The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-07-22

one thing that "a person is sane IN
| the eyes Of the law until adjndged
otherwise. Therefore, her evidence q;
this time is perfectly legal and prop.
\ err 3s5 An Il n.
ut won't be as soon as can bring
/ an action before a lunacy court and
cause her examination BY . board b
| alienists." 3Ss IN 5 ,s}s. Xii. .l
"That's something for the future. In
/ that case things might be different.
But I can only follow the law, with
the members Of the jury instructed, Of
course, to accept the evidence for
! what they deem it is worth. You will
proceed Mrs. Rodaine. What did you
see thar CEASED you to come to this
conclusiop H.
Can tsyou even stick to the rules
and ethics Of testimony ?" It was the
final plea of the defeated Farrell. The
coroner eyed him sloWlysasg y 37,s
''Mr. Farrell" came his answer, II
must confess to a deviation from reg
/! ular court procedure in this Inquiry.
It is customary III an Inquest. Of this
character; certain departures from the
usual rules must be made that the
| truth and the whole truth be learned.
Proceed, Mrs. Rodaine, what was 1t
you saw?"l II, \. A R.sstt;.E
Transfxed, Mortified, Fairchild
watched the mumbling, munching
mouth, the. staring eyes and straying
white hair, the bony, crooked hands
as they weaved before her. From
those toothless jaws a story was about
| to come, true or untrue, a story that
would stain the name of his: father
with murder. And that story now was
at its. beginning. @ s3s .lg .ti
| Il saw them together that afternoon
early" the old woman was saying. Il
came up the road just behind them,
and they were fussing. Both of 'em
acted like they were mad at each 9TH
er, but Fairchilds seemed to be the
maddest.S 18...5. IL K. Il vi.
II didn't pay much attention to
them because l just thought they We're
fighting about some little thing and
that it wouldn't amount to- much. 1
| went on up the gulch--I was gath ering
flowers. After awhile theaearthl shook
and I heard a big explosion, from away
down underneath me thunder
when it's far away.s Then, pretty
soon, saw Fairchild come rushing
| out of the mine, and his hands were
all bloody. He ran to thelcreek and
| washed them. looking around to see
if anybody was watching, him-but he
didn't notice me. Them when he'd
/ washed the blood from his hands, he
| got up on the road and went down into
town. Later on, 7 thought I saw all
three. Of 'em leave town, sFairchild,:
Sissie and fellow named Harkins. So
I never paid any more attention to it
until today. That's all I know ,l
She stepped down then and went
| back to her seat with Squint Rodaine
and the SON., fidgeting there again
craning her neck as before, while
sFairchild, son of a man just accused
LOT murder, watched her with eyes fas-
laeinated from horror The coroner
looked at slip Of paper in his hand
vflllam Barton, as.he called. A mi
ner came forward, to go through the
usual formalities, and then he asked
the question SS$ts n { 'Z.+, 15#3 ~,
1 "Did you; see Thornton Fairchild on
the night he left Ohadi ?" 4 : g ,:s
4 Eyes, a lot Of us saw him. He drove
out Of town with Hairy Harkins, and
a fellow who we all thought was Sis
sic Larsen" =. = a ~ s".s#.a I.
"That's all. Gentlemen Of the jury"
he turned his back on the crowded
room and faced the small, worried ap-
pearing group on the row of kitchen
chairs, you have heard the evidence.
You will find a room at the right in
which to conduct your deliberations"
e Shuffling forms faded through the
door at the right. Then followed long
moments Of waiting, in which Robert
Fairchild's eyes went to the floor, in
which he strove to avoid the gaze Of