, 1916-03-16
SYNOPSIS

Robert Strickland is on trial for killing
Gerald Trask in the latter's library at
night. District Attorney Gray declares
Strickland killed Trask. with the aid Of
an accomplish, who escaped, for the sake
OF 10000 in cash, which Strickland had
lust repaid to Trask. The defendant and
Trask were the only two who knew the
to the safe. Important hg-
ures In the case are Arbuckle, counsel for
the defense, and Glover. who was Trask's
secretary.
Strickland would not make defense,
but law compels him to do SO. Mrs.
Strickland disappeared after the shooting.
Mrs. Trask. on stand. tells of telephone
call made on her husband, on the night of
his death, by a woman who would not
give her name.
Trask returned from Long Branch that
night and told of giving by mistake the
combination of the safe to Strickland.
Mrs. Trask asked him in vain for name
of woman who called him up. Glover and
Trask discussed Strickland and praised
him.
Mr.. n Mrs. Trask quarreled about his
attentions to other women, and she drag
ged out Of the past that affair at Great
Neck" thirteen years before. in which a
Miss Deane was involved.
Glover proved to be a competent wit
ness in this respect. being perfectly
familiar with Mr.. Trask's handwriting.
As the financier's secretary he had
seer 1t hundreds of times on letters
and documents. The inscriptions on
both sides of the card. he testified.
were in the handwriting of the lad
IA There was absolutely no dSubt
in his mind about 1t.
Gray then asked:
"Do you know the significance OF
these figures. IA right 2. q left 81"
Yes. sir" said Glover. It's the COM
bination to Mr.. Trask's SAFE"
Here the fact that no one but Trask
and Strickland knew the combination
of the safe. a fact already testified to,
imposed itself on the mind of every
m in the courtroom. Mr.. Gray asked:
How do you known"
when the police arrived l gave them
this card. We locked the safe and
opened ii with this combination"
Here Gray held up the card so that
Judge and jury. court attendants and
counsel for both prosecution and de-
Tense and many of those further re-
moved from the scene of the examina-
ton could see that the card was torn.
The card was passed to the jury for
examination. Then Gray said: .
"Now. Mr.. Glover, 1 call your atten-
ton to the fact that the card is torn
almost in half. Can you explain how
that occurred?"
Yes, sir said Glover. "As l took
the card from Strickland's pocket he
snatched it out of my hand and started
to tear 1t In half. Before he had torn
it all the way l managed to get hold OF
1t again"
With this testimony of Stanley Glover
the proceedings in the case of the peo-
pie against Robert Strickland paused
for a day. The examinations of the
widow and the private secretary had
consumed much time, and the hour Of
adjournment had arrived. Judge, at
torneys, attendants Of the court, wit
nesses and spectators went to their
homes. The prisoner was taken back
to the Tombs, since in capital cases no
bond is accepted. "All that a man
hath will he give for his life" the Law
agrees with Holy Writ, and nc bond
can be fixed so high that n man who
knows that he stands in danger of con-
viction on a murder charge will not
forfeit 1t. So Robert Strickland went
back to his cell to think Of the wife
who had disappeared and the daughter
against whose appearance In court he
had protested 80 earnestly. Whether
he pondered over the testimony given
against him on that day was not re-
vealed,
Reading in the later evening editions
the testimony of Mrs. Trask and Clio
yer, the city buzzed hat night with
discussion of the case. 1t was the
leading topic, overshadowing even
grave international complications,
acute political matters, revelations Of
graft in high places. High and low
talked of the Trask murder case. the
former interested because some Of Its
own people were involved, h latter
with the avid curiosity with which
each detail of a sensational murder
trial is followed by the multitude.
All OF the newspapers, even the staid
old Evening Star, a stranger to big
type and 1aring headlines. featured
the case. On the '~yellower" Journals
the sob sisters spread themselves
over many columns, with half tone and
line Illustrations. In reporting and COM
menting upon the testimony of Mrs.
Trask. All agreed in commencing the
quiet dignity of the woman In Widows
weeds who had taken the stand to tell
the secrets of her life. and they ex-
pressed much sympathy-some Of 1t