The Little River news., 1920-04-17
Illustratiorss
 by IrwinMyers

 have altered my recent actions or changed the course of my life to avoid having arrived at this shameful goal. Yet. strange to say, l found myself after nature reflection convinced that had this last year to live over again not in one iota would 1 have done diff { ferently--no, not even if could have foretold what the future had in store for me.
 No sense of shame nor of guilt pos sessed ne. I was aware of having done wrong to no one. A clear con- science kept assuring me that it was misfortune and not error on my part that had brought me here. At every point in the strange chain of circum- stances 1 felt that I had acted as a man of honor should have acted. My sense of innocence upheld me even though the deliberate malicious plot ting of evil men might make it appear to the judge, to the jurors, to the whole world that was murderer. Even though I should be sentenced to death for killing a woman l never had seen the knowledge that at every point I had done what I still believed to have been right, brought me strong comfort and filled me with new cour- age.
 Yet 1t was with lack of interest that I listened to the monotonOus question ing that formed a part of the selection of jury.
 'So far as am concerned" I had said to my counsel in our last chat "any sort of jury will do Unless we succeed in upsetting the evidence against me with a crash that all the world can hear it makes no differ ence."
 'i guess you are right" he answer ed. deSpondently. it seemed to me, and if the worst happens. We always can take an appeal"
 His reply convinced me that ne, too, was anticipating the result. which long ago had decided to be the only outcome unless something unforeseen happened--a verdict against me of murder in the first degree
 head, almost with amusement. the district attorney, with eloquent oratory tell the jury the crimes he expected to prove against me, even smiling little at the picture he paint ed Of a gangSter seeking employment in an apartment occupied by families of wealth that he might find oppor- tunities for plundering them, and when he was surprised in the midst of his burgariZing, brutally choking the unprotected woman whose home he was despoiIing and then as she lay there, helpless and inssnsible, shoot ing her through the heart.
 In fact, l quite agreed with all he said, even to his most strenuous ad- jectiveS-eXcept for the one fact that 1 knew l was not the man he was talking about. It had been a bru- tai, cowardly murder, and l was fully as anxious as the district attorney could possibly be 10 see the miscreant who had killed Miss Lutan brought to book
 The testimony that was to come, l deyoutly hoped, would give some clue that would lead to the unmasking of the real murderer. The first witness called was one of the detectives who had arrested me. He told concisely, as though repeating a well rehearsed story, of having been summoned to the Granddeck and finding there the body of Daisy Lutan. He said that she had been shot through the heart.
 Was there anyone in the apart ment when you arrived?"
 "Yes, a doctor"
 Anyone elsey
 "Yes, MT. Wick, the superintendent of the apartment, and the prisoner"
 What did they say? How did they explain their presence there? "rhey said they had heard a shot and had come in to investigate"
 He told of examining the body, questioning the physician and of mak- ing a search of the apartment for the murderer, but finding no one else ! there.
 What did you do then?"
 "My partner and l followed the prisoner to his apartment and placed him under arrest. We searched his room and in the dresser I found a revolver with one chamber recently discharged"
 I "What made you suspect Nelson Why did you arrest him?"
 My partner and I talked it over and we both were of the opinion that it was an inside job. A burglar would have no chance to get into building like the Granddeck and make his get away. It was between the superin tendent of the building, who was { man of responsibility, and this youn, fellow-who was only caretaker."
 Had anything in Nelson's action made you suspicious of himT q noticed that he was greatly sx cited"
 Anything elseY
 After Nelson had gone upstairs t his own apartment, I questioned MI