Newspaper Page Text
TUESDAY. APRIL 14.
The Case of Jenny Brice
• J3y MARY ROBERTS RINEHART
PROLOGUE.
«■ Was Jennie Brice murdered ?
I if she were murdered, who wu
guilty of the feu! deed?
If she vjero not done awo
with by an assassin, what becam
of her?
» Whence did she disappear?
* These and a few other inter
esting questions are raised c
once in this very clever tale o>
mystery written by a womar
who is not only an adept a
writings fiction of this charac
ter, bat the possessor of a styl>
that chains the interest by itt
clearness and directness anc.
wins by its rich humor.
I
Continued From Yesterday
“None the less. ..ir*. ntiuau," L
•aid. “thnt-ls the body of Jennie Brier
Her husband killed her. probably l>\
strangling her. He took the body ou.
In the bout Hnd dropped It into tin
swollen river above the Ninth stive,
bridge."
“Why do yon think he strangled
her?"
“There was no mark on the body
and no poison was found."
“Then, if he strangled her. where dlu
the blood come from?”
“1 didn't limit myself to stranguln
tion,” he said irritably. “He may have
cut her throat"
“Or brained her with my onyx clock.
I added with a sigh. For I missed tin
clock more and more.
He went down in his pockets aim
brought up a key. “I'd forgotten this,
he said. “It shows you were right
that the clock was there when thi
Lndleys took the room. 1 found this
In the yard this morning."
It was when I got home from the in
quest that I found old Isaac's basket
waiting. 1 am not a crying woman,
but I could hardly see my mother's
picture for tears. Well, after all, that
Is not the Brice story. lam not writ
ing the sordid tragedy of my life.
That was on Tuesday. Jeunle Brici
had been missing nine days. In all
that time, although she was cast for
the piece at the theater that week, no
one there had heard from her. Her
relatives had had no word. She had
gone away, if she had gone, ou a cold
March night, in a striped black anil
white dress with a red collar and a
ted and black hat, without her fur
coat, which she had worn all winter
She had very early in the morn
lng or during the night How had
she gone? Mr. Lad Icy said he ban
rowed her to Federal street at hall
after 6 and bad brought the boat back
After they had quarreled violently a!
night, and when she was leaving him
wouldn't he have allowed her to takt
herself away? Besides, the police hnd
found no trace of her on an enrl\
train. And then at daylight between
b and 6, my own brother had seen u
woman with Mr. Howell, a woman
who might have been Jennie Brice.
But if it was, why did not Mr. Howell
eay so?
Mr. Ladley claimed she was hiding
la revenge. But Jennie Brice was not
that sort of woman. There was some
[thing big about ber, something that i>
(found often in large women—a lack ol
upite. She was not petty or malicious
Her faults, like her virtues, were for
mil to see.
In spite of the failure to identify the
body Mr. Ladley was arrested that
night, Tuesday, and this time it was
for murder. 1 know now that the po
lice were taking long chances. They
had no strong motive for the crime.
As Mr. Holcombe said, they hnd provo
cation, but not motive, which is differ
ent They had opportunity, nnd they
had a lot of straggling links of clews.
Which in the total made a fair chain ot
circumstantial evidence. But that was
all.
That Is tne way the case stood on
Tuesday night. March 13.
Mr. Ladley was taken away at 9
o’clock. He was perfectly cool, asked
me to help him pack a suit case ami
Whistled while it was being done. He
requested to be allowed to walk to tbt-
Jail and went quietly, with a detective
on one side and. i think, a sheriff's of
fleer on the other.
Just before he left he asked for a
iword or two with me, and when he
paid his bill up to date nnd gave roe ar.
extra dollar for taking care of Peter I
was almost overcome. He took the
manuscript of his piny with him, and
I remember his asking if be could have
any typing done in the Jail. 1 had
never seen a man arrested for murder
before, but I think be was probably
the coolest suspect the officers bad
•ver seen. They hardly kvsw what to
make of it
Mr. Reynolds and I had a cup of tea
after all the excitement and were sit
ting at the dining room table drinking
it when the bell rang. It was Mr
Howell. He half staggered into the
ball when I opened the door and was
for going Into the parlor bedroom with
out a word.
