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ricz: c: XJSS GASTOXIA GAZZTTZ. FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1916. '; , SYNOPSIS. : Mary Pas, actreaa, to accueed of tha marder of Jamee Pollock and la defended fcy bar lover. Philip Langdon. Pollock was Intoxicated. Shale, a crook and tool of Pollock. wae on the fire escapa watch Inr for Lanfdon. THE DRAMA OF THE LAW W ' ITU the entrance of the Judge the turmoil of the vast crowd that filled the court room almost to suffocation subsided into a tense whisper of ex pectancy. The atmosphere was vl- . brant with It taut as a violin string which snapped and brought the throng "svrging mildly to Its feet when some one shrilled: - Tiers she comes r At the back of the room men and women fought in a frenzy for foothold upon the seats of chairs, drowning the thunder of the jndge's gavel with their clamorous hysteria, while those nearer the front were flung bodily against the steady wall of police beyond which stood Mary Page, framed by the grim shadow of the prisoner's door. Mary was waiting, breathless, terrl , fled, for "some one" to come. The Judge looked at his watch and then at Mary Stretched Out On Slim Hand. V the door, and another whispering wave . of sound too intangible to be called words swept over the room. Almost before it died, however, Philip. Lang don. the brilliant young lawyer who was defending Mary Page from the charge of murder and who In bis bat t tie for her life was also battling for " his own happiness, came in. - - - . uiiu vxuijr ruac J mi I et'l .- - with a lfftla .-hil.tlll .,.1. . ' vunuiuc BUU VI J r lit 1 a U(J , stretcnea out one slim hand with a . quivering smile that was more poignant than tears and more pitiful than an ' outburst of grief. vPoor little thing!" said some one ; and was Instantly hushed by a burly 1 policeman whose own eyes were sus- . ttttMiaIar A W . m ... f""""; uaiui ijiagaon, witn a ... smile as brave as Mary's own, took her hand and bent over her with a whispered word of hope and greeting. The Judge rapped for order, and Langdon put back his shoulders with ', the gesture of one ready for the battle, Another dav In th Mary rage bad begun! It was a trial which was engrossing the whole country. The victories and defeats of the great war and the fluc tuations of Wall street were uncere moniously thrust into inside pages of he dally papers that the whole front fcheet might be devoted to photograph Kf pnotograph and story after story -of the lovely yonng actress, who was ttber a tragic victim of the law or a murderess. - Column after column tad already been printed about this young girl, who on the very edge of triumph as a star bad been sucked Into the males trom of law beneath the shadow of the gal 3o The story of her youth amid poverty and suffertngrof her first stage access and heiwonderful ability, had been told over and oven, while woven through it, tike a shimmering thread f gold, was the story, half hinted, half boldly detailed, of. the lovs of Philip Langdon for Mary, whom be was now defending in the face of overwhelming evidence and inexplicable mystery. , There were stories, too more guard-V-of James Pollock, who bad been dead with Mary's unconsdocj i on the floor beside him stories t tinted of a dlssolnta life and of ' er alrfs whom ha bad led to traga- The Strange CaseVf The Great McCIure Mystery Story. Written by FREDERICK LEWIS In Collaboration With JOHN T. NTINTYRE, Author of the Aihton Kirk Detective Stories. Rtad Iht Story and Se 1h Eanay Mo)in$ Yiclurts 0"'' Copyright. 1915. by McClure PubUcanoa dy; stories of his wealth, his strange ambitions and his life of gilded ease. but at best in the eyes of the world be was only a lay figure a bit of dead flesh upon which hung the vibrant liv ing tragedy of Mary herself. The formal routine of the opening of court was hurriedly gone through. The district attorney and Langdon held a subdued and secret colloquy with the Judge, and then the first witness of the day was called. "Mary Page!" At the sound of her name Mary rose unsteadily to her feet, ber eyes turned appeallngly to Langdon, one trembling hand crushing back the little cry that rose involuntarily to ner lips. But HER aa frit mlrT na s-tst v rhn n Ln juKa agltation was no more than an echo of the excitement that swept through the crowded room. Somewhere a woman caught her breath in a stifled sob, and at the back the spectators clambered upon their chairs, crowding forward in spite of angry whispers of "Sit down!" and the sharp rap of the Judge's gavel augmeuted by the official. "Order In the court!" To Langdon alone the calling of Mary came as