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<v Speaker 1>This is section forty six of The Gilded Age. This

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<v Speaker 1>LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Gilded Age,

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<v Speaker 1>A Tale of to Day by Mark Twain and Seed Warner,

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<v Speaker 1>Chapter forty six. Philip left the capital and walked up

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<v Speaker 1>Pennsylvania Avenue in company with Senator Dilworthy. It was a

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<v Speaker 1>bright spring morning. The air was soft and inspiring in

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<v Speaker 1>the deepening wayside green, the pink blush of the blossoming

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<v Speaker 1>peach trees, the soft suffusion on the heights of Arlington,

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<v Speaker 1>and the breath of the warm south wind was apparent

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<v Speaker 1>the annual miracle of the resurrection of the earth. The

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<v Speaker 1>Senator took off his hat and seemed to open his

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<v Speaker 1>soul to the sweet influences of the morning. After the

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<v Speaker 1>heat and noise of the chamber under its dull gas

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<v Speaker 1>illuminated glass canopy, and the all night struggle of passion

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<v Speaker 1>and feverish excitement, there the open, tranquil world seemed like heaven.

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<v Speaker 1>The Senator was not in an exultant mood, but rather

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<v Speaker 1>in a condition of holy joy, befitting a Christian statesman

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<v Speaker 1>whose benevolent plans Providence has made its own and stamped

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<v Speaker 1>with approval. The great battle had been fought, but the

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<v Speaker 1>measure had still to encounter. The scrutiny of the Senate

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<v Speaker 1>and Providence sometimes acts differently in the two houses. Still,

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<v Speaker 1>the Senator was tranquil, for he knew that there is

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<v Speaker 1>an a spree decorps in the Senate which does not

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<v Speaker 1>exist in the House, the effect of which is to

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<v Speaker 1>make the members complaisant towards the projects of each other,

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<v Speaker 1>and to extend a mutual aid which in a more

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<v Speaker 1>vulgar body would be called log rolling. It is under

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<v Speaker 1>Providence a good knight's work, mister Sterling. The Government has

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<v Speaker 1>founded an institution which will remove half the difficulty from

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<v Speaker 1>the Southern problem. And it is a good thing for

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<v Speaker 1>the Hawkins heirs, a very good thing. Laura will be

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<v Speaker 1>almost a millionaire. Do you think, mister Dilworthy, that the

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<v Speaker 1>Hawkinses will get more much of the money, asked Philip, innocently,

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<v Speaker 1>remembering the fate of the Columbus River appropriation. The Senator

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<v Speaker 1>looked at his companion scrutinizingly for a moment to see

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<v Speaker 1>if he meant anything personal, and then replied, undoubtedly, undoubtedly,

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<v Speaker 1>I have had their interests greatly at heart. There will

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<v Speaker 1>of course be a few expenses, but the widow and

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<v Speaker 1>orphans will realize all that mister Hawkins dreamed of for them.

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<v Speaker 1>The birds were singing as they crossed the Presidential Square,

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<v Speaker 1>now bright with its green turf and tender foliage. After

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<v Speaker 1>the two had gained the steps of the Senator's house,

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<v Speaker 1>they stood a moment looking upon the lovely prospect. It

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<v Speaker 1>is like the peace of God, said the Senator, devoutly.

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<v Speaker 1>Entering the house, the Senator called a servant and said,

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<v Speaker 1>tell miss Laura that we are waiting to see her.

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<v Speaker 1>I ought to have sent a messenger on horseback half

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<v Speaker 1>an hour ago, he added to Philip. She will be

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<v Speaker 1>transported with our victory. You must stop to breakfast and

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<v Speaker 1>see the excitement. The servants soon came back with a

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<v Speaker 1>wondering look and reported, Miss Laura ain't dead, sah, I reckon,

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<v Speaker 1>she ain't been there all night. The Senator and Philip

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<v Speaker 1>both started up. In Laura's room, there were the marks

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<v Speaker 1>of a confused and hasty departure, drawers half open, little

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<v Speaker 1>articles strewn on the floor. The bed had not been disturbed.

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<v Speaker 1>Upon inquiry, it appeared that Laura had not been at dinner,

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<v Speaker 1>excusing herself to missus Dilworthy on the plea of a

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<v Speaker 1>violent headache, that she made a request to the servants

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<v Speaker 1>that she might not be disturbed. The Senator was astounded.