“Mr. Ladiey's gone, if you want
him.” I said. I thought his face cleared.
“Gone.’" lie said. ' Where?”
"To Jail.”
He did not reply at once. He stood
there, tapping the palm of one ban#
[with the forefinger of the other. He
was u.H.t i,... .id,,
looked as if he had lievu sleeping i
them.
"So they've got him:" he mutierc
finally, and turning, was about to p
nut the front door without nnothc.
word, but 1 caught his arm.
“You’re sick, Mr. Howell." I said
“You’d better not go out Just yet."
“Oh. I’m all right.” He shook hi
handkerchief out and wiped his face
I saw that his bauds were shnkiug.
"Come back aud have n cup of te;
nnd a slice 4t homemade bread."
He hesitated and looked at his wntc-l
“I’ll do it. Mrs. Pitman." he said. "
suppose I’d better throw a little ftp.
Into this engine of mine, it’s ben
going hard for several days.”
He ate like a wolf. 1 cut half a lo;
into slices for him. ami be drank tli
rest of the tea. Mr. Reynolds creak; •
up to bed and left him still entiti;.
and me still cutting aud spreaditp.
Now that i had a chance te see him
was shocked. The rims of his eye
were red. his coilur black and his hui
hung over his forehead. But when li
finally sat hack and looked at me hi
color was better.
"So they’ve cauned him!” be said.
"Time enough, too.’’ said I,
He leaned forward and put both hi
elbows ou the table. "Mrs. Pitman
he said earnestly, “I dou’t like bin
auy more than you do. But he neve,
killed that woman."
"Somebody killed her."
“How do you know? How do ym
know she’s dead?"
Well. I didn’t, of course—l only fell
it.
“The police haven’t even proved :
crime. They can't hold a mun for i
supposititious murder."
“Perhaps they ean't. but they’re dc
ing it," 1 retorted. “If the woman’;
alive she won't let him hang.”
“I’m not so sure of that.” he saic
heavily and got up. He looked in tli
little mirror over the sideboard am
brushed back his hair. “I look bm
enough,” he said, "but I feel worse
Well, you've saved my life, Mrs. Pit
man. Thank you.”
“How is my—how is Miss narvey?’
I asked, ns we started out. He turnei
and smiled at me in Ills boyish way.
"The best ever!" he said. "I haven’,
seen her for days, and it seems lik<
centuries. She—she is the only girl ii
the world for me. Mrs. Pitman, al
though I" He stopped and drew i
long breath. "She is beautiful, isn'
she?" •
“Very beautiful.” I answered. “He
mother was always”—
“Her mother!” He looked at m<
curiously.
“I knew her mother years ago.” !
said, putting the best face on my inis
take that 1 could.
"Then I’ll remember you to her. I
she ever allows me to see her again
Just now I'm persona non grata."
“If you’ll do the kindly thing. Mi
Howell,” 1 said, “you’ll forget me t
her.”
He looked into my eyes and thei
thrust, out bis hand.
"All right.” he said. "I’ll not ask an
questions. I guess there are some curi
ous stories hidden in these old houses.
Peter hobbled to the front door wit;
him. He had not gone so far as tli
parlor once while Mr. Ladley was ii
the house.
They had hnd a snle of spring flow
ers at the store that day, and Mr. Rev
nolils hnd brought me a pot of whip
tulips. That night I hung my mother'
picture over the mantel in the diniir
room and put the tulips beneath it. I.
gave me a feeling of comfort; 1 ha<
never seen my mother’s grave or pu
flowers on it
CHAPTER IX.
"y" HAVE said before that Ido not
I know anything about the law
VT.L.’ I believe that the I.adley casi
was unusual in several way*
Mr. Ladley bad once been well known
in New York amoug the people who
frequent the theaters, and Jennie Brici
was even better known. A good munj
lawyers, I believe, said tbut the police
bad not a leg to stand ou, aud I know
the case was watched with much iu
terest by the legal profession. People
wrote letters to the newspapers pro
testing against Mr. Ludley being held
And I believe that the district attor
ney in taking him before the grand
Jury hardly doped to make a case.
