Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1898 — PAYING THE PENALTY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PAYING THE PENALTY

BY THE SCOTT

CHAPTER XXl—(Continued.) “Not so fast, madam. Not so fast. You will be required to meet graver charges than even these I have mentioned.” “Ha, ha, graver charges!” laughed the widow contemptuously. “Pray recite them. Of what else am I guilty?” “First, of the murder of Andrew Kellogg, whom you ruthlessly, slowly, but surely done to death by poison.” “Ah!” The single syllable escaped through the madam’s set teeth like a despairing wail. “Second, Banker Kellogg’s wife, l doubt not, you helped to the grave. Third, you were murdering Mr. Kellogg’s younger daughter through the same agency that you bad used in murdering her uncle. I know you, madam; you arc a second Lucretia Borgia. Within your trunk is a scientific treatise on poisons of more than two hundred pages. There, also, is an ebony casket containing deadly poisons of a hundred kinds. Your doom is sealed.” “This man can scarce live ten minutes,” said the doctor. “If you obtain a statement from him, it must be at once.” “I can only say that in all matters pertaining to me,” said the almost dying man, “Sellars has spoken the truth. I was satisfied that Pearl had that money. She required me to remove the cashier and the banker’s son. I thought to remove one and fbt the law remove the other. I do not regret my failure. I am only sorry for the boy. He—he is my son. The shot was fatal. I forgive you, boy. Come, come!” All glanced at Earl. He sat shackled in his chair, jabbering like an idiot. “His mind has completely broken down,” said the physician. “He is a mental wreck.” "Perhaps,” said the dying man, “it is better so. Good-bye, Pearl. I so wronged you, but you have had your revenge, even though you swing from the gallows. Ha, ha! The gallows!” These were the last words of Juan Zayola. A few gasps and he had ceased to breathe. “So you all think that for enacting my role in the drama of life and death, I should die on the gallows? Ha, ha! Little you know Pearl Almegro. I should never have had another name. May a thousand curses rest on the very corpse of that wretch. You told the truth once, Mr. Sellars. My nature became changed from the moment I ascertained that I had been deceived. Why should I say more? Dick Newberry you have not mentioned. He, at least, I did not murder. I left him, and he blew out his brains. He was of small loss to the world. What you surmise in regard to Andrew’s death, yoq may surmise. You know nothing. I took good care that his body should quickly be embalmed. Ha, ha! Embalming fluid is sometimes a great convenience.” “Merciful God!” exclaimed the banker. “And I loved this woman—would have made her my wife!” “In regard to the taking off of Thalia Kellogg,” continued the widow, paying no attention to the banker’s words, “I only gave her more freely of the remedy prescribed by her learned attendant, Dr. Howit, here. If I must hang for that, hang him, too.” “God have mercy!” exclaimed the doctor. "What troubles you, doctor? Your knees are quaking under you. You are not the first physician who has prescribed that which led his patient to the grave.” “Oh, woman, woman!” “I know—thy name is frailty. Well, now we come to Janette’s illness. What you know, you know. Perhaps I had concluded that there were too many members of my brother-in-law’s family. Especially as I was expecting to become his wife. For years I have dreamed of acquiring great wealth.” “Oh, God!” groaned the banker. “And on the first of September I would have led this woman to the altar.” “How soon love fades and withers into nothingness. Oh, but this other matter, Mr. Sellars is correct—the money is in the trunk. Zayola did my bidding, but he would not have received one dollar of it. He would have been as he is now, only a body would have been found in the park—a partly filled bottle of wine—and death enough in it to have materially lessened the number of park policemen. I never cared specially for Earl. I thought he would be a convenience some day, and educated him accordingly. He knew no will but mine, and I think I had more feeling for him than anyone else. He has committed no crime aside from exchanging those packages. That I managed. To be sure, he killed his father, but it was in my defense. I think I am sorry for Earl. I trust he will not regain his reason.” “A most remarkable woman,” observed the detective. “And one, Mr. Sellars, you may now bring to the gallows, as soon as is consistent with your inclination,” said the widow, arising to her feet. There was a quiet movement of her left arm.

Sellars sprang forward, but too late. She cast a phial that had contained prusaic acid at his feet, and with the words, “I have escaped you, Mr. Sellars,” and a derisive laugh, fell to the floor. She was quickly borne into the adjoining room and laid upon the couch. “There is no hope here!” exclaimed the physician. “Prussic acid! The contents of that phial would have killed fifty men. Convulsions are seizing her already. The pupils of her eyes are contracting—her teeth set ” “O God!” wailed the banker. “That this unfortunate woman should ever have invaded my house! Death and destruction followed in her wake. Thank God, my daughters are far from this awful scene.” “Father! Father!” “Yes, my son—my boy! Oh, my boy!” “Come to the library, father!” Unresistingly the banker accompanied his son. Five minutes later Dr. Hewit appeared at the door. “It is over,” he said. “She Rpoke but once after you left the room. The words she uttered were these: “ ‘Paying the penalty.’ ” CHAPTER XXII. Leaving the physician with his father, Robert again ascended the stairs, where he found Sellars standing with folded arms, gazing down at the still, dead features of Elinor Kellogg. “Thus ends the careerjuf the most wonderful woman in the annals of crime, that in a long and varied experience I have as yet come in contact with,” observed the detective as the young man joined him. “The denouement in this case has been tragic indeed.” “Marvelous man!” exclaimed Robert. “But for you. other members of my father’s household would now be slumbering in the grave.” “A terrible blow to your father this must have been. You left him ” “Conversing with Dr. Hewit. He is greatly agitated and nearly broken down. But where is Earl?” “Seated where you left him. He alone of this trio may be entitled to some sympathy. He implicitly obeyed the behests of the woman he believed to be his mother. Bring him to the bedside, and we can judge if any spark of reason yet remains.” Robert led the teller unresistingly forward to the bedside. He merely gazed at the dead fpnfl be* tm liiw with ft

