The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-08-19

49, ...L. EN-. IHNM-aM. HH
Tack at the studio buildin'. You
know the place. Miss Elsie Drayton,
one Of our tenants. She's Just been
shot by Mr.. Martel. He's the man
who's been keepin' company with her.
They quarreled, something terrible,
this evenin'. An Just now he shot her.
Just as the clock was a.strikin' twelve.
l."
o'Brien waited for no more. He be-
gan to push q path through the Jolly
crowd TINT hemmed him in so tightly.
way. there!" he beloved. trying
to make himself heard about the din Of
cowbell, horn and rattle. Let us
through"
"oncer!" spoke up Halloran. at his
side, take this young lady and myself
with you. 1t Is midnight; and my Of.
noial duties can begin with the first
murder OF the new year."
Certainly. sir" agreed o'Brten, con.
voying them slowly through the pack
Of people. Come along II you like"
DO you mind?" Halloran asked Mar.
garet Graeme. You know you must
get used to such things, II you are to
be my secretary"
"Of course. I don't mind" she as.
sured him, excited at the prospect,
land I can be Of help by taking notes
for you. oh, why can't we nov fast
er? We're simply crawling"
you're lucky we can move at all,
miss" said the policeman. over bis
shoulder, "in a mob like this"
Five minutes later, Martel entered
Elsie Drayton's studio. On the floor,
under the dim.turned light. lay the
body Of the girl from whom he had
parted q bare half hour before. Near.
by cleaned the revolver.
With q cry. Martel flung himself on
his knees beside the dead woman. Her
body was still warm. He got to his
feet and stared dumbly at her. Scarce
knowing what he did, he picked up
the revolver-and recognized 1t as his
own.
Out into the hallway he reeled, with
some vague idea Of shouting for help.
But horror had. for a moment. stricken
him dumb. Scarcely had he started
down the passage when he saw several
people hurrying toward him from the
head Of the stairs. One Of them was a
policeman. Martel darted back into
the room, to show them the way.
Turning, Just inside the doorway, he
faced the policeman who had entered
at his heels. The overzealous officer,
anxious to show OF his prowess to the
new district attorney, leaped at Mar.
tel and grappled with him.
Martel, utterly taken back, instinc
lively defended himself, but a blow
from the policeman's nightstick
knocked him %senseless.
He came to himself In station house
cell. Next morning he faced a charge
Of murder,
The public agreed that Halloran be.
gan his official duties as district attor.
ney by extremely prompt and efficient
work in the Martel case. Not only had
he visited the scene OF the murder
within ten minutes after the commits.
sion Of the crime, and had been pres.
ent at the prisoners arrest, but he had
personally handled every detail OF the
prosecution.
Moreover. he was aided, most intel.
hgently, by a young society woman,
Miss Margaret Graemc, whom he had
appointed as his personal secretary,
and who. it was said, worked day and
night in %perfecting the case against
Elsie Drayton's slayer.
The case itself seemed clear
enough. A brief review Of 1t, sent out
by the press, was printed In a Florida
newspaper which later was used as
"stufing' for a box Of supplies for.
warded to an exploring expedition in
the farther wilderness of Brazil.
John Leonard, CHANGING to pick up
the wad Of newspaper, which one of
his assistants had just thrown out Of
the newly opened box, smoothed It
out and glanced over the rumpled
pages. News Of the outer world-even
very ancient news-is welcome to PEG.
pie far away from civilization.
And scanning the smudged inner
sheets, Leonard came across q head.
line which caught and riveted his hor.
rifled attention. The headline was:
MARTEC CONDEMNED TO DIE.
Slayer Of Elsie prayton Sentenced to
Electric Chair.
Followed q New York date line"
and the following abridged item:
Edwin A. Martel was yesterday
sentenced by Judge Hinkle to die in
the electric chair during the week OF
March 80, for the murder Of his sweet
heart, Elsie Drayton, an artist.
"Martel was engaged to be married
to Miss Drayton. On the evening OF
December 81, he called on her, alleged.
" to say good.by before starting for
Brazil on the Leonard expedition. Mrs.
Wigs, janitress Of the studio build.
ing in which Miss Drayton lived, heard
tho sounds of violent quarreling as she
passed along the hall outside of the
victims apartment.
"she heard Miss Drayton call out
In terror: Don't! You're killing mel