But he did, to his own surprise I
fancy, aud the trial was set for May.
But in the meuntime many curious
things bad happened.
In the first place, the week following
Mr. Ladiey’s arrest my house was fill
ed up with eight or ten members of a
company from the Gaiety theater* very
cheerful and jolly and well behaved.
Three men. I think, and the rest girls.
One of tlie inen was named BellowH,
John Bellows, and it turned out that
he had known Jennie Brice very well.
From the moment be learned that
Mr. Holcombe hardly left him. He
walked to the theater with him and
waited to walk home again. He took
him out to restaurants and for long
street car rides in the mornings, and
on the last night of their stay, Satur
day. they gut gloriously drunk to
gether—Mr. Holcombe, no doubt, in his
character of Ladley—and came reeling
in at 3 in the morning, singing. Mr.
Holcombe was very sick the next day.
but by Monday he was all right, and
be called me into the room.
“We’ve got him. Mrs. Pitman.” he
said, looking mottled, hut cheerful. “As
sure as God made little fishes, we’ve
got him.” That was all be would say.
however. It seemed lie was going to
New York and might lie gone ror a
month. "I’ve no family." he said, "and
enough money to keep tne. if 1 And
my relaxation in hunting down crlnil
nnls, it’s a hurmless aud cheap amuse
ment, and—lt’s my own business."
He went away that night, and I
must admit l missed him. I rented
the parlor bedroom the next day to a
sehool teacher, and 1 found the perl
scope affair very handy. 1 could see
Just how much gas she used, and al
though the notice on each door forbids
cooking nnd washing in rooms, I found
she was doing both; making coffee
and boiling an egg in the morning, and
rubbing out stockings and ’handker
chiefs In tier w ashbowl. I’d much rntli
cr have men as hoarders than women.
The women are always lighting alcohol
lamps on the bureau and wanting tlie
bed turned Into a cozy corner so they
can see their gentlemen friends in
their rooms.
Well, with Mr. Holcombe gone and
Mr. Reynolds busy all day and half
the night getting out the summer
silks and preparing for remnant day.
and with Mr. Ladley in jail and Lida
out of the city—for I saw iu the papers
that she was not well, nnd her mother
bad taken her to Bermuda—l had a
II
M l believe I know something about
Jennie Brice."
good bit of time on my hands. And
so I got In the habit of thinking things
over and trying to draw conclusions,
as I had seen Mr. Holcombe do. I
would sit down and write things out
as they bad happened and study them
over, and especially I worried over
how we could have found a Blip of
paper in Mr. Ladiey’s room with a list,
almost exact of the things we had
discovered there. I used to read it
over, “rope, knife, shoe, towel, Horn”—
and get more and more bewildered.
“Horn”—might have been a town, or
it might not have been. There was
such a town, according to Mr. Graves,
but apparently be had made nothing
of it. Was it a town that was meant?
The dictionary gave only a few
words, beginning with “horn"—hornet,
hornblende, hornpipe and horny—none
of which was of any assistance. And
then one morning I happened to see In
the personal column of one of the
newspapers that a woman named Eliza
Shaeffer of Horner had day old Bgff
Orpington and Plymouth Rock chicks
for sale, and it started me to puzzling
again. Perhaps it had been Horner
and possibly this very Eliza Shaeffer—
I suppose my lack of experience was
in ray favor, for, after all, Eliza Shaef
fer is a common enough name, and the
“Horn" might have stood for “horn
swoggle” for ’all I knew. The story of
the man who thought of what he
would do if he were a horse came back
to me, and for an hour or so I tried to
think I was Jennie Brice trying to get
away and hide from my rascal of a
husband. But I made no headway. I
would aever have gone to Horner or to
any small town if I had wanted to
bide. I think I should have gone
around the corner and taken a room in
my own neighborhood or have lost my
self In some large city.
It was that same duy that since I did
not go to Horner Horner came to me.
The bell rang about 3 o’clock, and I
answered it myself, for with times
hard and only two or three roomers all
winter I had not had a servant except
Terry to do odd Jobs for some months.
There stood a fresh faced young girl,
with a covered basket in her hand.
“Are you Mrs. Pitman?" she asked.
