IC: Ch 5a: Back to the Woods

[Medri]

Charles try to recall anything about a traveling murdering salesman in the history he has read about... He is left with a suspicious feeling.

[DrVendetta]

Richard stands up and replies "I would LOVE a piece of pie, so what was your parents last name then if it was not Woods?"

[BenTheRat]

Angela takes a piece of pie herself and settles into one of the couches in the sitting room. "My mothers maiden name was Woods, but she took my fathers name Allen when they married. My name is Angela Allen, though occasionally I'll go by Angela Allen Woods, for the homes namesake."

Charles,you do not recall anything of that, but make an Idea roll for me.

[DrVendetta]

Richard moves to the living room and finds a seat to enjoy the pie that is being served at "Well you have done your parents proud Angela this is a wonderfull place you are running"

[BenTheRat]

"Oh no, my parents are the ones who really got this home working smoothly. My mom only passed away a few months ago." Angela says.

[DrVendetta]

Richard replies "I am sorry to here that, how did she pass if you don't mind me asking?"

[BenTheRat]

"I don't mind. It was a boating accident." Angela responds.

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you, Miss," says Eddie, taking a slice of pie. "The traveling salesman murder case? I guess it's not as famous in Boston as it is here, because this is the first I've heard of it. What exactly happened?'

[Medri]

Charles takes a piece of pie and listen carefully at the others and what Angela has to say about the case.

Ben,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4727133/]1d100=69[/url]

[BenTheRat]

Angela's eyes lit up as she dives into the story:

"It was April 11, 1877, The Rockport murder case involving two traveling salesmen. The two men, Albert Joy and Charles H. Gilman, arrived in Rockport on the 9 a.m. train from Beverly. While Gilman called on several houses, selling an attachment to sewing machines, Joy hung around the railroad station. Around noon, the two men were seen passing through the station and out its western end, heading toward a nearby quarry. A half hour later, Joy was seen returning, alone. He walked up Pooles Lane to Main Street, then to Broadway and into town, where he stopped at a restaurant and ordered oyster stew and tea. He then returned to the station and boarded the train that was set to leave at 1:30. As he waited for it to depart, voices suddenly started screaming, “A dead man has been found in the reservoir.” Upon hearing that news, Joy exclaimed, “My God! It is my chum.”

Police quickly arrested Joy, who professed his innocence, saying he left Gilman at the reservoir while he went to get food. With Henri Woods as his defense attorney, Joy was put on trial in Salem on July 9, 1877, for the murder of Gilman. After a four-day trial, the jury returned a verdict a guilty. He was sentenced to be hanged, but four days before the scheduled hanging, the governor issued a reprieve. A few weeks later, the governor commuted his sentence to life in prison."

Angela recomposed herself. "Oh it is an exciting story."

Charles,you realize an event like this might be news to the household but not big enough to make it into the history books or library notices. Maybe if you had done some digging into old newspapers you would have stumbled on it.

[DrVendetta]

Richard sets his empty plate down on the table next to the chair he is sitting in and says "Delicious pie Angela, so did Joy pass away while in prison?"

[Medri]

Charles thinks about the possibility that this might have made the newspaper and where in town you might get hold of really old papers. He keeps listening to what Angela has to say.

[Papa Gateau]

Aunt Loosa helps herself to some pie and nods approvingly as she samples it.

She sits quietly, keeping herself to herself, listening as the strands of conversation unfold.

[BenTheRat]

Angela thinks for a minute, "I haven't heard he died. He could still be there in the state pen. I know my mom looked him up about 10 years ago and he was still alive then."

[jbibblesworth]

Scott pats the taut girth of his full stomach and listens with interest to what their hostess has the say.

"I wonder why the governor would commute his sentence?" he wonders aloud.

[Priest]

Warren Kaine:

I walk through into the living room just in time to hear the end of the story. At Scott's comment I make a wry face, "Anything is possible if you have the money or the right connections"

[BenTheRat]

"Guess we will never know that one, the govener back then died several years back. Maybe he believed his story. Albert claimed they went to the quarry. He said he saw something moving in the water, but his friend Charles said he was crazy and decided to go for a swim. So albert went to get something to eat and was supposed to meet Charles at the train." Angela responded.

[Mr. Handy]

"On what evidence was the conviction based?" asks Eddie. "Everything you've said about the case sounds awfully circumstantial. I haven't heard anything so far that would lead a jury to convict Joy beyond a reasonable doubt and condemn him to death." He knows all too well how easy it is for all of his hard work in apprehending a criminal to be undone by a failure to prove the crime in court.

[BenTheRat]

"From the research my mother did, not much. His friend was dead, and he was on the train ready to leave him behind. That seemed to be enough for that jury." She answered.

[Silver Priest]

"It seems like poor Mr. Joy may have been judged unfairly due to his status as an outsider. " Norman comments, full after a very satisfying meal. "Have there been any other disappearances near the quarry?