no surprise, and he was at her side in a moment, whispering reassur ance and urging ber to answer as sim ply and clearly as s.slble the ques tions she was nsked. Ills culm gave her back some measure of her own sc renity, and her voice was low but clear as she took the oath and, stepping up into the witness stand, looked down upon that sea of faces. For a moment they swam before her eyes, and with a catch in ber throat she remembered the last time she had looked down upon crowded faces; looked down across the footlights upon thousands of smiling lips and friendly eyes above a snow storm of applauding white gloves. How long ago it seemed, and yet how short a time! And now the faces that stared up at her were avid with curiosity. some hostile, some sympathetic, but all pallid with the voracity of the sen sation seeker. Then her eyes, traveling beyond them, met the tear dimmed ones of her mother leaning forward yearningly from the witness bench, and because of the suffering on that face Mary smiled, ner first answers to the ques tions of the District Attorney were spoken with quiet dignity. "Miss Page, Isn't it true that James Pollock: wished to marry your "Yes." The answer was lower now. and a hot flush crept for a moment into Mary's pale cheeks. "And you found his attentions un welcome?" 'Something in the tone brought her head np sharply. I bad told Mr. Pollock that I could not marry him," she said firmly, and with a hauteur that wrnnir nm whisper of admiration from the spec tators. Abruptly the prosecutor changed his tram of questioning. "Now. Miss Page," he said harshly; piease ten the court exactly what happened Just previous to the time when the revolver-shot was heard and Mr. Langdon found you unconscious beside' the murdered man. Begin with the moment you left the banauet" With a shiver of aversion Mary clos ed ner eyes for a second: then, erlo- plng the edge of the witness-stand, she negan speaking slowly and with an ob vious effort "When the Ioy brought me the mes sageIwas glad to go. They were drinking and were very noisy at the oanquet and I was tired. The boy showed me the door of the suite, and I went in." She paused and covered her eyes as if to shut out something terrible that 8 he saw. "Mr. Pollock was in the room," she said at last "lie be had been drink inghe wasn't himself he could hard ly stand. He he said he wanted to talk to me alone for five minutes and he wouldn't let me out, though I was afraid and begged him to." "Did you try to get out? Was there a struggle between you and Mr. Pol Jock r She shook her head, "slot then," she said, with a little sob. "But I was very angry I told him he had tricked me and I wouldn't listen to him. We we quarreled over bis being drunk, and be tried to make me take a drink of the whiskey myself." A shudder of repugnance swept over ner, ana ner eyes grew wide and star ing, and she swayed for a moment like a flower In a storm; then, with a tre mendous effort, as one called back from the borderland to consciousness, she added hoarsely : T remember striking at him and knocking the glass out of his band. I heard It break and then I must have fainted!" lMMIss Page," came still another ques tion, If yon had refused James Pol lockIf you feared him why did you grant him an Interview late at night In a private room at the hotel r '."Grant him an IntervJewH ber voice rose In startled protest "I didn't That was why I wU so angry r-I bad Mil expected to find Mr. Langdon In that room!" "Oh! You had s made, arrangements then to meet Sir. Langdon there?" Again the satiric note crept into the harsh voice, and a crimson tide rushed to Mary's pale cheeks. "The boy told me." she said with dig nlty. "that Mr. Langdon was waiting to speak to me. I thought he bad come to take me home." "The boy what boy?" The question leapt sharply now. Why, the bellboy who brought the message, she said In surprise, and. turning, pointed toward the group of witnesses where the small bellhop cowered, half covering his face with bis shaking hands. For the moment at least every eye was upon him, and some of the bostll ity vanished from those watching faces as a wave of surprised comment slip ped from Hp to IH For after all. if Mary Page had Indeed gone Into that room exiiecting Lttugdou nnd not Pol lock, it robbed the murder of the in fa my of cool delileration. Mary herself was bothsurprised and confused by the sudden turn of events and, dismissed from the witness-box. returned to ber own seat bewildered at the seeming importance attached to what had heretofore appeared so small a detail. But it was anything but small in the eyes of the Uistrlct Attorney and