"I don’t need anything today," I said,
trying to shut the door. And at that
minute something in Jbe basket cheep
ed. Young women selling poultry are
not common in our neighborhood.
“What have you there?" I asked more
agreeably.
“Chicks, day old chicks, but I’m not
trying to sell you any. I—may I come
In?"
It was dawning on me then that per
baps this was Eliza Rhaeffer. I led ber
back to the dining room, with Peter
sniffing at the hn«l:ef
To Be Continued Tomorrow
“I SAW IT IN THE HERALD”
THE AUGUSTA HERALD. AUGUSTA. GA.
SOCIETY
PROGRAM FOR MEMORIAL DAY
AT SOLDIERS' SECTION.
Monday, April 27th, at 4 o'clock
!>. to
To Introduce the speaker, rapt. J
Riec Smith.
Marshal of the Day, Mr. Marlon G.
Rlilgeley. »
To give the Opening Prayer, Rev.
W. O. Hillard.
To Prounotince the Benediction,
Rev. P. J. Bailie
Committee to Decorate the Confed
erate Monument oil Broad St., Mrs
(ieorge McWhorter, Mrs. RandolpA
Kldgeiey, Mrs. Bransforfl, Mrs. 11.
Coinahl. Mrs S li carpenter. Miss
Anna Montgomery.
Committee to Visit Schools, Mrs W.
I. Wilson, Mrs. T. F. Harrison, Mrs.
H. I>, Norrell. Mrs. W. W. Svnithe.
For Chairs, Mrs D. F. Jack.
Carriage Committee, Mrs. J. W.
Clark.
Mrs. A. Weistger, chairman of the
Evergreen Committee.
Transportation, Mrs. W. I. Wilson.
To receive w rent Its at the Soldiers'
Section. Mrs Herbert De Vaughn.
Mrs. T. F. Harrison.
To decorate Fountain, Mrs. B. C.
Wall.
Committee at the Chapel in the City
Cemetery, Mrs. W. F. Eve, Mrs Os
well Eve, Mrs. John Pournellc. Miss
Julia M. Tobin. Mrs. H. I). Norrell,
Mrs. Smythe, and all of the Robert E.
Lee Chapter, Children of the Confed
eracy.
EAGLES FEASTED
AT THE ALBION
Had as Honor Guests Frank
Hering, W. L. Grayson, and
Judge McAlpin. Sumptuous
Ten-Course Dinner Served.
The hanquet tendered at the Albion
Hotel last night in honor of Hofi.
Frank Hering. past grand worthy
president, by the local aerie of the
Fraternal Order of Eagles, was a
magnificent success. Other honor
guests were Judge Henry McAlpin
am l W. L. Grayson, both of Savan
nah, who arc big Eagles. There were
several hundred members of the local
aerie present and the dinner was one
of the finest the hotel has ever served.
The address of the evening was
made by Mr. Hering, a native of South
Bend, lnd. He spoke on "(>ur Order,
Whose Mission Is As High aa tile
Aeries of the Eagles Themselves.” The
address was a most impressive one
and will doubtless remain in the minds
of every Eagle who heard it for years
to come. Mr. Hering Is a most con
genial man and Is a splendid speaker.
The Augusta Eagles feel themselves
highly honored in having him uit H
them, lie is also visiting other cities
in the South.
The Speeches.
Speeches were made by Judge Henry
C. Hammond, on "<>ur Aerie, Its Wotk
and Its Aspirations;” Mr. Grayson, on
"< Mir Grand Aerie;” Judge McAlpin.
on "Our Sister Aerie, Savannah;” Mr.
S. L. Olive, on "The Empire State ol
the South;” W. Inman Curry, on "Our
Tri-State Convention;” I)r. J. It. Lit
tleton, on “The Land of Liberty;"
Major Ahraui Levy, on "Tile Uniform
Rank;” Judge C. A. Piequet, nn "Our
Membership;” lion. J. C. Black, on
"The City of Augusta," and Hon. A. 1..
Franklin, on "The Ladles.” Mr* W.
S. Moore, a past worthy president of
the local aerie, was scheduled to de
liver an address on "The Man Behind
I the Gun,” hot could nut attend.
