The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-10-19

Walk in gentlemell-this way, gen.

yet loo ostlk W see anything distinctly.
" l hope the fellow has not heard u.s."
said one of the officers, drawing pistol,
while the other produced pair of hand
cuffs.
81 hope it won't be necessary to shoot.
gentlemen" said the host, with increas.
ed agitation.
"We will go up softly and try his
door," said the officer with the pistol.
"and if we find it fast, perhaps it will be
better for us to remain on guard, and
wait till he comes out himself"
The host light in hand, led the way,
though with seeming reluctance, as if
not over anxious. On reaching the door,
which the three parties had approached
with light, stealthy steps, the landlord
tried it very gently, and finding it I'M
fastened, slowly pushed it open and went
in, followed by the officers. The next
moment the inn-keeper exclaimed, in a
tone of alarm and agitation
Gracious heaven! what's the mean
ing of this 20
The bed was tumbled, but vacant; no
traveller was there-and the sheets and
The officers looked meaningly at each
other, and then at the host, who, pale
and trembling, sat half fainting upon the
nearest seat. For few moments there
was deep and ominous silence, and then
one of the officers said, slowly and with
pointed emphasis:
" Landlord, this is very strange"
The strangest thing / ever knew"
fairly gasped the inn-keeper, glancing
around him in frightened bewilderment.
"Where can the man have gone to?"
" And this blood, tool" sternly chimed
the other officer, "what does this mean,
if not some foul play?"
cob, gentlemen" said the host, in
low, tremulous tone, 81 hope you don't
suspect me, for l am as innocent as a
child unborn. And now I remember,
too, when 1 went to the door to let YOU
in, found it wasn't fastened, and I'm
right sure that fastened it myself before
/ went to bed"
eve certainly do suspect you, sir"
said the officer, "for how can we helpit,
since the man is gone, as you have con-
fessed, and you have his money in your
possessionv
:" But he gave me the money to keep
for him., cried the frightened host, "and
| have got it yeti"
Undoubtedly you have, but that you
see, SO far from proving you know moth
ing OF the affair." only tends to make the
matter worse for you.''
" Perhaps he's about somewhere yet,
suggested the inn-keeper. eff he's a
bank robber, and heard your knocks.
he'd be quite likely to hide himself or
run away, I should Think
The idea was worthy of attention, and
search for the missing man was forth
with begun. On looking under the bed
blood was discovered on the floor, and
the trail OF this was found to lead out of
f,s,
front door-showing that the object of
search, either living or dead. had zone
out of the house. Beyond the building
there We're no traces, for the storm had
obliterated them. The hostler was call
eel, the only other man about the house,
but he appeared to be a kind of stupid
fellow, and evidently knew nothing of
the matter, and a look in the barn show
ed the strangers horse to be still there,
About an hour later the neighbor men
toned came over to the inn, in agitation
and alarm, and said there was a man w.
ing by the roadside, and also stated what
he had heard during the night.
All hurried to the scene of the tragedy.
and there beheld the body of a coarse
featured man of forty, which the officers
believed, from its general appearance, to
be that OF the william they were seeking,
DuU WIlctIlcI lIlstU Ol CI16 Stranger who had
lodged at the tavern, no one could tell.
The body was covered with blood, and
the man had evidently died from knife
wounds in the breast.
Throughoutthat thinly peopled section
the news spread rapidly, and before night
a large number of excited spectators. in
GLIDING the sheriff, coroner, and two
magistrates, had collected at the inn. An
inquest was held and verdict rendered
in accordance with the facts; and though
there was no direct evidence against the
landlord, yet suspicion SO strongly point
ed to him as the murderer, that he was
taken into custody and committed for
trial.
In due time the trial came on. but the
jury could not agree, and was finally dis
charged. A second trial resulted like
the first, and the inn-keeper, whose name
was Williams, was kept in prison over a
year.
How the affair would have eventually
terminated, had the mystery not been
cleared up in an unexpected manner, it
is impossible to say but ere the time for
the third trial arrived, a stranger appear