“At least,” said the detective, “we have no cases for your criminal court Two criminals are now before a higher tribunal. A court of inquiry will adjudge Earl insane. All in all, I hardly think there could have been a more fortunate termination. A requested Dr. Hewit to have a patrol wagon summoned to bear the body of Zayola to the morgue.” “How did you ascertain, Mr. Sellars, all about these mysteries in connection with —with that man and woman?** “Oh, as I stated, through letters, newspaper clippings and photographs. Here they are. This one of Zayola I found reversed in the widow’s album. It was taken many years ago in Richmond, as were these two of Elinor Kellogg, then Almegro. You will notice that in one case she is dressed in the paraphernalia of the circus ring. Oh, it was an easy matter.” “You hardry brought that package from Richmond ?” “No; while seated at supper at the hotel on the night I left for Richmond, Zayola entered the dining room. I ascertained that he was stopping there and was registered under the name of ‘Revelle.’ I ascertained the number of his room, and visited it immediately on arriving in the city this morning. In his trunk I found that package. From that circumstance, coupled with others, I drew my deductions. I also found there the false mustache and other means of disguise—the suit he wore when first entering the bank, a drab suit, and others, skeleton keys—nearly as good an outfit as I carry. There were also burglar’s implements. Oh, Zayola deserved his fate.” “He did, indeed.” “Now we will inspect the madam’s trunk. Bring Earl along lest he wander from the room. “Here are packages of letters from which, undoubtedly, you will be enabled to learn more of the widow’s past. This package contains worthless bills —wildcat money—and from it were procured the bills which made up the package Earl substituted for this one, which contains the money the cashier indorsed and for which the collector receipted. Here is the book on poisons, and here the ebony casket containing them.” “Marvelous!” “The patrol wagon has arrived. The officers are ascending the stairs.” They bore to the morgue the body of Juan Zayola. That evening the two inquests were held, and th,e following day the two bodies were consigned to the grave. Earl, a few days later, was an inmate of an asylum. When Mr. Sellars visted the offices of the express company he bore two packages, and the banker accompanied him. The detective laid before the president of the company the packages. “For the apprehension of the party, or parties, who assaulted and robbed your Collector of a certain package, and return of the contents of that package,” he said, “you contract to pay a reward of ten thousand dollars.” “Certainly; and we will do so.” “Your collector was twice robbed within ten minutes.” “Oh, that is utterly impossible!” exclaimed the express official. “He had but one package and was robbed but once.” “In the alley he was robbed of the contents of this package,” said the detective, “Examine it.” The official did so. “Oh, no,” he said presently. “Elsworth is too old a collector and too well posted to receipt for wildcat money. It cannot be.” “Yet those are the bills ihe'carried from the bank,” Sellars said. “The identical bills.” “What utter folly. Not only would our collector not receipt for such trash, but Banker Kellogg does not deal in wildcat currency. We could not think ” “One moment, please. These are not the bills told over by Mr. Terry, the cashier of the bank. Nor are they the bills the collector supposed he was receipting for. A package was made up in his presence, he, with the cashier checking down the banks of issue. It was laid on the table before Elsworth, who was writing his receipt. He was robbed —robbed first, then and there—robbed by the teller of the bank, who exchanged a similar package made up of this wildcat money, for the one that lay before his eyes. This package contains the twenty thousand dollars made up by the cashier and of which you have a schedule of the banks of issue. Every dollar is at par.” “Of all the strange tales I ever heard,” exclaimed the president, “this is most marvelous!” “Zayola, who assaulted and robbed your collector in the alley, has answered ’ for his crime. He is dead.” “What, the desperado shot down in your residence, Mr. Kellogg? The one who was in the act of robbing that unfortunate woman?'*' “The same,” said the banker. “Earl, the teller, is confined at the station,” said Sellars. “He is hopelessly insane and will be so adjudged by a court 1 of inquiry. His future will probably be spent in an insane asylum.” “For heaven’s sake, where did you obtain clews leading to a solution of these mysteries, Mr. Sellars?” “By not waiting for them to turn up.” “By Jove! You have fairly won the reward.”

