The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-02-22

mond and what could be the particular
motives for this criminal act
Some information might possibly be
obtained during the examination of the
witnesses; but if this was not the case,
the prosecutor would be obliged to
maintain that the punishment be in ac-
cordance with the utmost rigor of the
law The public prosecutor would,
therefore, conclude with the request to
the judge that he ask the accused most
earnestly to give full explanation If
she still persisted in her refusal to give
this explanation, he mist warn her that
it would be with detriment to her cause,
and possibly to that of justice.
1t was so quiet in the court, when the
public prosecutor sat down, that one
could hear pin drop
The Judge then turned and addressed
the young girl. In calm, considerate
words he called her attention to the fact
that she had the right, in any case, to
do as she pleased-either to speak or
to keep silent; and that no pressure
would be brought to bear upon her, least
you have heard me for few minutes
longer: and you will not be able to un-
derstand how it could become an enig-
ma Yes, an enigma which would
give half or the whole of my life to
solve But wait bitl When you
have heard the rest of my story, you
will join with me in asking, who stole
old Tricks diamond" And you will
likewise understand that upon that ques-
ton my fate has depended from that day
to this. But | shan't proceed any longer
in that strain; | will continue as i'm
partially as can. On that will, per-
haps, depend how far you or anybody
else can help me,-alone can do moth
ing |, who was so proud of my own
acuteness and ability to penetrate where
others failed to see way mo, don't
interrupt me. We shall discuss it after
ward, when have finished my story.
had got as far as Evelina's arrest
and that Mr.. Howell had called on me
with the photograph. So far, every
thing was in order. The accused had
confessed, and the stolen article had
been brought to light. But it had been
impossible TO discover where the FIVE
thousand kroners had disappeared.
Evelina refused positively to say
word beyond the confession, and as we
were not able to prove any completely
against the actor and Mrs. Reierson,
they were discharged.
The state of affairs in Mr.. Frick's
house was anything but satisfactory.
Sigrid had been suffering from nervous
headaches ever since few days before
the robbery Old Prick was in a rage,
and spent the whole day in swearing at
the duplicity and untrustworthiness of
mankind believe, however, that SYM
pathy for the wretched Evelina was the
true cause of his anger. The young
girls arrest had, in fact, brought gloom
and sadness into the house Einar Prick
was still absent on business. Mr. How
ell decided to go to Spitzbergen as soon
as the case against Evelina was settled.
1t vexed me that | could not trace the
money or obtain any proof of the
actors completely; and took it for
granted that the sly fellow had succeed
ed in getting it safely put away in Goth
enburg, before he was arrested.
But although we had clever officer
there, and got all possible assistance
from the Swedish police, we did not
succeed in obtaining any proofs, and as
long as Evelina would not speak we
could proceed no further in the affair.
Thus matters stood, and | think that
all the actors in this drama were only
wishing that it would come to an end
as soon as possible.
Suddenly one day I received the most
astonishing news-Evelina had demands
ed to be brought before the examining
magistrate, and had retracted before him
her confession in full She had de-
clared that when she confessed she had
not been herself and that she was really
innocent and knew nothing of the rob-
berry. She would not say anything fur
Their, and refused to answer any ques
tons.
Of course, those who knew the ms
and the outs of the case only shook their
heads at this unexpected development,
and began to doubt her reason. The
doctors, however, who examined her,
could not discover any signs of a de-
ranged mind.
The proofs were otherwise very
strong against her; and as there was no
prospect of any new evidence in the mat
ter, the hearing of the case was fixed
for the first sitting of the court.
| visited the young girl in prison and
found her taciturn, depressed, and pale;
but she gave me the impression of being
entirely normal tried earnestly, and
in friendly way, to prevail upon her to
adhere to her confession and to give a
full explanation; but she only smiled
sadly, and begged to be left alone. What
could have caused her to retract her
confession? The more pondered over
this, the more sure became that this
step must be due to some outside infiu-
ence; that she must have received some
message or communication from with