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FOUR The Case of Jenny Brice By MARY ROBERTS RINEHART PROLOGUE. m Was Jennie Brief murdered? r If she were murdered, who wot guilty of the foul deed? If ehe were Hot done away with by an aeeaeein, what became of her? Whence did eke dieappear? Theee and a few other inter esting queetione are raieed a once in this very clever tale % o/ mystery written by a worrier who is not only an adept a writing fiction of this charac ter, but the possessor of a elyh that chains the interest by iit clearness and directness ana wins by its rich humor. (Continued from Tuesday.) ”* “My name in hliaeffer,” she aulil *Tto aeon your name In the paper* and 1 believe I know something about Jennie Brice ” Eliza HbselTer’a glory waa curious Rbe aald that abe waa pontmlßtresa at Horner and tired with ber mother ov n farm a mile out of tbe town, driving In and out each day In a buggy. On Monday aft«moon. March 5. a woman bud alighted nt the atntlon from a train Hud had taken luncheon nt the hotel. She told the clerk aha waa on the road, selling enruetn. and waa much disappointed to And no etore of any alee In the town. Tbe woman, who bad registered aa Mr* Jane Itellowa aald she waa tired and would like to reel for a day or two on a farm. She waa told to ace Klixa Hliaeffer at the poatottler, and aa a reault drove out with her to the farm after the luat mall came In that evening. Asked to deacribe ber -ehe waa over medium height, light haired, quick In her movement* and wore a black apd white striped dre*a with a red collar null a hat to mnteb. Hite carried a small brown vallae that Mlaa Shneffoi presumed contained her aa tuple* Mr*. Sharder had made her welcome, although they did not uaually take boarder* until June She had not eaten much supiier. and that night she had asked for pen *•<! Ink and had written a letter. The letter waa not mailed ÜBnl"Wednesday All of Tuesday Mr* Bellow* had spent fti her room, and Mrs. ShaefTer had driven to the village In the afternoon with word that abe had been crying all day and bought some headache medicine for ber. On Wednesday morning, however she bad appeared at breakfast. enUsti heartily and had asked Miss Hhaeffei to talte ber letter to the poatottler It was addresser! to Mr Kills Howell tu enre of a Pittsburgh newspn|>er. Thai night when Mlsa Milan went home, about liulf past N, the woman waa gone She had paid for ber room nnd had been driven aa far n* Thorn vtllo, where all trace of her had beei lost. On account of the dlKuppearauci of Jenule Brice being published short ly after that, she nnd her mother had driven to Tboruvllle, hut the station agent then- was surly as well aa slit pld They had lea rued nothing about the woman. Since that time three men hud niadi Inquiries about the woman In question One had n pointed Vandyke beard; tin second, from a description, 1 funded must have been Mr. Graves. Ttn third, without doubt, was Mr. Howell KUza Shadier said that this Inst man had aeeroed half frantic. I brought her a photograph of Jennie Brice in TTopay" and another one a* “Juliet Bln- said there was a resemblance, but It ended there But of course, a* Ml Graves had aald. by the time nil actress gets ber photograph retouched to suit ber It doesn't particularly resemhli ber. And uuless 1 had known Jenuh Alice myself 1 should hardly bavv recognised the pictures. Well, In aplte of nil that, there sceiu ed no doubt that Jennie Brice Imd been llviug three days sfter her dl* appesranee nnd that would clenr Mr ladley. But what had Mr. Howell b do with It all? Why had he not told the police of the letter from Horner? Or about the woman on the bridge': Why bud Mr. Brouson. w ho waa llkelj tbe man with the pointed beard, said nothing about having traced Jenuh Brice to Horner? 