“It is a question,” said the banker, “if you should pay it, as' an official of my bank secured the original package. He doubtless had been watching and preparing for an opportunity of the kind for months. I feel that I should ” “Oh, well, we contracted to pay that reward—we will pay it. If all I hear is true, you are overburdened with misfortunes. I sympathize with - you, believe me. I also congratulate you. Mr. Sellars, I will hand this package to our cashier and have a check made out on the Gueat Western Bank payable to your order, for ten thousand dollars.” “But ” “Do not say a word, Mr. Kellogg, As one of our heaviest owners, a fair share of the payment will fall on you, and only for the more important matter that brought Mr. Sellars here in yonr interest, the mystery would uever have been unraveled.” “Well, if you look at it in that way, I must submit.” Five minutes later the banker and detective left the office, Sellars bearing with him the company’s check. Arrived at the bank, Mr. Kellogg said to his son, who was at the cashier’s window: “Robert, have you made out the check 1 spoke to you of?” “Yes, father,” replied the acting cashier. “Send the book to my office by the porter. I will sign it. Come, Mr. Sellars.” The two men were seated in the banker’s sanctum when the porter entered and handed Mr. Kellogg the check book. A moment later he had signed and torn from the book a check which he handed the detective. “I can never repay you, my friend,” he said with no little agitation, “foe all that you have done for me and mine. I can never forget. Bnt for you the murderess of my brother, my wife, and almost of a loved daughter, would soon have become my wife. God grant that you and yours may have happiness, and that your days may be long in the land. This little check is, I assure you, but a slight token of my regard and appreciation for your services.” “Why, Mr. Kellogg;” said Sellars, noting that the check handed him was for five thousand dollars, “I hardly feel that lam entitled to this sum from you. You did not even engage my services.” “So much the more do I appreciate them.” “The fact is,” observed the detective, “I feared to acquaint you with certain movements I desired to make, or even that ! entertained suspicions that I did. YftU would kw belief tbftty without

foundation, and I might have had men difficulty in making my investigations. Dr. Strong and I felt that you had best be kept in ignorance of my presence in Chicago until I had brought the. case to a culminating point” “I think you acted wisely. Nothing but the most convincing proof could have caused me to doubt the integrity of that woman. Poor Andrew I” That evening the banker and his son accompanied Mr. Sellars to the depot sad he returned to the sunny Siuth, bearing with him their heartfelt gratitude and the fifteen thousand dollars he had so well earned. On the evening of the first of September, the banker’s residence was aglow with light and very happy looked the fair Laura, as, leaning on the arm of Lawrence Terry, she advanced to the east end of the parlor, where stood a waiting clergyman. Lawrence, thongh yet rather pale, had entirely recovered from his wound, and happiness beamed from his eyes. Janette, nearly as sprightly as ever, appeared on the left of the bridal conple, and if one could judge from indications, the sprite held captive the heart of Dr. Strong’s son, Arthur, who accompanied her. The fair charmer standing by Robert’s side Is Grace, the sister of the bridegroom, and Julia, the housemaid, as she stands in the door with Aunt Cindy, is just remarking: “I ’dare to de Lawd, I jes specs dat will be de nex’ conple what steps off de carpet.” “Sure nuff, chile,” says her mammy. “A blin’ man kin see how the win’ am driftin’.” Amos Kellogg, his wife, daughter and son are present, as, also, are Doctors Strong and Hewit. “I much regret, Amos,” the banker says, “that you were unable to bring Mr. Sellars.” “He was much disappointed, brother, bilt he was called to Charleston very suddenly and felt that he must go.” The ceremony performed, all followed the newly wedded couple to the wedding feast. After the return of the bride and groom from their wedding trip, Lawrence resumed his position in the bank, and to Robert fell the duties formerly performed by Earl. Mr. Kellogg felt more and more, as time passed on, that he could never become reconciled to pass the remainder of his years where there were constantly so many reminders of the hideous past. The result was that the following April he wound up the affairs of the bank, closed itß doors and removed to an enterprising city on the Pacific slope, where he again engaged in the banking business. Lawrence Terry, with his bride, his mother and sister, accompanied him, and at the time this record closes the sister has been Mrs. Robert Kellogg for many years. Mr. Kellogg is now quite an elderly man, and has retired from active service, leaving the management of the second institution of the kind he had founded to Robert and Lawrence. ' / One of the leading physicians in the city is Arthur Strong, formerly of North Carolina, and he and Janette reside with the banker, whose greatest pleasure consists in corraling the youngsters of his daughters and daughter-in-law, semi-oc-easionally, for an afternoon’s frolic. There are seven children in all, and sometimes before the afternoon’s session has closed, the gentleman, whose hair is now much streaked with gray, almost concludes that there are forty. Langdon, Robert’s eldest boy, his father states, is almost too old for a childish frolic, but his grandfather says: “No, no, we could never get through the day without Lang.” Mr. Sellars has several times visited the family, where he is always a welcome guest. He gazes with pride on the features of his young namesake, on such occasions, and his mind goes back to scenes in his younger days. He recalls the terrible tragedy enacted in the Dearborn street mansion in the years of long ago, and perhaps in fancy hears again the last words of one who wrought much woe: “Paying the penalty*” (The end.)