Tombstone epitaph., 1916-04-30

the stairs.
We resume. with the painstaking
Detective Kennedy. the statement OF
Margarita Perez. alias Estrilla.
1T was apoplexy. But Juan did not
know 1t yet. He only knew that Cap
tain Hanska had fallen on the knife
and died. and that It would look like
murder. He understood your law. he
knew that to get our property he was
committing what looked like burglary.
and that burglar who commits muir
der cannot plead selfdefense He wait.
ed by the window to see whether the
fall had disturbed the house. No one
stirred-probably an elevated train
was passing at the time II happened
Frightened as he was. he still thought
OF the Jewels. and decided to take
them. whatever the risk. He exam
ined the box; the bill OF sale WAS there.
Circumstances had changed now; an
empty strong box in the room OF a man
who appeared to have been murdered.
nigh: &C: &c pci.cc c. he track He
thought OF this. So he took the box,
open as II was. switched OF the cleo
trio light, and started TO leave by the
door. The catch of the spring lock
was on. To lock the room from out
side. he would have had to slam the
door-you know hoX a spring lock
works. That would have made a great
deal Of noise. It might awaken some
one. who would hear footsteps going
from Captain Hanska's room to mine.
/ He put the box under his arm and
I fastened back the catch OF the spring
lock. so that he could close the door
it unlocted. In doing sll this, 1t seems,
he spilled out of the box the diamond
buckle which found on the stairs.
Juan went back to my room be-
cause he wanted time to think His
first idea was 10 leave the house
dressed in my clothes. Just as we had
| planned. and join me. Then we would
escape together. But he knew that the
police generally catch fugitives from
| justice in the end. We were in a
strange country. We had no friends
TO help US. II We were missing from
the house in the morning. II We were
caught escaping. every one would be-
| lieve US guilty Then he had another
| idea. II could return, still disguised
as Juan, after the body was discov-
cred. he would have a perfect alibi.
while he was thinking about this.
Mr.. North came home and fell into the
blood. as you know.
Immediately. Juan heard some one
calling murder from below. That was
bis chance TO carry out his plan. He
/ telephoued me. | came. | have told
! you about that He changed TO his
/ own clothes. | made him go down
stairs and oter 10 help. Ny clothes.
which Juan had worn down the fire
escape in the rain, were still a little
wet looked them over carefully:
there were no blood stains on them.
/ | put them by the register TO dry; and
cleaned the shoes-that pair OF red
ones there in the closet. BY the time
they came TO take me away to this
house. no one would have known that
my garments had been out in the wet
When they moved me. / took away
| the jewels and the strong-box in my
/ bedding. Later Juan dropped the box
/ into the river. and sent the Jewels
to my cousin in Caracas.
{ 1T was his plan to leave the country
as soon as we r..aaml 10 50 without
attra c:.::..s suspicion But when they
arrested Mr.. Wade. I could not agree
/ 10 that could not have his death on
my soul. Juan was imploring me to
leave; but | told him that | would not
until Mr.. Wade was released or acquit-
( ted. II Il came to the worst. | would
confess. persuaded Juan that ! was
right. That is why We stayed. We
had no other reason.
Il make this statement without hope