It was a brief statement, and after leading up to the vital point, thus concluded: "I must have been asleep some time, when my husband awoke me.

He said that he thought he heard a noise in the vault-room.

I listened for a few moments and replied that I didn't think it was anything.

But he got up and took his pistol from under the pillow and went into the vault-room.

A moment later I was convinced that I heard something, and I got up, and just as I got near the door the light blazed up and at the same moment there was a loud report as of a pistol; and then I saw my husband fall--saw Mr.Brooks wheel about and run out of the room.
This is all I remember until I found myself lying on the bed, unable to move or speak." Brooks set up a plea for mercy, and his lawyers were strong in the urging of it, but when the judge delivered his charge it was clear that the plea was not entertained by the court.