Langdon. and there was a gleam of triumph In the latter's eyes as the whimpering boy from the hotel took the oath. Before be went into the wit ness-box. however, the Judge leaned forward and frowned down at him. "Do you understand, Joe," he said harshly, "that what you have Just taken is an oath? And that the law- can put you "into prison for perjury If you do not tell the exact truth after taking that oath?" "Y yes, sir!" stammered the boy "111 tell the truth, s'belp-tne Gawd!" Light laughter ran through the room. but the court attendant immediately called for order. -tTell us exactly what message you carried to Miss Page in the banquet room." said the District Attorney, when quiet reigned. "It was Miss Page you took the message to, wasn't it?" "Yes. sir, it was her. And the gent in the gray, suit he says. 'Tell Miss Page Mr. Langdon wants to see her here at once.' " "And you delivered the message Just that way to Miss Page?" "Yes, sir." "Why didn't you testify to this at the Coroner's Inquest?" It was the Judge this time, stern and implacable, and tbe boy in the witness-box cringed and burst into tears. "They they n-never asked me wot the message was I was takin' to her. I I didn't think it mattered." With an exclamation of exasperation the prosecutor sat down, turning the small witness over to Langdon, into whose tired face fresh hope had now come. Ills voice, as lie Fpoke to the boy. was gentle nnd friendly, and the snuf fling la.l wiping Jiis eyeswith the back i Wavwf-' 1 Da you undsrstand, Joe), that what you have juat taken ia an oath?" ox nls nand answered him eagerly. He seemed glad to find someone who didn't frighten bun. "Joe," said Langdon, bis voice full of kindness, "that night wasn't tbe first tune youiiad seen Mr. Pollock, was it?" "No, air," said the boy in his shrill young voice. "Everybody knew James Pollock at the Republic Us came there a lot bun and Mr. Blade." "And he was pretty generous in his tips, wasn't her The question was quiet and the District Attorney, who had made a move to interrupt, sank back without speaking as the boy an swered: V "Oh, so-so! He could afford to be." "And so, on tbe night when be asked you to take that message to MlssPage. be gave you a good big tip, didn't her - ' - ' Tes, said the boy, beginning to whimper again. "But I didn't do it for that I didn't think there was any barm In tbe message. lis says to me, says be, "It's just a Joke I'm playin on her, Joe.' be says. . I want to fool her. And be gimme five dollars and laugh. ed and told me to beat It and I did.' ' That Is all I think." said Langdon with satisfaction, and the boy crept back to the witness-bench, striving in rain for some of the Jaunty assurance that bad marked him In the earlier hours of the day. He bad thought be would be a little hero after bis testi mony and that he would ' enjoy the fleeting publicity; but he was ashamed of the laugh he sad made. Tbe prosecutor himself was almost equally discomfited, for It had been bis plan to build up stone by stone a tow ering temple of evidence to prove that Mary Page had In cold blood plotted and carried out the murder of James Pollock, and now tbe boy's testimony had in a minute undermined the whole structure. It forced bun to play his trump card at what be feared was tbe "Have you over aaen this rave'var be fore, Miaa Paflaf wrong moment, but except for a har assed frown he showed little signs of nis aisapiwlntment as be again called Mary to the witness-stand. She came more willingly this time: it seemed somehow less of an ordeal for she sensed that things had gone In her favor for a moment and she did not even flinch when, with s flourish, the District Attorney took up the re volver (lying with the other exhibits of the case before the Jury) and, thrusting it toward ner, asked sharply: nave you ever seen this revolver before, -Miss Page?" Yes. It belonged to Mr. Tollock." Was it in his possession on the night when he was murdered?" "No." Her voice broke now and felL It was In my possession then." And you had it at the Hotel Reoub- 11c." Yes." "And was it your habit" the prose cutor's voice wss satirically mocking, -was it your habit Miss Page, to at tend banquets with a revolver in your handbag?" Mary flushed angrily. "The revolver was lying on my dress ing-table at the theater," she said, "and I put it into my bag, intending to give It to Mr. Langdon, but I forgot it" It was an unfortunate loss of mem ory for Mr. Pollock.? said the sttorney dryly, with a glance at the Jury. Then he abruptly waved the witness away. as though it would be a waste of time to question her further. Langdon halt ed her. Will you explain to