Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1939-01-02
RELEASED BY
CENTRAL PRESS ASSOCIATION

Importance, had arrived. Mrs.
Greedy, her hands folded neatly, in
her lap, also was present. She in
clined her head briefly at my en-
trance.
The ordeal was short and to the
point. UnaWed by his SURROUNDINGS.
the coroner, one DR.. Didmore. put
his questions in a bored off-hand
manner which showed palmer than
words that he considered the pro-
cedure waste of time. The house.
keeper in the absence of Eliza. who
was confined to her bed with fever.
described the finding of, the body.
II was in the kitchen overseeing
the preparation of the buffet SUP.
per to be served at the grand ball
when Mrs. Witherspoon's maid
came in agitated. 1t was some time
before she was able to tell me what
was the matter. Finally she man
aged to humble something about.
the salon. I accompanied her there
ana discovered on the floor of the
third compartment the bodies of
Mrs. Witherspoon, ST., and of Miss
Ritter" /
DR.. Didmore yawned. ''What did
you do then 2" -
Mrs. Greedy sn1oothed the folds
of her apron: 'I lifted Mrs. With
erspoon into a chair. I listened to
her heart but could hear nothing. /
l was certain that she was dead. I
Eliza and 1 carried Miss Ritter into
the lobby. I saw that she was
breathing and attempted to revive
her with cold water" She paused
and glanced around as if waiting.
for some sign of commentator for,
her superior forethought during
such a trying situation. When none
was Forthcoming, she continued
dlsdainfully: Miss Ritter did not
Immediately regain consciousness.
Therefore phoned to the kitchen
and requested Hawkins, the butler,
to locate Mr.. Horace and to send,
him at once to the salon."
II see." The coroner blew his
nose loudly. cat what time did the
maid appear in the kitchen?"
1T was shortly past ten o'clock"
"Ah, thank you. That will be ALL"
He turned to me and I suffered a
momentary qualm of uneasiness.
"Please give a brief resume of
the events preceding your fainting,
SPELL" he directed. I cleared my
throat and began.
told how had shampooed Mrs.
Witherspoon's hair and waved it.,
and applied the mask to her face.
told how I had lifted her to the
drier and manicured her nails. And,
told how, half an hour later, I:
had lifted the hood, and how the
limp body had fallen forward upon
my breast.
"And then" I concluded dra-
matically, land then I tainted"
"You suspected that she was
dead?"
NO." said, and held my breath.
Surely now he would ask me
whether or not I had remained in
the room the entire evening. But,
as Mr.. Horace had predicted, Dr..
Didmore took it for granted that
I had been present at the time of
the old lady's passing. I was glad,
for I. am not convincing liar.
What did you think ?"
"I don't think I thought any,
thing" I replied coolly enough. ut
was just the shock-having her fall
on me the way she did,"
"The deceased seemed quite nor
NAL to you during the shampoo,
ct cetera?"
"Well," hesitated. "She was
normal enough, guess. Of course,
I knew that she had heart trouble,
and wasn't awfully surprised
when I learned that she was
dead" .
IT see." He repeated blasting OPP
erations upon his nose, and arose..
"Pll have a look at the body, Mr.
Witherspoon, before issue the GER
tificate." !,
Hawkins will show you up,
stairs" said Mr.. Horace. He,
seemed relieved to conclude the in
quiry. Of course the whole bust
ness was worse for him than for
deceased (horrid world
was his own mother.
Ito Be COntinuedl