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<v Speaker 1>Philip thought at once of Colonel Selby. Could Laura have

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<v Speaker 1>run away with him? The Senator thought not. In fact,

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<v Speaker 1>it could not be General Leffenwell, the member from New Orleans,

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<v Speaker 1>had casually told him at the house last night that

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<v Speaker 1>Selby and his family went to New York yesterday morning

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<v Speaker 1>and were to sail for Europe to day. Philip had

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<v Speaker 1>another idea, which he did not mention. He seized his

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<v Speaker 1>hat and saidying that he would go and see what

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<v Speaker 1>he could learn. Ran to the lodgings of Harry, whom

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<v Speaker 1>he had not seen since yesterday afternoon when he left

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<v Speaker 1>him to go to the house. Harry was not in.

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<v Speaker 1>He had gone out with a hand bag before six

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<v Speaker 1>o'clock yesterday, saying that he had to go to New

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<v Speaker 1>York but should return next day. In Harry's room, on

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<v Speaker 1>the table, Philip found this note, Dear mister Brierly, can

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<v Speaker 1>you meet me at the six o'clock train and be

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<v Speaker 1>my escort to New York. I have to go about

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<v Speaker 1>this University bill the vote of an absent member. We

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<v Speaker 1>must have here, Senator Dilworthy, cannot go yours. L h

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<v Speaker 1>confound it, said Philip. The noodle has fallen into her trap,

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<v Speaker 1>and she promised she would let him alone. He only

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<v Speaker 1>stopped to send a note to Senator Dilworthy, telling him

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<v Speaker 1>what he had found, and that he should go at

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<v Speaker 1>once to New York, and then hastened to the railway station.

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<v Speaker 1>He had to wait an hour for a train, but

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<v Speaker 1>when it did start, it seemed to go at a

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<v Speaker 1>snail's pace. Philip was devoured with anxiety. Where could they

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<v Speaker 1>have gone? What was Laura's object in taking Harry? Had

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<v Speaker 1>the flight anything to do with Selby? Would Harry be

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<v Speaker 1>such a fool as to be dragged into some public scandal.

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<v Speaker 1>It seemed as if the train would never reach Baltimore.

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<v Speaker 1>Then there was a long delay at hav Or de Grace,

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<v Speaker 1>a hot box had to be cooled at Wilmington. Would

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<v Speaker 1>it never get on? Only in passing around the city

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<v Speaker 1>of Philadelphia did the train not seem to go slow.

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<v Speaker 1>Philip stood upon the platform and watched for the Bolton's House.

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<v Speaker 1>Fancied he could distinguish its roof among the trees, and

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<v Speaker 1>wondered how Ruth would feel if she knew he was

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<v Speaker 1>so near her. Then came Jersey, everlasting, Jersey, stupid, irritating Jersey,

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<v Speaker 1>where the passengers are always asking which line they are

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<v Speaker 1>on and where they are to come out, and whether

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<v Speaker 1>they have yet reached Elizabeth. Launched into Jersey, one has

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<v Speaker 1>a vague notion that he is on many lines and

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<v Speaker 1>no one in particular, and that he is liable at

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<v Speaker 1>anyone moment to come to Elizabeth. He has no notion

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<v Speaker 1>what Elizabeth is, and always resolves that the next time

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<v Speaker 1>he goes that way he will look out of the

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<v Speaker 1>window and see what it is like. But he never does,

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<v Speaker 1>or if he does, he probably finds that it is

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<v Speaker 1>Princeton or something of that sort. He gets annoyed and

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<v Speaker 1>never can see the use of having different names for

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<v Speaker 1>stations in Jersey. By and bye, there is Newark, three

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<v Speaker 1>or four Newarks apparently, then Marshes, then long Rock Cuttings

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<v Speaker 1>devoted to the advertisements of patent medicines and ready made

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<v Speaker 1>clothing and New York tonics for Jersey, egg Yus, and

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<v Speaker 1>Jersey City is reached on the ferry boat Philip bought

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<v Speaker 1>an evening paper from a boy crying, here's the evening

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<v Speaker 1>Graham all about the murder, and with breathless haste, ran

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<v Speaker 1>his eyes over the following shocking murder tragedy in high life.

