Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-03-17
DEVOTED
WIFE
She Proved More Efficient
Than the Law
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

-ii-;;-i-s-,-ss-s-s-i-s-t-i-s-i-i-ii-iisisssssss
Charles Fosdick, newly married, hav-
ing finished his dinner, rose from the
table and said to his wife:
81 must do some work at the Office
tonight II I'm not at home by lO
o'clock don't wait for me, but go to
bed
Cant I help you with your ac'
counts?' asked the wife.
"No; there is nothing to be done that
two can work at. l think / can do 1t
all and get home at a reasonable hour
"I'll sit up for you, no matter how
late you are"
It was half an hour after dark when
Charlie Fosdick unlocked the office
door Of Converse & Co., private bank
ers, and, entering, turned on light and
went to work. He had been engaged
some time when, looking up from his
desk, he noticed that the door of the
private room Of Mr.. Coolidge, the tinan-
sial partner, who had also under his
supervision the accounts OF the con-
Germ, was ajar. This was noticeable,
because Fosdick knew that when Coo
lidge left his room he invariably locked
It. Fosdick went to the door, pushed It
open and by the light that shone in
from the counting room saw sight
that filed him with horror. \ man lay
on the floor. Fosdick ran in, turned on
q light and saw the financial partner
lying on his back, his glazed eyes star
ing at the ceiling.
Fosdick's first impulse was to run
out and shout for some one. But 1t
flashed upon him that he had better
take counsel with himself as to what 1t
would be better to do. Turning Off the
light, he left the room, closing the door
behind him, and returned to his desk.
He had been there but few minutes
when the night watchman entered.
Hard ut work, Mr.. Fosdick?'
"I'm n little behind" was the reply.
The young mans heart was beating
like triphammer. Should he take the
watchman into Coolidge's room and
show him what had occurred? He had
no time for consideration. The watch
man went out, saying before doing so:
Everything seems to be all right.
doesn't itT'
"Oh, yes" was the reply. everything
Is all right"
The man had no sooner gone than
Fosdick saw that he had been on the
horns of a dilemma and had chosen
the wrong horn. If he had shown the
watchman the body he might have had
some chance to escape being hanged
for Coolidge's murder AS 1t was, the
watchman would swear that he, Fos-
dick, had been in the office between 8
and 10 o'clock on the evening OF the
murder and no one had been there
later.
There was no hope but in flight.
Catching up his hat and without hav-
ing sufficient equanimity to turn of
the light over his desk, he left the Of
fee and, running to his home, fell into
the arms Of his wife, trembling like a
leaf.
Charlie" she exclaimed, "for heav-
ems sake. what Is it,"
1t was some time before he could suf-
fciently collect his faculties to tell her
what had occurred, and when he did
he brought 1t out in disconnected,
gasped sentences.
"Oh, Charliew she moaned. "Why
didn't you give an alarm as soon as
you saw the body?'
"Why didn't /? Because l must have
been struck with madness. 1t was all
fated. | shall die on the gallows."
Then the wife pulled herself together.
She sat down on a sofa beside her hus-
band with her arms about him and
said:
"Probably the murder will not be dis
covered till morning. Mr.. Coolidge was
a bachelor. wasn't he?"
"Yes."
"Then it is not likely he will be
missed from home during the night.
You will not be sent for. You have
choice between two courses-either to
60 to Mr. Converses house and tell
him all that has occurred or disappear,
hoping that during your absence some
clew will be found as to the murderer"
Fosdick could not get over the scene
between the night watchman and him
self and how 1t would be used against
him when brought to trial, and his
wife saw that he was so frightened
that he would present bad appear
ance and be very poor witness In his
own behalf. Feeling that by flight he
would not make the matter much
worse than 1t was, she consented to
his going. There was plenty Of time
to prepare disguise, and she bent her
inventive powers to dress him up to
that end. He wore n full beard, and
she shaved 1t all off, doing the work
herself because his hand trembled so
that he could not do 1t without cutting
himself. Then she dressed him in
some of her old garments, rouged and
powdered him and sent him away,
with all the money there was in the
house, cautiOning him to go to a for
eign country before changing his ap-
parel.
Fosdick did not get away from home
till near midnight, but when he did he
was effectively disguised. His wife
did not let him go before arranging
cipher code by which he might COM
municate with her. A newspaper ad-
vertisement informed the couple that a
steamer would sail for South Ameri-
can ports at | a. M, or In couple OF
hours. the tide serving ut that time.
FOsdlck under an assumed name got
aboard and before the murder was dis
covered ut s o'clock the same morning
was well out ut sea.
Before officers came to Fosdick's
house to arrest him his wife had con-
suited a lawyer, to whom she had told
the whole story and asked his advice
as to further procedure. Without ell
ther commending or condemning Fos-
dicks flight the lawyer advised her to
disclaim any knowledge Of his move
ments, or, rather, to refuse to answer
any questions whatever. Nothing was
discovered to cast any suspicion on
any one but Fosdick. Indeed, 1t did
not amman TINT tbero wns any need TO