the court," he cried, "how that revolver came into your possession. Miss Page?" Gaining courage at his tone, and the j smile that accompanied his words, Mary turned toward the Jury and la that beautiful modulated voice that had held so many audiences spell bound, she told rapidly, but In detail. tne story or I'oiiock s visit to her dress ing-room on the afternoon of that fa tal day. She faltered a little over the recital of bis abrupt proposal and. wo man-like, put in tbe world-old apology ior nis Drutallty by the simple stte ment: "lie was drunk, you know." Then, vividly, ber slender hands ges turing nnd her voice rising with poign ant memories and pride of Langdon. sue ioiq or me ia iter s entry in re sponse to her screams and of his bat tle with Pollock. Tensely silent but with every nerve alert, the crowd lis tened as she described how Pollock had pulled the revolver out of his pock et only to drop it "He tried to pick it np again," she said, unconsciously visualizing for them the picture of the struggling men, "but I crawled close and snatched it up be fore be could reach it" She paused, and when she would have taken up the thread of her story again, Langdon's hand stopped ner. "That Is alt thank you. Miss Page," be said, and tbe District Attorney, sur prise on his face, but with a new glint in his eyes, got quickly to his feet I crave tbe court's permission to ask tbe witness one more question," be said, and as tbe Judge waved as sent be asked slowly, knowing the sen sation bis question would create: Miss Psge. wss there anyone else in tbe room at the time this struggle wsa going onf "Not not exactly in tbe room." said Mary, after an instant's hesitation. "There weir people outside the door. and and my maid, who bad been out ran in during the excitement" "U your maid Janet or Jeannette Beancbamp?" "Tea," Mary's voice wa uneasy now. OH! VS Ind hr tics met the frightened ones If the maid, wbo bad risen with tbe ipparent intention of leaving tbe room. But before she bad reached tbe door the prosecntor bad waved Mary from the stand and the clerk calid loudly: f "Janet Beaucbampr - : There was a startled cry of "On, mon Dleur. and the Frenchwoman paused, wringing ber hands, tbe center of at tention. She made a half movement as if determined to escape anyway and defy tbe law, but the sight of the po lice that guarded the exits and tbe stern repetition of ber name brought ber reluctantly back. She murmured a little prayer and crossed herself as she took the oath, but the cool friendliness of tbe prosecutor's voice reassured ber. "Janet bow long have you been in the employ of Miss Page?" "Two no, tree years sis season." "And was It usual for you to leave tbe dressing-room when your mistress was getting ready for tbe street?" "No, monsieur sir!" "But you bad been told to leave her on this particular day?" . "Told to leave!" Janet'a voice rose In Gallic excitement. "Mais non! I bad but gone to se petite milliner, for se new fiowaires for i blue gown." "Who told you to go?" "Monsieur Daniels, he come in, and be and mademoiselle, they talk, and be say pourquoi could I not go to get se new fiowaires se orchids, since se shops would not be close for one half hour yet And Miss Page she say, cer tainment that I should go then, for she could finish to dress by Jierself for once." "How long were you out?" ' "Oh, je ne sals pas I mean, I do not know. Maybe fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. I come back quick parceque tbero are two kinds of orchid at ze shop, and I want mademoiselle to see rem both." And isn't It true." shouted the Dis trict Attorney, suddenly leaning for ward and fairly hurling his words at the witness, "isn't it true that when you came in you saw Miss Page threat en Mr. Pollock with this revolver?" lie caught up the weapon as be spoke and thrust it under her eves. The maid, with a quivering little scream of horror, shrank back amid a murmur of sympathy from the crowd. She could not speak." "Isn't it true?" persisted the prose cutor harshly. "Answer my question or tell us Just what you did see when you came into the theater upon your return from the errand." Bursting into a storm of tears, Janet flung out ber arms In a wild gesture. "It Is true." she sobbed. "Mees Page. my mademoiselle, she was standing and she had xe revolver pointed at Mr. Pollock and he he ran out of se room." At the words, Mary, whose hands bad been twitching nervously throughout the maid's testimony, rose to ber feet with a little gasping cry as if she would speak; but before the words came she swung suddenly about and crumpled into a little heap on tbe floor. In an instant tbe