The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-07-15
HIS WIFE Is ARRESTED
DOCTOR WHOSE PATIENT WAS
SLAIN IN HIS OFFICE.
Story of Attempted Assassination Of
DIR. Carman is Now Generally Dis

Mrs. Florence Conklin Carman,
wife of DR.. Edwin Carman, was ar
rested Wednesday, accused of being
the assassin who a week ago Tuesday
night murdered Mrs. Louise Bailey,
wife of Hampstead manufacturer,
by firing a bullet through her heart
as she stood in the physicians Office.
The finger of suspicion has pointed
at Mrs. Carman since the discovery
that she had installed telephone
instrument in her husbands Office to
hear conversation between him and
his woman patients. The related at
tempt on the life Of DR.. Carman sew
eral days ago by man on bicycle
is not believed.
The immediate cause Of the arrest
was the testimony given Wednesday
morning by Eliwood T. Bardes, an
insurance agent, whom the authori-
ties called the single reliable eye wit
ness of the crime. Bardes also is
under lock and key, detained as a
material witness for his story is of
such Importance that the authorities
feared an attempt would be made to
get him out of the jurisdiction of the
New York courts.
Bardes' story, briefly told, is this:
1T 1880 o'clock on the night Of the
murder, Bardes said, he determined
to visit DR.. Carman to have him dress
a minor injury. He walked to the
physicians house arriving there he
decided to dress the injury himself
and thereby save doctors fee. So
he walked past the house and then
turned around to begin his journey
home.
At that instant he heard an eXplo-
sion He thought it was caused by
an automobile tire, but when he look
ed for the machine he could not find
it. He looked toward the lawn at the
side of DR.. Carman's house. A wo-
man, tall, vel built, hatless, wearing
light shirtwaist and dark skirt,
was moving away from one of the
windows at the side Of the physi-
clans Office toward the rear Of the
house. She was walking "in a hur-
ry', the witness swore.
Bardes was discovered Wednesday.
His story might still remain untold
had he not mentioned it, first to
woman who telephoned the district
attorney, and then to priest he visit
ed for advice. The priest urged
Bardes to make his story known. But
before an opportunity presented it
self, he was taken into custody by
,rder Of the district attorney.
Bardes testified after Mrs. Car
mans 12-year-old daughter, Eliza
beth, had tried to strengthen her
mothers alibi, and representatives of
the manufacturers of the telephone
instrument told of selling the device
to She physicians wife and of install
ingit in her home.
Coroner Norton, after spending an
hour studying the testimony OF
Bardes and other witnesses, wrote
out his charge, stating that he "does
on oath say that Louise Bailey came
to her death by criminal means, by
reason of bullet fred into her body
with revolver held by Florence Car
man" He then ordered Mrs. Car
mans arrest.
Word was sent to Mrs. Carman
that she was about to be arrested.
Mrs. Carman, pale but controlled, &C
companied by her husband, her at
torney and others, came in e minute
later. Coroner Norton, for years an
intimate friend Of the family, with
tears in his eyes, read his charge and
the warrant for arrest he had signed.
Mrs. Carman stood erect, facing him.
Between them, on the floor, was
dark stain marking the spot where
Mrs. Bailey died.