Curbstone Quartet.
The ClirhHtone Quartet, composed of
Messrs. Leo Cotter. G. C. Delmonlco,
J. B. Mulherin, and J. A. Chapman,
! closed the program by singing 'Auld
Lang Sync.”
Mr. Rodney Cohen Hctdd ns toast
master and Introduced each speaker in
a most unique manner. The speaking
did not begin until after the ten
-1 course dinner was served.
The committee in charge was com
posed of Messrs. Abe Brill, John J.
Cohen, Jr., and J. If. Dillard.
Tim three distinguished visitors weri>
met at the train at noon yesterday by
a committee of Augusta Eagles, who
were Messrs. A. Brill. .1. C. C. Black,
R. 8. Cohen and L. J. Bchaul.
453 Telegraph Men Will
Testify Cotton Oil Suit
Jackson, Miss. Four hundred and
fifty-three managers, agenta and ope
rators In the employ of tho Western
Union and Postal Telegraph com
panies In Mississippi today were being
summoned to appear in Jackson, April
27th to testify In the state's anti-trust
suit against tho American Cotton Oil
Co., and alleged allied concerns Tele
graph company employes are Instruct
ed to bring with them copies of all
messages that had passed between
cotton mills of tho state.
Tho attorney general named ninety
eight. defendants In the suit, demand
ed that the alleged combine be broken
up, that $227,000,000 In fines he paid
and that cotton oil mill corporations
not domiciled in Mississippi he ousted.
LIFE AND CUSTOMS IN
THE TURKISH EMPIRE
Will be Shown on Beautiful
Slides at First Presbyterian
Church Tomorrow Evening.
The last illustrated lecture In tho
course on missions which lias been
given at the First Presbyterian church
during the past winter will ho pre
sented Wednesday evening at 8:30
o'clock. A set of beautifully colored
slides showing life and customs in tho
Turkish empire will he given. Few
people know much shout this Interest
ing country which is Just now awak
ening from Its sleep of centuries.
This series of lectures has been en
joyed by large congregations, and
doubtless this last one will be heard
by a full bouse. There is no edmis
slon, and the public Is cordially In
vited. A freo will offering is taken
to defray expenses.
DOUBLE DAMAGES.
Washington, D. C. The double dam
age statute of Arkansas was upheld
today by the supreme court. The
Is w makes railroads whjch fall to pay
claims for damages within thirty days
after their presentation liable for
twice the damages suffered.
DON'T DEPRIVE
YOURSELF
MAXWELL
HOUSE
BLEND
COFFEE
Expresses the highest
art in coffee produc
tion and is always
packed in sealed tins.
Ask four |r«Mr Ur 11.
Cheek-Neal Coffee Co.,
NmMIU J«ck»<wvtll« Rouln
SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS
GEORGIA COURT S RULING
Washington, D. C.—Judgment of the
Georgia courts giving Wiley George,
a locomotive engineer for the Tennes
see Coal, Iron and Railroad Co., sll,-
600 as damages for the loss of a foot,
uas upheld today by tho supreme
court.
*■— - ■»
Weak Lungs Often
Lead to Serious Illness
If you htv« weak lungs nnd your sys
tem Ih run down, you aro mors simcoptt
bl#» to HorlouH lung trouble. By tho uso
of Bckman'* Alterative many havs bean
restored Lo Imulth . Heat! of this caw#:—
S, Atlantic Avo., HnddonflMd, N. J.
"Qentlomep:—ln the full of 1905 I con
tracted a Vfty severs cold which settled
on my lungs. At lH»t I began to raise
sputum, mid my physician then told me
I must go to California Immediately. At
this time I was advised to take Kck-
Ynan’s Alterative. 1 stayed at home and
commenced taking It the last week of
October. I began to improve and th»*
first week# In January. 1906, 1 resumed
my regular occupation, having gained 25
pounds, fully restored to health. It Ih
now seven years since my recovery has
been effected, and I cannot praise Jfick
man s Alterative too highly.”
( Abbreviated.)
(Signed) W. M. TAT KM.