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<v Speaker 1>A beautiful woman shoots a distinguished Confederate soldier at the

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<v Speaker 1>Southern Hotel. Jealousy the cause. This morning occurred another of

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<v Speaker 1>those shocking murders which have become the almost daily food

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<v Speaker 1>of the newspapers, the direct result of the socialistic doctrines

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<v Speaker 1>and women's rights agitations which have made every woman the

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<v Speaker 1>avenger of her own wrongs, and all society the hunting

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<v Speaker 1>ground for her victims. About nine o'clock, a lady deliberately

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<v Speaker 1>shot a man dead in the public parlor of the

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<v Speaker 1>Southern Hotel, coolly, remarking as she threw down her revolver

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<v Speaker 1>and permitted herself to be taken into custody, he brought

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<v Speaker 1>it on himself. Our reporters were immediately dispatched to the

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<v Speaker 1>scene of the tragedy and gathered the following particulars. Yesterday

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<v Speaker 1>afternoon arrived at the hotel from Washington, Colonel George Selby

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<v Speaker 1>and family, who had taken passage and were to sail

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<v Speaker 1>at noon to day in the steamer Scotia for England.

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<v Speaker 1>The colonel was a handsome man about forty, a gentleman

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<v Speaker 1>of wealth and high social position. A resident of New Orleans,

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<v Speaker 1>he served with distinction in the Confederate Army, and received

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<v Speaker 1>a wound in the leg, from which he has never

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<v Speaker 1>entirely recovered, being obliged to use a cane in locomotion.

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<v Speaker 1>This morning, at about nine o'clock, a lady accompanied by

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<v Speaker 1>a gentleman called at the office of the hotel and

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<v Speaker 1>asked for Colonel Selby. The colonel was at breakfast. Would

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<v Speaker 1>the clerk tell him that a lady and gentleman wish

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<v Speaker 1>to see him for a moment in the parlor. The

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<v Speaker 1>clerk says that the gentleman asked her what do you

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<v Speaker 1>want to see him for, and that she replied, He's

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<v Speaker 1>going to Europe, and I ought to just say good bye.

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<v Speaker 1>Colonel Selby was informed, and the lady and the gentleman

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<v Speaker 1>were shown to the parlor, in which were at the

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<v Speaker 1>time three or four other persons. Five minutes after two

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<v Speaker 1>shots were fired in quick succession, and there was a

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<v Speaker 1>rush to the parlor, from which the reports came Colonel

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<v Speaker 1>Selby was found lying on the floor, bleeding but not dead.

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<v Speaker 1>Two gentlemen who had just come in had seized the lady,

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<v Speaker 1>who made no resistance, and she was at once given

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<v Speaker 1>in charge of a police officer who arrived. The persons

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<v Speaker 1>who were in the parlor agreed substantially as to what occurred.

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<v Speaker 1>They had happened to be looking towards the door when

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<v Speaker 1>the man, Colonel Selby entered with his cane, and they

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<v Speaker 1>looked at him because he stopped as if surprised and frightened,

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<v Speaker 1>and made a backward movement. At the same moment, the

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<v Speaker 1>lady in the bonnet advanced towards him and said something like, George,

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<v Speaker 1>will you go with me? He replied, throwing up his

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<v Speaker 1>hands and retreating, My god, I can't, don't fire, And

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<v Speaker 1>the next instance two shots were heard and he fell.

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<v Speaker 1>The lady appeared to be beside herself with rage or excitement,

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<v Speaker 1>and trembled very much when the gentleman took hold of her.

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<v Speaker 1>It was to them she said he brought it on himself.

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<v Speaker 1>Colonel Selby was carried at once to his room, and

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<v Speaker 1>Doctor Puffer, the eminent surgeon, was sent for It was

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<v Speaker 1>found that he was shot through the breast and through

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<v Speaker 1>the abdomen. Other aid was summoned, but the wounds were mortal,

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<v Speaker 1>and Colonel Selby expired in an hour in pain. But

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<v Speaker 1>his mind was clear to the last, and he made

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<v Speaker 1>a full deposition. The substance of it was that his

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<v Speaker 1>murderess is a Miss Laura Hawkins, whom he had known

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<v Speaker 1>at Washington as a lobbyist and had some business with her.

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<v Speaker 1>She had followed him with her attentions and solicitations, and

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<v Speaker 1>had endeavored to make him desert his wife and go

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<v Speaker 1>to Europe with her, when he resisted and avoided her.