1 did as 1 thought Mr. Holcombe would have wished me to do. 1 w roll down on a dean sheet of note papej all that Eliza ShneCTer snhl the de acrlption of the black and white dress, the woman* height and the rest—and then I took ber to the courthouse chick* and all. and she told her story there to one of the assiataut district attorneys. The young msn was Interested, but not convinced. He had ber story tnken down and *he signed It. He wa* smiling as he bowed us out. 1 turned in the doorway. “This will free Mr. Ladley, I sup pose?" 1 Hsked. “Not Just yet" he ssld pleasantly. “This makes Just eleven places where Jenule Brice spent the first three dsys after her death.” PBut I can positively Identify the dress " ■“My good woman, that dress has beou described to the last atllted arch and colonial volute In every news pa pel In the I'nlted States!” That evening tbe newspapers an Menaced that daring. i_coufet*ace at tin* Jail between ■>,>. ...o..cy ami *tau» Bronson, business umnuger nt tin Liberty theater, Mr laidley had at tacked Mr Bronson with a chair-awl almost brained him. • ••••• • Eliza ShaefTer went hack to Ilorner after delivering her chirk* somewhere In tbs city. Things went on as before Tbe trial was set for May. The dl* trlct attorney's office had all the thing* we had found In the house that Mon day afternoon—tbe stained towel, tin broken knife and Its blade, the sllppei that had lieen floating In tbe parlm nnd the rope that had fastened mj t»oat to the atnlrease. Somewhere wherever they keep aueh thing* was the heudles* body of a woman, with a baud missing, aud with a curious aein across tbe left brenat Tbe slip ol paper, however, which I bad found behind the base hoard, waa still in Mr Holcombe's possession, nor had In mentioned It to the police. Mr. llolcomlM) had not come hack He wrote me twice asking me to hold his room, once from New York am once from Chicago, To the second let ter he added a postscript: Have not found what I wanted, hut an getting warm If any news, address tie at Dea Moines, la., general delivery. It It wag nearly the end of April when I anw I.lda again I had seen by tlo newspaper* that she and her mothci were coming home. I wondered If sin had heard from Mr. Howell, for I had not, and I wondered, too, If she would aend for me again But she came herself, on foot, late one afternoon, and, the school tearhei being out, I took her Into the parloi Itedroom. She looked thinner than be fore nnd rather white. M.v heart ached for her “I have been away," she explained "1 thought you might wonder why you did not hear from me But, you see my mother"—she stopped and flushed “I would have written you from Ber muda, but my mother watched m\ correspondence, an I could not." No I knew she could not. Alma had once found a letter of mine to. Mr Pitman. Very little escaped Alma. "I wondered If you have heard any thing?*' she asked. "I have heard nothing Mr. Howe! waa here once. Just after I saw you I do not believe he I* tn the otty. “Perhaps ml, although Mm. I‘it in HI), I believe he Is 111 the city. Ilill lug!" "Hiding! Why?" "1 don't knm. Hut lant night 1 thouglit I mu w him Imlotv my window 1 oix-ni'd tin* window, mo If It won* In ho could inn lie Home Men Hut li moved on without a word, loiter, whe over It wan eniue back. I put out in; light nnd watched. Some one atoo there. In the mliiiilow, tffilil after " till morning. Part of the time he tvn looking up.” "Don't you think, had It been lie. h would Imve spoken when he saw you': She shook her head “He is In trou hie," she said "He liiih not bean from uie. and he thinks I don't cm any more. Just look lit me. Mrs. I'll mau. Do 1 look mk if I don't care?" She looked half killed, poor liiuih. “He may he out of town senrchli: for a tietter position," I tried to con fort her "He wants to have aonn thing to offer more than himself." “1 only mint him." she Maid, luokin ut me frankly. ”1 don't know why tell you all this, but you are so kin and I must talk to some one." She sat there in the eory corner tin schoolteacher had made, with a pur Here and some cushions, and I saw slu was alsmt ready to break down himl cry. I went over to her and took lid hand, for she was in.v own niece, al though she didn't suspect It. and I hmi never had a child of my own. Hut, after all. I could not help Inn much 1 could only a sad re her that be would come hack and explain every thing ami that lie was all right and that the lasi time 1 had seen hliu In had apokeu of her ami had said shi waa "the best ever." My heart fairly yearned over the girl, and 1 think sin felt it. for she kissed me shyly when she was leaviug. With the newspaper tiles before me It Is not hard to give the details of that seusatlonal trial It commenced on Monday, the 7th of M.t}, but It was late Wednesday when tlie Jury was finally selected. 