whole room was on its feet surging forward toward the dock, and the sobs of the maid were echoed by more than one woman among tbe spectators, where sympa thy for the tune ran high, though tbe pendulum swayed back when someone said shrilly with a derisive laugh: "She's a good actress, is Mary Pager But tbe Judge's gavel quelled the ex citement and tbe dire threat back of "Was there any one else in the room?" his curt words that unless there was order in the court he would clear the room, was like oil upon the troubled waters of the sea of onlookers, and they sat In hushed silence as Mrs. Page and Langdon knelt beside the unconscious form of the slim young prisoner, bathing her temples and chaf ing ber wrists until tbe momentary respite of nullity forsook her. and she opened her eyes to tbe suffering of reality. , At tne sight of tbe fear on both Langdon's and ber mother's face, bow- ever, she struggled bravely to regain ber self-control and when the clerk called tbe next witness she was again In ber chair. Very white and wan, but i erect, ber pallid lips set firmly to bold back tbe threatening tides of emotion and weariness that were sweeping over ber. . ' The drumming in ber ears and tbe little waves of nausea that are tbe aft ermath of a. fainting fit made events V... ? A .-J blurred to ber for a ,litti Hme. and If as with a start of surpriae that she recognized ' in' the' new witness ber erstwhile leading, man. . , . me mere sunt or nis graceful figure and his boyish face: that handsome Juvenile expression 'that was but stock In trade brought a flood of memories surging ever ber. and the shocked pity In bis eyes 'made ber realize keenly the difference that lay between Mary Page the prisoner and Mary Page tbe tax. . , .,, . : Ills testimony was to a great extent a repetition of wbat had gone before. He bad been at the banquet; bad seen tbe boy bring the 'message to Miss Page and bad bidden ber good night vhati as ri a Ia- A fans vte.. tbe sound of the shot bad'taken bun'' down the ball with tbe others and Into tbe room where Pollock and Mary lay the one dead the other unconscious. "It was I who first urged that some one call tbe police." be said in bis well trained, youthful voice. "I would have gone myself but I wanted to.be sure first whether I could be of service to Miss Page." "Was that the reason you refused to leave the room when ordered to do so Langdon'e Lips Grew Qrsve Again at the Next Question. by Detective Farley?" The prosecu tor's voice was dry. "I resented his tone, sir," answered th)T young actor. "And besides," flush ing, "I was her leading man and I felt that it it was my place to be with her rather than that a lot of strangers should bang about" An involuntary smile crossed Lang don's lips, but they grew grave again at tbe next question. "After your ejection by Detective Farley and Mr. Langdon did you leave the hotel?" "No, sir. 1 waited In the hallway in case I was wanted." "Did you re-enter the room?" "Yes, sir not Immediately, but when I beard a confusion of voices following tbe re-entry of tbe bouse detective end Mr. Langdon." "Could you bear what was said?" The actor flushed and hesitated, and then answered slowly: "Yes. sir-in part" "Will you please repeat wbst part you heard?" "I heard Mr. Langdon say, 'But good God, there's only one door, she must be some place In here.' and the detec tive said. 'Well, she's not you can see that' Then. Mr. Langdon said. There's the window perhaps she's out there I'll see.' And his voice sounded queer and excited as if be, were frightened, and tbe detective" said, 'No. nothing doing on that sir Just remember, Mr. Langdon, that- as yet I've no way of knowing whether that shot was fired before or after you entered this room!" "Did Mr. Langdon reply T "Yes; he said. 'You d fool, what do you mean? But Just then tbe po lice came up and ran In. and 1 went on in with them, and the detective shout ed, 'Some of you go down that fire-escape and bunt for a girl in an evening gown without either cloak or hat and one of you keep your eye on this man Langdon be was either in this room or at the door when James Pollock "was murdered! " Next installment, "My Time Will Comal" The Strange Case of Mary Page The Great McClara Mystery Story. Written bj FRED ERICK LEWIS, in CoIUb oration With JOHN T. MTNTYRE,' Author of the -. AthtonKirk Detective Stories Read the Story and See the Etsamy Moving Picfares Coeyrltfht. 1915. by McClure PubfeatkMS lifiitWDi- VTViiim-m. f
Gastonia Daily Gazette (Gastonia, N.C.)
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April 7, 1916, edition 1
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