| OCR Text |
Show nle Voepel admitted that he had purchased the tic at a store near his home. The clerk there said that he had sold a number of the ties within the last month. He had disposed dis-posed of two to a man named Jack lyant, who was a friend of the "Smiling Widow." He remembered a tall, wiry customer with a long, black beard and an extremely tanned face who had purchased onc of the cravats. The most noticeable thing about this man was his brown skin. His hnir was light, the clerk said, but he had evidently evi-dently boon tunned by long exposure to the sun. The haberdasher did not think been feigned, according to those who taw him. Another witness cnlled by the District Dis-trict Attorney testified that Johnnie had a violent temper and that in the course of a quarrel with his mother he had been feecn to strike her. No second witness corroborated this testimony. The weapon with which the murder had been committed could not bo found. It was evidently a largo knife, nnd the police did not thiu-k it could have bcon carried away ry conveniently. It was reasonable reason-able to suppose that the murderer had snatched the weapon from a table in the j tMAA 'i .o iav )'& o the cups nnd saucers," he replied without hesitation, Onc of the policemen stepped to the cupboard. cup-board. On the lower shelf were all the email knives, forks, strainers and other utensils of that character used in the kitchen. The second shelf contained the china. Away in the bnck, close against: the wall, lay the bread knife. It was per-1 fectly clenn and the blade had evidently i been sconrrd with snnolio. This how- ever, had no significance, for the knife might have been scoured since it was used In the ordinary course of household duties. However, the police became suspicious of Johnnie Vocpel's actions and succeeded in accumulating enough circumstantial evidence against him to cause his arrest. Stronger and stronger grew the chain of evidence, but just when the police seemed to have their case all but proved Johnnie Voepel established an unassailable nlibi. A sttcet cleaner, a baker's boy and a milk dealer had seen and talked to him during the time that his mother must hare met |