1 was at the court house early on Tnursday. and so was Mr lteyuolds. The district attorney made a short speech. “We propose, gentlemen; to prove that the prisoner, l’hlllp Dudley, murdered his wife." he said in part "We will show ttrst that a crime was committed; tbeu we will allow a uiW live for this crime, and dually we ex peel to allow that the body washed ashore at Sewlokley Is the body of the murdered woman and thus establish beyond doubt the prisoner's guilt." CHAPTER X. f • —V< I.ADLKY listened with at I I teutlon. lie wore the brown ■■■■■ suit and looked well and ÜbJ cheerful. He was much more like a spectator lhau a prisoner, and he was not so nervous as 1 waa. Of that tirst day l do not recall much I was culled early In the day The district attorney questioned me. “Your name?" “Elisabeth Marie Pitman." “Your occupation':" “1 keep a boarding house at 42 Union street." "Y'ou know the prisoner?" “Y'e<* He w«» « boarder In my hsye ' _ "For how long?” "From Doc. 1. He and bla wife came at that time.” “Was hi* wife the actress, Jennie Brleo?” "Yea, air." “Were they living together at your bouse the night of March 4?" "Yea, sir." “In what part of tbe house?*’ “They rented the double parlors downstair*, but on account of the flood I moved them upstair* to tbe second floor front” "That waa on Sunday? You moved them on Hunday?” 1 “Ye*, air.” . “At what time did you retire that nightr* “Not at all. The water waa very high. I lay down, dressed, nt 1 o'clock and dropped Into a doze." “How long did you Bleep?" “An hour or so. Mr. Bcynolda, a boarder, roused me to nay he bad heard some one rowing a boat In the lower hall." "Do you keep a boat around during flood times?" "Yes. air." “What did de when Mr. Rey nold* roused youV* "1 went to the top of the stairs. M.v boat was gone." "Was the boat secured?" “Yea. air. Anyhow, there waa no current In the hall.*’ "What did you do then?" “I waited a time and went back to my room." "What examination of the boose Aid you make—ls any?" “Mr. Reynolds looked around.” “What did he find?" “lie found I’eter. the Ladley*' dog, abut In a room on the thlgd floor." "Was there anything unusual about that?” “I had never known It to happen before." “State what happened later.” “I did not go to sleep again. At a quarter after 4 I heard the boat come hack. I took a candle nnd went to the stairs. It was Mr. Ladley. He said he had been out getting medicine for his wife." •'Did you see him tie up the boat?" “Yea." "Did you observe any stains on the rope?” ‘*l did not notice any." “What waa the prisoner's manner at that time?” "I thought he was surly." “Now, Mrs. Pitman, tell ua about the following morning." "I ssw Mr. Dudley nt n quarter be fore 7. He said to bring breakfast for one. Ills wife l)nd gone awny. I a*ked If she was not 111, and be said no; that she hqd gone away early; that he bad ro\yed her to Federal street, and that she would be back Saturday. It was shortly after that that the dog Peter brought In one of Mrs. I.adley's sltppera, water soaked." “You recognized the slipper?" “Positively. I had seen It often." “What did you do with It?" “I took It to Mr. Ladley." “What did he say?” "He said at first that tt was not hers. Then he said If It was she would never wear it again and then added—be cause It was ruined." “Did he offer any statement ns to where hts wife was?" "No. sir; not at that time. Before lie had said she had gone away for a few days.'* "Tell the Jury, about the broken knife.” "The dog found It floating tn the par lor with the blade broken." “You had not left It downstairs?” "No, sir 1 had used It upstairs the night before and left It on a mantel of the room 1 was using as a temporary kitchen." "Was the door of this room locked?" "No. It was standing opqn." "Were you not asleep in this room?" “Yes." “You heard no one come tn?" "No one until Mr. Reynolds roused me." "Where did you find the blade?" "Behind the bod In Mr. laid ley a roots,” "What else did you And tn the room ?" “A blood stained towel behind the washstand; also my onyx clock was missing." “Where was the clock when the t>nd leys were Stored up Into this room?" “On the mantel. I wound It Just be fore they came upstairs." "When you saw Mrs. Ijidley on Sun day did she say she was going away?" “No. sir." "Did you see any preparation for a Journey ?" "The white dress was laid out on the tied and a stnall hag She said she was taking the dress to the theater to lend to Miss Hope." "Is that all she said?" "No. She said she'd l>een wishing her husband would drown; that ho was a fiend." I could see that my testimony had made au Impression. The slipper, the rope, the towel and