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<v Speaker 1>She had threatened him only the day before he left Washington.

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<v Speaker 1>She had declared that he should never go out of

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<v Speaker 1>the city alive without her. It seems to have been

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<v Speaker 1>a deliberate and premeditated murder, the woman following him to

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<v Speaker 1>Washington on purpose to commit it. We learned that the murderess,

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<v Speaker 1>who is a woman of dazzling and transcendent beauty, in

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<v Speaker 1>about twenty six or seven, is a niece of Senator Dilworthy,

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<v Speaker 1>at whose house she has been spending the winter. She

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<v Speaker 1>belongs to a high Southern family and has the reputation

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<v Speaker 1>of being an heiress like some other great beauties and

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<v Speaker 1>bells in Washington. However, there have been whispers that she

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<v Speaker 1>had something to do with the lobby. If we mistake not,

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<v Speaker 1>we have heard her name mentioned in connection with the

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<v Speaker 1>sale of the Tennessee Lands to the Knobs University, the

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<v Speaker 1>bill for which passed the House last night. Her companion

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<v Speaker 1>is mister Harry Brierly, a New York dandy who has

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<v Speaker 1>been in Washington. His connection with her and with this

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<v Speaker 1>tragedy is not known, but he was also taken into

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<v Speaker 1>custody and will be detained at least as a witness.

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<v Speaker 1>P s. One of the persons present in the parlor,

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<v Speaker 1>says that after Laura Hawkins had fired twice, she turned

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<v Speaker 1>the pistol toward herself, but that Briarly sprung and caught

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<v Speaker 1>it from her hand, and that it was he who

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<v Speaker 1>threw it on the floor. Further particulars with full biographies

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<v Speaker 1>of all the parties in our next edition. Philip hastened

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<v Speaker 1>at once to the Southern Hotel, where he found still

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<v Speaker 1>a great state of excitement and a thousand different and

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<v Speaker 1>exaggerated stories passing for from mouth to mouth. The witnesses

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<v Speaker 1>of the event had told it over so many times

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<v Speaker 1>that they had worked it up into a most dramatic

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<v Speaker 1>scene and embellished it with whatever could heighten its awfulness.

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<v Speaker 1>Outsiders had taken up invention also the colonel's wife had

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<v Speaker 1>gone insane. They said. The children had rushed into the

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<v Speaker 1>parlor and rolled themselves in their father's blood. The hotel

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<v Speaker 1>clerk said that he noticed there was murder in the

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<v Speaker 1>woman's eye when he saw her. A person who had

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<v Speaker 1>met the woman on the stairs felt a creeping sensation.

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<v Speaker 1>Some thought Briarly was an accomplice and that he had

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<v Speaker 1>set the woman on to kill his rival. Some said

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<v Speaker 1>the woman showed the calmness and indifference of insanity. Philip

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<v Speaker 1>learned that Harry and Laura had both been taken to

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<v Speaker 1>the city prison, and he went there, but he was

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<v Speaker 1>not admitted. Not being a newspaper reporter, He could not

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<v Speaker 1>see either of them that night, but the officer questioned

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<v Speaker 1>him suspiciously and asked him who he was. He might

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<v Speaker 1>perhaps see Briarly in the morning. The latest editions of

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<v Speaker 1>the evening papers had the result of the inquest. It

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<v Speaker 1>was a plain enough case for the jury, but they

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<v Speaker 1>sat over it a long time, listening to the wrangling

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<v Speaker 1>of the physicians. Doctor Puffer insisted that the man died

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<v Speaker 1>from the effects of the wound in the chest. Doctor

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<v Speaker 1>dobb As strongly insisted the wound in the abdomen caused

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<v Speaker 1>the death. Doctor golightly suggested that, in his opinion, death

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<v Speaker 1>ensued from a complication of the two wounds and perhaps

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<v Speaker 1>other causes. He examined the table waiter as to whether

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<v Speaker 1>Colonel Selby ate any breakfast, and what he ate, and

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<v Speaker 1>if he had any appetite. The jury finally threw themselves

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<v Speaker 1>back upon the indisputable fact that Selby was dead, that

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<v Speaker 1>either wound would have killed him, admitted by the doctors,

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<v Speaker 1>and rendered a verdict that he died from pistol shot

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<v Speaker 1>wounds inflicted by a pistol in the hands of Laura Hawkins.

