The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-03-06
XIII.
BATES, THE

" -
Brought before the magistrate,
Bates told a coherent, though
amazing story.
1t seems he was Estelle's lover,
and had long ago persuaded her
to let him know when Miss Car
rington had a quantity of jewelry
in the house, that he might essay
q robbery. The plan was simple.
Estelle had promised to slip down
stairs at 3 o'clock aud raise a
window for his entrance, and
later, but before any one else was
about, she was to slip down and
lock it again. In the meantime,
they assumed, the burglary would
be quietly accomplished, their
superstition being that Miss Car
rington would be asleep in her
bedroom, and the boudoir easy of
access.
"You entered by the window,
then, at what timer" asked Stone,
who was doing most of the ques-
tioning.
cat 3:45 in the morning" re-
piled Bates, and all noted that
this was shortly before the hour
when Mrs. rockingham saw
through her field glass a man leav-
ing by the same window.
"You went directly up the
~stairs2" ....-.
eyes; Estelle had often told me
the lay of the rooms, and / went
straight to the lady's boodore."
"You carried with you a black
jack. Did you have murder in
your hearth"
"That / did notl I took that,
thinkin' if the lady woke up and
screamed, I'd just give her a tap
that would put her to sleep with
out hurtin' her at all, at all. I'm
no murderer, sir, and I'm confess
sim my attempt at burglary, and
and assault, so / won't be &C
cused of a greater crime" w
"That's right, Bates, it'll be
better for you to be perfectly
truthful. Now, what did you see
when you entered the room?"
II had stepped inside and shut
the door before / saw anything,
and then / turned to see the lady's
face, but in the mirrow. l was
behind her, and in the glass l saw
her smilin' face, and, Of course,
/ thought she was alive, and that
she saw me-. / knew she'd scream
in a minute, and the sight of all
the jewels gleamin' on her neck
drove me fair crazy with greed,
I suppose, and / up with my sand
bag and hit her head, not meanin'
to hit hard enough to kill her, but
only to knock her unconscious
like" e.
"And thenR"
"The blow smashed the big
comb she was wearin', but she
didn't move nor fall over. She
was leaniu' back in her big chair,
and she jest sat there, and kept
on smilin'. My knees shook like
the ague, for I thought it was
magic, or that my eyes was de-
ceivin' me. There was no sound
anywhere, and / stood starin' at
that smilin' face and she starin'
back at me! l nearly screamed
out myself! But I bucked up, and
thinkin' that she was struck I'M
conscious so quick her face didn't
change, l made to take off some
Of the jewels / was after. /
touched her neck and it was cold
The lady was dead! Had been
dead some time, / was sure, cause
she was so cold and stiff. | trem-
bled al over, but my only thought
then was to get out. Not for
81, 900, 900 would / touch them
sparklers! There amt often a
burglar who is ghoul enough to
rob a corpse! Leastways, Pm not.
I wouldn't l wouldn't! I'm a
tough and a bad egg generally,
but I wouldn't steal from no
corpse! Not II"
$50 You left the house at
oncef" s. .. taa ~.
THAT l did, as fast as my
tremblin' legs could get me down
stairs. / was clean daft. /
couldn't make it out and | didn't
try, l thought it was the devils
own work, somehow, but how,
didn't know. My mind was full
maxim my escape. ] ran like the
old boy was after me, and, reach.
in home, l hid under me bed,
clothes and groaned all night.
Full a week went by, and | begun
to breathe easy, thinkin' I'd never
be suspected of a hand in it, when
up comes this gentleman and says
III done il. Well. I've told the