the knife and blade were produced tu court, aud 1 Identified them all. They made a noticeable Impression ou the Jury. Then Mr. Llewellyn, the lawyer for the defense,, cross examined me “Is It not true. Mrs. Pitman." lie said, “that mauy article*, particularly shoes and slippers, are found floating around during a flood?" IHE AUGUSTA HERALD. AUGUSTA, GA. I "Yea," I admitted “Now, you »ay the dog found this slipper floating in tbe hall gnd brought It tn you. Are you sure tbla alippar j belonged to Jennie Brice?” "She wore It. 1 presume It belonged to her.” "Ahem! Now, Mr*. Pllman, after the Ladleya bad l>een moved to tbe upper floor, did you search their bod room and the connecting room downstair*?" "No. air ” "Ab! Then how do you know that thla slipper waa not left on tbe floor or In a closet?" "It Is possible, hut not likely. Any how, It waa not the slipper alone. It was tbe other things and tbe allpper It waa"— “Exactly. Now, Mra. Pitman, thla knife. Can you Identify It positively?" “I can." "But Isn’t It true that this la a very j common sort of knife? One that near ly every housewife haa In ber posses I sion?" “Yes, sir. But that knife handle has three notches In It I pnt the notches | there myself." "Before this presumed crime?*' “Yes, sir." “For what purpose?" "M.v neighbors were constantly bor- I rowing things. It was a means of Iden tification." “Then this knife 1* yours?" "Yes.” “Tell again where you left It tbe night before it was found floating downstairs." “On a shelf over the stove" “Could tbe dog have reached it there?" “Not without standing on a hot stove." "la It not possible that Mr. Ladle.v, unable to untie the liont, borrowed your knife to cut the boat's painter?” “No painter was cut that I heard about The paper hanger"— “No, no. The boat's painter—the rope." “Oh! Well,’ he might have. He ! never said.” "Now, then, thla towel, Mrs. Pitman. Did not. the prisoner on tbe following day tell you that he had cut his wrist Id freeing the boat and ask you for some court plaster?" I “lie did not” 1 said firmly. "You have not seen a scar on his i wrist?” “No." I glanced at Mr. Ladley. He waa smiling as if amused. It made me angry. "And what's more,” I flashed, “if he has a cut on his wrist, he put It there himself to account for tbe towel.” I was sorry tbe next moment that I had said It. but it was too late. Tbe counsel for tbe defense moved to ex | elude the answer, and I received a ! caution that I deserved. Then: "You saw Mr. Ladley when he brought your boat back?" “Yes." “What, time was that?" “A quarter after 4 Monday morning." “.Did be come in quietly, like a man trying to avoid attention?" “Not particularly. It would have been of bo use. The dog was bark ing." “What did he say?" "That he had becu»nut fotvtoedielne. That his wife was sick." "Do you know a pharmacist named Alexander—Jonathan Alexander?" "There la such a one, but 1 don’t know hint." | I was excused, and Mr. Reynolds was called. He had heard no quarrel ing that Sunday night, had even heard Mrs. Ladley laughing. This was about I* o’clock. Yes, they had fought In the afternoon. He had not overheard any wo: da, but voices were quarrel some, and once he heard a chair or some article of furniture overthrown. Was awakened about - by footsteps on the stairs, followed liy the sound of oars tn the lower ball. He told Ills Ntory plainly and simply. Under cross examination admitted that he was fond of detective stories and had tried to write one himself; that he had said at <hc store that he would like to see that “conceited ass" swing, referring to the prisoner; that he had sent flow ers to Jennie Brice nt the theater, and had made a few advances to her. with out success. M.v head was going round. I don't know yet how the police learned It all. but by the time poor Mr. Reynolds left the stand half the i>eople there be lieved that he had beeu ill love with Jennie Brice, that she had spurned hts advances, aiul that there was more to the story than any of them bad sus pected. Mis* Hope's story held without any alteraQon under the cross examination. She was perfectly at case, looked hand some and well dressed, aud could not be shaken. She told how Jennie Brice had been In fear of her life and had asked her, only the week before she disappeared, to allow her to go home with her Miss Hope She told of the attack of hysteria In her dressing room, and that the missing woman had aald that her