Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 17.pdf/160

 THE TUCKER TRIAL On the floor of her bed-room near her body were her gloves and veil, and on top of them was a slip of paper from the same block, on which was written in a rather scrawly hand merely these words in pencil: "J. L. MORTON, Charlestown, Mass." This was found to be a fictitious address. An examination of the house showed that there was missing from a pocket-book in a drawer in the large living-room some money which had been there on the morning of the

canoeing with him. He had worked about the boathouses on the Charles River, and as a salesman in various Boston stores, but with the exception of two years at the South Terminal station, did not appear to have had continuous employment. At the time of the murder he was without employ ment. He had been endeavoring for sev eral days to raise funds by selling or pawn ing many of his personal effects and much of his clothing. He was slightly acquainted with Harold Page and had called to see him at the Page house on at least two occasions.

THE MORTON ADDRESS

murder, amounting to at least twelve dol lars. From Miss Page's room two stickpins were missing. One of these was a silver enamel pin in the form of a shield with a crown on top with a design including the coats-of-arms of the various Canadian prov inces. It was of a type very likely common in Canada, but it was found impossible to duplicate it in Massachusetts. It also ap peared that Miss Page was last seen alive by a laundry-man, who delivered a package to her at the house at eleven o'clock. The defendant, Charles L. Tucker, lived in Auburndale, not far from the bridge to Weston. He was twenty-four years old and had been married, but his wife had been drowned a few months afterwards, while

It was ascertained that he had been seen on Weston bridge going in the direction of the Page house on the day of the murder at about noon. Accordingly, on April 4th, he was questioned by the police as to his whereabouts that day. He stated that he had worked about his house all the morning until lunch time and then took a walk across the bridge, out South Avenue, but claimed that he turned off at Cutter's corner a third of a mile before reaching the Page house, and then returned home in a rather roundabout way. At that time there was nothing known to the police to control his story, and no further action was taken on that day. But there were facts which were soon to become known that forcibly verify