The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-01-01
THE STORY so FAR

RALPH CLUNY, es, vas murdered
CHERRY LANE. is. As i that was
no. enough 5or 5eoRs no note 0 for
her sister, FAITH. saying she coutIa i nos
n married CHRIS WILEY. News of the
murder is kept from Mrs. Lane. cherry s
{ %0theT6 heart %ho trouble s All HH' She Knows
that Cherry has run away ana married
Cherry has lived butterfly life. AL
ways there have been many men In love
with her and she has been engaged TO
n %SsS w sfan AtB isR B nHs a mar;
ried travelling salesman, and was rescued
by Faith and a young man. BOB bo aA Ill
very much Interested in Cherry, but now
he pays more attention to Faith. who
are are engaged now and although Faith did
not want to announce II yet, BOD has
told the police and the world in gem
Al the inquest tn, the = maid; NARY AJ
KEARNEL, tells Of Bob Hathaway md,
alter his death. Cherry testifies in her
own behalf. but makes false statement
which ,tghtens the web OF evidence
She admits that Mr.. Cluny attempted
to force their marriage and that no one
was near the house when she lett 70
meet Chris Wiley,
Cherry's eyes widened, held the
coroner's for long moment as COM
prenhension of the motive behind his
question dawned, then she shook her
head. II wasn't looking for foot
prints or thinking about them, All I
was thinking of was getting away
from here-here-before Bob Hatha-
way came and caught me running
away with Chris"
"You were not running away be-
cause you were afraid of the conse-
quences Of your act-of what you
had done TO Mr.. Cluny?" the coroner
shot the question at her suddenly.
Anger flooded Cherry's cheeks with
color. DIR. Murchison! I didn't do
anything to Mr.. Cluny. I don't be-
lieve anybody did anything to hurt
Mr. Cluny. I believe 1t was an acct.
dent, that the wind blew the vase
off the bookcase or that he knocked
up against the bookcase and Jared
the vase so that it fell on the back of
his head and-and killed him"
The coroner picked up the big,
broken Chinese vase and hefted 1t
curiously, with q half-smile on his
lips.
Are you prepared to testify that
that is the way it happened, Mrs.
Wiley? Come now-don't be fright
ened. Let's have the whole truth. In
scuffling for your freedom with Mr..
Cluny, did he bump against the book
case and jar it so that it fell upon
his head?"
Cherry half rose from her chair,
her eyes blazing II only said that
is the way I think it happened" she
cried Indignantly. II didn't see any
thing happen to Mr.. Cluny. He was
alive and we'll when left the room.
That's all I know-every blessed
thing-about Mr.. Cluny. 1 didn't
kill him didn't. didn't. And didn't
see any accident happen to him, or
see anyone else kill him! You've got
to believe me!'
TRY to control yourself, Mrs.
Wiley" the coroner spoke in a gen.
tie, soothing voice. and go on
with your story. You joined Mr..
Wiley in his car"
Yes, sir. Chris wanted to stop
at his apartment OF get his bag,
which was already packed. He said
he'd been pretty sure I'd marry him,
If he could talk to me at the last
minute, as he did. He got the bag,
while | waited in the car. Then he
stopped at the garage where he
keeps his car. and had it filled up
with gas and oil, and we drove on
to Marlboro County. We got to the
preacher 's-his name was Bates
about 10 o'clock.
Just a minute, Mrs. Wiley. You
say Mr.. Wiley drove all that dis
tance-at least thirty-six miles in an
hour. while 1t was showing hard?"
~'Oh, Chris car can do fifty any
time" Cherry answered, with a tinge
of boastfulness. "He always drives
fast. Now, don't you go to thinking
we were driving fast because we
were scared" she cried Indignantly.
1--WE didn't know that anything
dreadful had happened But of
course we wanted to get married as
quick as we could. because-because,
well, was afraid Faith would try
to stop me-"
IT see. Now, Mrs. Wiley, when
and how did you receive the first
news of the tragedy"
After we were married Chris and
went to a farmhouse that often
takes clipping couples in for the
night. The Rev. Mr.. Bates sent us
there They didn't have a tele-
phone, or I'd have phoned Faith that
I was married and not to worry
about me- Wed planned to drive
on to Chicago for our honeymoon.
If the roads We're good enough, and
-