Krknmn’s Alterative is most effica
cious In bronchial catarrh and severe
throat and lung affections and upbuild
ing the system. Contains no harmful
or habit-forming dinar Accept no sub
stitutes. Sold by wading druggists.
Write Kckman Laboratory, Philadelphia,
Pa., for booklet of recoveries.
1 NURSE TAKES
DOCTOR'S ADVICE
And i* Restored to Health by
Lydia E. Pinkham’s Veg
etable Compound.
Eiiphomiß, Ohio.—" Because of total
ignorance of how to euro for myself
\vlu*n verging into womanhood, and from
taking cold when going to school, I suf
fered from a displacement, and each
month I had severe pains and nausea
which always meant a lay-off from work
for two to four days from the time I
was 16 years old.
“ I went to Kansas to live with my sis
ter and while there a doctor told me of
the Pinkham remedies but I did not use
them then as my faith in patent medi
cines was limited. After my sister died
1 came home to Ohio to live nnd that
has been my home for the last 18 years.
“The Change of Life came when I was
47 years old and about this time I saw
my physical condition plainly described
In one of your advertisements. Then I
began using Lydia E. Pinkham’s Veg
etable Compound and I cannot telJ_ you
or any one the relief It gave me in the
first three months. It put me right
where I need not lay off every month
and during the last 18 years I have not
paid out two dollars to a doctor, and have
been blest with excellent health forawo
woman of my age and I can thank Lydia
E. Pinkham’sVegetablo Compound for it.
“Since the Change of Life is over I
have been a maternity nurse and being
wholly self-supporting I cannot over
estimate the value or good health. I
have now arned a comfortable little
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have recommended the Compound to
many with good results, as it Is excel
lent to take before and after child
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art, Euphemia, Ohio.
If jrnu want special advice write to
Lydia K. Pinkham Medicine Co. icon ll
deutlal) Lvnn, Mass. Your letter will
be opened, read and answered by a
woman and held In strict coulldcuac.
Mothers Tell of
Mother’s Friend
Thrperlenes Is or rhould bn our best
teacher. Women who have obeyed tho
highest a noblest
of all sacrifices, tho
Struggle for the life
of others, should
have a better Idea
of helpful Influence
then thoeewho
theorise from obser
vation.
At any rate when
a prospective grand-
mother urges her
daughter to do as she did—to use
"Mother’s Friend," there Is ample reaeon
to believe It the right kind of advice.
Its purpose Is to furnish pliancy to tho
muscles, to take away the strain on tho
cords and ligaments, to relieve the ten
sion of nerves and tendons so apt to
provoke or aggravate nausea, morning
sickness, twitching* of tho limbs and so
on. It Is applied externally.
Although, In tho nature of things, a
woman would use "Mother’s Friend" but
rarely, yet so effective has It been found
that this splendid remedy Is on sale In
most drug stores throughout the United
Htates. It has been prepared by Bradftcld
Regulator Co., 308 Lamar Bldg., Atlanta.
Oa. and sdvertlsed by us for over twenty
years. Ask at the drug store for a bottle
of "Mother's Friend,’’ It Is worth while.
TOMORROW IS
HOSIERY
DAY
= AT ==
THE WISE DRY
COOPS CO.
See Below the
Matchless Values
Men's Silk Socks, worth regularly 25c
to 50c, in black, white and assorted
colors. This is an opportunity worth
taking advantage ot. Yours Eflp
in this sale at 3 pairs for
Ladies' Silk Boot Hose in black,
white and assorted colors, 9En
worth up to 50c per pair, at
Ladies' Black Embroidered OQp
Hose, regular 50c grade, at Uwu
Ladies' black and tan Silk Hose,
worth 50c, at 3 pairs SI.OO
Children's Socks, in black, white and
fancies, special j 2^o
Children's 25c fancy Socks 19c
at
Men's, women's and children’s Whit
leather Hosiery, every pair 1 f|p
guaranteed, at ■
We are agents for the famous Buster
Brown Hosiery, every pair guaran
[“ d ’ 4pairs SI.OO
Guaranteed to wear 4 months or re
placed with new ones.
All Silk Hose, worth up to $1.25, for
one day only (limited) 89c
at
SEVEN