Page:The autobiography of a Pennsylvanian.djvu/347

 in time the disappearance of his wife was forgotten. In 1895, after the lapse of sixteen years, the house was sold. The purchaser, wanting to make repairs, removed the floor of the kitchen and underneath were the bones of Johannah Logue, with the remains of her caba and clothing and the plain gold ring on her finger. All of the articles of value which she had possessed were missing. Because of his evil reputation and calling, suspicion was directed toward Logue, but he was able to give a conclusive proof of his absence. Then Cutaiar was arrested. On the trial he was defended by Hampton L. Carson, who afterwards became my able attorney general, and he did all that could be done for his cause, but he was convicted. He made three statements.

The first, April 14, 1895, would, if believed, have resulted in the hanging of Logue. It was to the effect that Logue had been jealous of his wife, employed a young man to tempt her, that in New York he beat and choked her until she fell dead, that he sent the body in a trunk and when no one was about put it under the kitchen floor, all of which he had confessed to Cutaiar.

The second statement made in writing April 17th was that she came to the house drunk and had to go to New York that night; that he, Cutaiar, helped her up to her room and there tied her hands and feet fast with a piece of rope while she was unconscious, so that she could not go out and get more to drink; that he went up again to her room later in the evening and found her dead; that he put the body on the floor of another room and went back to his work; that when Logue returned Logue took the watch, earrings and pin, and that at Logue's suggestion they two put her under the floor.

The third statement, made the same day, was that Logue had nothing to do with the matter, that he alone put the body under the floor, and that he took the diamonds and watch and threw them into the river. Rh