husband would kill her some day. There was much wrangling over her testimony, and I believe at least a part of It was uot allowed to go to the Jury. But 1 aui not a lawyer, and I repeat what 1 recall. "I#d she say that he had attacked her?" “Yes. more than once. She was a 1 large woman, fairly muscular, aud had always held her own." i "Did she say that these attacks came when he had been drinking?" "1 believe he was worse then." "Did she give any reasou for her hus -1 band's attitude to her?" "She said he wanted to marry an other woman." * There was a smalt sensation at this. If proved It established a motive. "Did she know who the other woman was?” "I believe not. She was away most of the day. aud he put iu his time as he liked." "Did Miss Brice ever uieutioa the I nature of the he made ami**' REDUCTION SALE FINE CLOTHING —l AT . J= A SACRIFICE Your Opportunity for the Next 10 DAYS All Suits, regular value $23.50, $25.00 to 017 7C $30.00 to go at i>l I.IU All Suits, regular value SIB.OO, to $22.50 01 7*i to go at.: J All Suits, regular value $12.50 to $16.50 $10.75 ALL NEW FABRICS AND LATEST STYLES BLUE SERGES, GREYS, ETC. This Is StricLly a Cash Salem barksdaleTsatcher Men’s Fashion her?" “No, I think not.” “Have you examined the body wash ed ashore at Sewickley?” “Yes”—ln n low voice. “la It the b< ly of Jennie Brice?" “I cannot say.” “Does the remaining hand look like tbe hand of Jeunie Brice?” “Very much. The nails are filed to points, as she wore hers." “Did you ever know of Jennie Brice having a scar on her breast?” “No, but that would be easily Con cealed." “Just what do you mean?” "Many actresses conceal defects. She could have worn flesh colored plaster and covered It with powder. Also, such a scar would not necessarily be seeu." "Explain that.” “Most of Jennie Brice’s decollete gowns were cut to a point. This would conceal such a scar." Miss Hope was excused, and Jeunie Brice’s sister from Glean was called. She was n smaller woman than Jennie Brice had lieen. very ladylike in ber manner. She said she was married and living In Olean; she had not seen her sister for several years, but bud benrd from her often. The witness had discouraged the marriage to the pris oner. “Why?" “She had had bad luck before." “She bad been married before?" “Y'es, to a man named John Bellows. They were in vaudeville together on the Keith circuit. They were known as The Fair of Pillow*." 1 sat up at this, for John Bellows had boarded at my house. "Mr. Bellows is dead?" "I think not. She divorced hlui." “Did you know of any scar on your sister's body?" "I never heard of one." “Have you seen the body found at Sewickley ?" “Y'es." faintly. “Can you Identify it?" "No, sir." A flurry wa* caused during tbe after noon by Timothy Senft. He testified to what I already knew—that betweeu 3 and 4 on Monday morning, during the height of the flood, he had seen from his shanty boat a small skid caught in the current near the Ninth street bridge He had shouted encour agingly to the man in the boat, running out a way on the ice to make him hear He had told him to row with the cur rent and to try to steer in toward •hore. He had followed close to the river bank In own boat. Below Sixth street the other boat was within rope throwing distance. He had pulled It iu and had towed it well back out of the current. The man in the boat was the prisoner. Asked If the prisoner gaTe any explanation—yes. he said he couldn't sleep nnd had thought to tire himself rowing. Had been caught in the current before he knew it, Saw nothing suspicious in or about the boat. a*]Jbev passed tbe police patrol boat prisoner had called to usk if there was much distress and exp Yessed regret when told there was. Tim was excused. He bad made a profound Impression. I would not have given a dollar for Mr. Eadley’s chance with the jury at that time. CHAPTER XL [jE prosecution produced many witnesses during the next two SSjjS days; Shanty Boat Tim’s iSlaal story withstood the most vlg orous cross examination. After him, Mr. Bronson from the corrobo rated Miss Hope’s story of Jennie Brice’s attnek of hysteria In the dress lng room and told of taking her home that night. He was a poor witness, nervous and halting. He weighed each word before he said it. and he made a general un favorable impression. I thought he was holding something back. In view of what Mr. Pitman would have called the denouement, his attitude Is easily explained. But I was puzzled then. So far. the prosecution had touched but llgbtly on the possible motive for a crime—the woman. But on the third day, to my surprise, a Mrs. Agnes Mur ray was called. It was the Mrs. Mur ray I had seeu at the morgue. 