Evening journal., 1922-04-29
CHURCH ELDER
!. DENIES MURDER
Continued From First Page


her misdeeds in Chicago-that she
had been tempted-and had fallen.
L stopped her. 1 said: Gertrude
IL doesn't matter what you have
done. No matter what you have
been I have been many times worse. u
It was shortly after this that j went
to live with her folks. l was temp
ted and so was she. Last October,
we fell
Il wanted to marry her. but she
refused.
I'VE severed relations.
That's all I know. Before God
I repeat l didn't kill the girl"
you remind me OF Tom Tusker
who got licked out Of hell for lying. "
shouted the states attorney.
Questioned as to his whereabouts
since April l. many minor discrep-
ancies appeared in Wyman's story.
Wyman mentioned many nearby
towns. where he said he had been.
You said you were in Danville
last Friday and Saturday" Lewman
said. Your friends there didn't
see you"
well. 1 was there all right" was
Nymans response.
Sheriff Knox interrupted.
Grace. sister OF Gertrude. told me
that the dead girl pleaded with you
to marry her when she found out
about her condition"
1T isn't true" Wyman responded.
Knox jumped up and shouted
We'll, we'll find out"
wyman rocked back and forth
against the wall IN his straight
back chair.
The sheriff entered with Grace and
W. T. Hanna, the girls father. Dur
ing the intensely dramatic scene
which followed. Wyman kept his
gaze on the floor.
Grace, year or two younger than
her dead sister, a school teacher
and quite attractive. pointed an ac-
cusing finger at Wyman.
you, did IT," she screeched.
After Gertrude pleaded and
begged with you TO marry her. you.
a pillar Of the church refused
The young school teacher raised
clenched fists high above her head
and cried:
please. II you killed my sister,
tell US. My mother Is dying at
home"
wyman repeated in a droning
voice:
Before God. I did not; before
God. 1 did not"
Didn't Gertrude plead with you
for an engagement ring and didn't
she threaten TO bring you into court
TO force you TO acknowledge the
child?" Grace demanded.
Il wanted TO marry her" he con-
tradicted.
Didn't she play the game square
with you?" asked Lewman.
Yes"
Did you think you were better
than she?"
well. she was as good as l." was
the mans answer.
What" shot the attorney, good
as you after all OF the things you
have told US about your personal
nfe?"
NO" answered wyman, II guess
she was better.
You know she was better" men
aced the father.
Sheriff Knox held Hanna in his
chair.
why don't you tell the truth"
pleaded the sheriff. You know you
wronged this family. You brought
on this terrible misfortune"
81 am telling the truth. I didn't
kill her"
But we're responsible for her con-
dition?" asked Lewman.
yes" and Wyman hung his head. !
Come on. spit It out" command
ed the sheriff. Get right with Cod"
pleaded the father. who Is Of deeply |
religious convictions.
"I am" was the low. slow reply.
Then these questions were shot at 1
Wyman:
Where did you kill?"
who laid her on the slab in the |
basement OF the parsonage"
did you choke her. smother her |
with a blanket or use chloroform ?" T,
Il know nothing about IT," was !
the answer.
Grace and Hanna had been reused /
out of bed for the early morning in
ouis!tion. They had returned in the |
late afternoon from the funeral of /
Gertrude.
The murder, 30 the death Of Ger
trude Is called by the sheriff and /
States attorney. rivals the mystery |
plots woven by Edgar Allen Poe.
These are the facts:
Gertrude donned rubbers and /
sweater on the night OF March 81.
saying she was going for a stroll 10
her sisters home, a distance OF Z |
miles. Her body was found two days /
ago In the basement OF the parson- |
age. She wore the same clothes she |
had on when she left home. Her |
hands were folded. No marks OF vio- |
lence were found on her body Some |
physicians said she had been dead |
for a month others for three weeks,
and another for only two weeks.
It had been established that she
was not on the cement slab in the /
parsonage on April 10. The house |
was searched from basement to gar
ret on that day for a lawn mower
Vital organs were shipped to Dan
vile, the county seat. after It was dis
covered she was to become a mother
in three months.
The organs were shipped TO
Urbana. Ills, for examination by
authorities at the university Of Illi-
nois today.
Traces of arsenic and other poison
ing will be sought.
Wyman, who left here for Dan
Vile with Sheriff Knox after the
early morning inquisition. said he
would present the facts to the grand
Jury which meets in two weeks.