South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-02-05

$3.50 - - k,ftlN PAtrE oNEl
ing that I was doing il 70 please
her. because she was delirious But
: bed given that promise not think
ing she would be dead IN few
hours
shortly afterward come into
he room I noticed she was quiet.
ent TO her side The chloroform
bottle was empty She was dead.
Died i'm Chair
There was a terrific storm that
night The house shook. the rain
pipes ratified. the wind blew and Il
was co'd-everything was cold the
house. the outside and the heart OF
the girl 7 loved more than life
"Maude had died sitting in
chair / waited and waited with my
promises ringing in my ears Then
7 began 20 realize I must carry &
out
II came into the room in which
] am lying now. There was "a chest
the hope chest of my Maude /
cleaned il ont carefully. I dragged
II down stairs. made no effort
whatever 10 straighten out the limbs
OF my daughter.
Il took a shawl she had prized
and with the same feeling the In
dians must have had when thev
piled tomahGwks IN he burial
tOmbs OF dead warriors. 1 dressed
her In her most favored apparel
THE rubbet cap which I found
on her head was a Christmas pres
ent and I piled IL there TO keep the
dust from her face. I placed a large
pin on her breast I put rillow
and a cushion behind her head.
Hardened by Work.
After had dressed and prepared
her I moved the box over 70 the
chair and lifted her from her sitting
posture into II. l made no cffcrt 10
strengthen ner out because she fitted
so comfortably INTO the box
We had frequently discussed in
the family the use Of salts as a pre-
sentative for the body and I thought
Of this. | placed a bag OF salt in
the box. 7 wanted to preserve my
girl as long as l could.
Then came the moving Of the
body into the basement This would
seem a mighty task to some women.
But I was hardened and strong
from INV work on the grape farm
and without the aid of any one
moved the body down into the eel
lar. where ii was found
There were two awning poles i'm
basement. ] placed these on the
steps much as a wagon driver must
place a barrel slide into basement.
I took clothes line and attached
1t 70 the knob of a door in the
. kitchen and tied the other end 10
the box. BY unwinding IL was
able 10 lower the box down 10 the
basement. could easily have
moved the body TO the farm and
buried 1t where IL never would have
been found. But this would not
have been keeping my promise"
Mrs. Tabor paused a moment and
then went on toward the close of
her story
"Rcal Third Degree"
Some one" she said. slowly
tempered with that body after I
put il in the basement. OF that I
am certain. The black wrap which
was found in the box never belong
ed TO me and l am certain that some
one placed IL there The finding of
the body turned VI side down is an
other evidence of tampering with
the body I was more than certain
to keep Maude i'm a sitting posi-
ton.
Some time after her death" she
went on. more naturally, Joseph
where Maude was. 1 told him she
had gone west. He declared he
wanted 20 know where she was so
he could make arrangements 10
marry again. | told him 20 go
ahead If he wanted TO. that Maude
would never bother him"
Mrs. Tabor. concluding her story
said her confession accusing Virgo
Of the death OF her daughter was
obtained by real third degree"
81 had nothing 20 eat she said.
and they kept peStering me. ! was
tired and hungry and they told me
eTything would he over if a made
a confession accusing Virgo. II was
the day my son was released.
That confession" the aged wo-
man said with "a sigh OF relief. "was
made of whole cloth. I am glad
now Of the opportunity of denying
it. There was not a word of truth
il st."
Physicians attending Mrs. Tabor
declare she cannot live longer than
another month.