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<v Speaker 1>The morning papers blazed with big type and overflowed with

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<v Speaker 1>details of the murder. The accounts in the evening papers

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<v Speaker 1>were only the premonitory drops to this mighty shower. The

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<v Speaker 1>scene was dramatically worked out up in column after column.

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<v Speaker 1>There were sketches biographical and historical. There were long specials

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<v Speaker 1>from Washington giving a full history of Laura's career there,

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<v Speaker 1>with the names of men with whom she was said

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<v Speaker 1>to be intimate, a description of Senator Dilworthy's residence and

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<v Speaker 1>of his family, and of Laura's room in his house,

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<v Speaker 1>and a sketch of the senator's appearance and what he said.

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<v Speaker 1>There was a great deal about her beauty, her accomplishments,

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<v Speaker 1>and her brilliant position in society, and her doubtful position

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<v Speaker 1>in society. There was also an interview with Colonel Sellers,

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<v Speaker 1>and another with Washington Hawkins, the brother of the murderess.

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<v Speaker 1>One journal had a long dispatch from Hawkeye reporting the

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<v Speaker 1>excitement in that quiet village and the reception of the

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<v Speaker 1>awful intelligence. All the parties had been interviewed. There were

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<v Speaker 1>reports of conversations with a clerk at the hotel, with

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<v Speaker 1>a call boy, with a waiter at table with all

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<v Speaker 1>the witnesses, with the policeman, with the landlord, who wanted

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<v Speaker 1>it understood that nothing of that sort had ever happened

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<v Speaker 1>in his house before, although it had always been frequented

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<v Speaker 1>by the best southern society. And with missus Colonel Selby.

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<v Speaker 1>There were diagrams illustrating the scene of the shooting, and

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<v Speaker 1>views of the hotel and street, and portraits of the parties.

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<v Speaker 1>There were three minute and different statements from the doctors

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<v Speaker 1>about the wounds, so technically worded that nobody could understand them.

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<v Speaker 1>Harry and Laura had also been interviewed, and there was

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<v Speaker 1>a statement from Philip himself which a reporter had knocked

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<v Speaker 1>him up out of bed at midnight to give. Though

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<v Speaker 1>how he found him, Philip never could conjecture what some

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<v Speaker 1>of the journals lacked in suitable length for the occasion,

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<v Speaker 1>they made up in encyclopedic information about other similar murders

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<v Speaker 1>and shootings. The statement from Laura was not full. In fact,

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<v Speaker 1>it was fragmentary and consisted of nine parts of the

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<v Speaker 1>reporter's valuable observations to one of Laura's. And it was,

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<v Speaker 1>as the reporter significantly remarked, in coheres rent. But it

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<v Speaker 1>appeared that Laura claimed to be Selby's wife or to

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<v Speaker 1>have been his wife, that he had deserted her and

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<v Speaker 1>betrayed her, and that she was going to follow him

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<v Speaker 1>to Europe. When the reporter asked what made you shoot him,

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<v Speaker 1>miss Hawkins, Laura's only reply was very simply, did I

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<v Speaker 1>shoot him? Do they say I shot him, and she

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<v Speaker 1>would say no more. The news of the murder was

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<v Speaker 1>made the excitement of the day. Talk of it filled

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<v Speaker 1>the town. The facts reported were scrutinized, the standing of

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<v Speaker 1>the parties was discussed. The dozen different theories of the

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<v Speaker 1>motive broached in the newspapers were disputed over During the night,

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<v Speaker 1>subtle electricity had carried the tale over all the wires

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<v Speaker 1>of the continent and under the sea, and in all

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<v Speaker 1>the villages and towns of the Union, from the Atlantic

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<v Speaker 1>to the territories, and away up and down the Pacific slope,

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<v Speaker 1>and as far as London and Paris and Berlin. That morning,

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<v Speaker 1>the name of Laura Hawkins was spoken by millions and

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<v Speaker 1>millions of people, while the owner of it, the sweet

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<v Speaker 1>child of years ago, the beautiful Queen of Washington Drawing Rooms,

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<v Speaker 1>sat shivering on her cot bed in the darkness of

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<v Speaker 1>a damp cell in the tombs. End of chapter forty

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<v Speaker 1>six