1 have lost tbe clipping of that'day’s trial, but 1 remember her testimony perfectly. She was a widow-, living above a small millinery shop ou Federal street. Allegheny. She had one daughter, Alice, who did stenograpy and typing as a means of livelihood. She had no office and worked nt home. Many of the small stores In the neighborhood employed her to send out their bills. There was u card at the street entrance beside the shop, and now and then strangers brought her work. Early in December the prisoner had brought her the manuscript of a play to type, and from that thne on he came frequently, sometimes every day. bringing a few sheets of manuscript at a time. Sometimes he came without any manuscript and would sit and talk while he smoked a cigarette. They had thought him unuinrried. On Wednesday, Feb. 2S, Alice Mur ray had disappeared. She had taken some of her clothing—not all—and had left a note. The witness read the note aloud in a trembling voice: Dear Mower—When you get this I »h«ll be married to Mr. Ladley Don't worry. Will write again from N. Y. Lovingly. ALICE. From that time until a week before, abe bad uot heard from her daughter. Then she bad a card, mailed from Madison Square station. New York city. The card merely said: Am well and working. ALICE. The defense was visibly shaken. They had not expected this, and 1 thought even Mr. Ladle.v. whose calm had continued unbroken, paled. So far all bad gone well for the prosecution. They) had proved a crime, as nearly as circumstantial evi dence. could prove a crime,, and they THURSDAY. APRIL 16. had estabosi.ca a motive. tue Identification of the body so far they had failed. The prosecution "rested." as they say, although they didn’t rest much on the afternoon of the third day. The defense called, first of all. Eliza Shaeffer. She told of a woman an swering the general description of Jen nie Brice having spent two days at the Shaeffer farm at Horner. Being shown photographs of Jennie Brice, she said she thought it was the same woman, but was not certain. She told further of the woman leaving uner pectedly on Wednesday of that week from Thomville. On cross examina tion being shown the small photo graph which Mr. Graves had shown me, she identified the woman In the group as being the woman in question. As the face was in shadow 7 , knew it more by the dress and hat. She de scribed the black and white dress and the hat with red trimming. The defense then called me. I bad to admit that the dress and hat as described were almost certainly the ones 1 had seen on the bed In Jennie Brice’s room the day before she dis appeared. 1 conld not say definitely whether the woman In the photograph was Jennie Brice or not: under a mag nifying glass thought it might be. Defense called Jonathan Alexander, a druggist who testified that on the night in question he had been roused at half past 3 by the prisoner, who had said his wife was ill. and had pur chased « bottle of proprietary remedy from h in. Ills identification was ab solute. The defense called Jennie Brice's sister, and endeavored to prove that Jennie Brice had had no such scar. It was shown that she was on in', i mate terms w ith her family and would hardly have concealed nn operation of any gravit’ fv- r them. To Be Continued Tomorrow BY WAY OF DEMONSTRATION. "So you are going to adopt the fash ion of wearing colored wigs?" "No,” replied Mrs. Leedweli, "1 shall give a party at which they are worn, merely tor the sake of demonstrating that they are too absurd to become sash, lonalle."—Washington Star. y “You musn't be so modest The other candidate doesn't hesitate to talk about himself.” "I sec. Follow the doctrine, an I for an I.”—Exchange. Cleans Complexion—Removes Skin Blemishes Why go through life embarrassed and disfigured with pimples, eruption*, blackheads, red rough skin, or suffer ing the tortures of Eczema, Itch, tet ter. saltrheum. Just ask your Drug gist for Dr. Hobson's Eczema Oln> t ment. Follow the simple suggestions and your skin worries are over. Mild, soothing, effective. Excellent for ta bles and delicate, tender skin. Flops chapping. Always helps Relief or money beck. SOc. at your Druggist.