The Augusta herald. (Augusta, Ga.) 1914-current, April 14, 1914, Home Edition, Page SEVEN, Image 7

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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 home just by sewing and nursing. I have recommended the Compound to many with good results, as it Is excel lent to take before and after child birth.”—Miss Evelyn Adkua Stew 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