawed his mustache; but
he had no theory any more than the
police: there was not a scintilla of evil
dence to fasten the crime upon anyona:
and the end of the hearing was that
the jury brought in a verde that Phil
ip Vantine and Georges Drouet had
died from the effects of a poison adj
ministered by a person or persons UNI
known.
Godfrey joined me at the door as
was leaving. n we went down the
steps together.
II was glad to hear Simmonds con-
fess that the police are up a tree" he
said. "Of course. Grady is trying to
sneak out of it, n blame some one
else for the failure-but I'll see that he
doesn't succeed. I'll see anyway, that
Simmonds gets a square deal-he's an
old friend of mine. you know"
"YeSV said "T kuOw. h,,< wos,o ~,