The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-10-18


snce Of any kind. And then we resolved
TO 70 up stairs.
/ am not .. nervous man, ! think, but
there was something about those stairs that
made me feel strange. ! looked Peters In
the face, and he me, as we placed our feet
on the Arst step. We both knew that some
horror was In store for rs. saw In his
eyes the strange dilation with which men
gaze at . sudden accident. And the dog
heard us too, for II began to yell franti-
cally and to spring at door as If It would
tear It down. We both knew that the
room In which the dog was-a small hall
bed.room-must contain something. But
we searched all the upper portion of the
house before that room. At last we stood
be fore Its closed and apparently locked
door. "Shall we knock Z" said L." Nc
matter, and less hsrm," he answered and
he gave one solid blow upon the door that
sounded like thunder-elap as it echoed
all over the house. The dog sank into in.
slant silence.
"Take the light" said Pears. / did SO
He then put his left arm behind his back
and, 80 to speak, concentrating his whole
weight and strength in his left shoulder
flung himself full against the door as it
few open, staggered almost headlong in.
What had we come to sees A room dab
bled lover-foor, walls, furniture-with
blood. A dog with blazing eyes and bloody
feet glaring from beneath lounge. A bed
unslept in, but bloody. And in large and
heavy chair, woman sitting bound hand
and foot, and by cords passing round hel
body, with her head dropping forward upon
her breast. And as we lifted her head we
saw hideous cash that had cut her throat
from ear to ear. 80,
A policeman Is but q man. have found
some of the most humane men | eyel
knew among the force, and Peters was one
of them. He was horror-struck, and could
not articulate word. Pointing to the
street and to his mouth, knewthat was
to do what he could not contract his lip:
to do-whistle to the patrolman in the
street. did so at once, and in another
minute or two We were joined by two
other officers.
pass over what followed, briefly. The
house was taken possession of by the police
the dog was carefully removed and secured
and in due time there came the inquest
with its inevitable verdict of" Wilful muir
der by some person or persons unknown
and private and public inquiries of the
most searching description for the murder.
ers. Money was the object of the crime
for broken desk was found, and from 9
private record it was discovered that bank
notes to a large amount had been kept in
it, but were missing. As for the girl thai
had been arrested and set free, she was no,
heard of again, although all the resource:
of the police were taxed to the utmost tt
find her whereabouts. And the murder al
No. 80 remained q mystery which it seemed
would never be solved. The only relic o.
the case was the dog, which took fancy
to, and brought to my house. BOb-tha,
was the name gave him-became quite 6
curiosity for time, and was looked on as 9
historical character. This, too, soon died
away. And when, five years later, / took
house several miles back of Jersey City
in one of the localities fast becoming popu
lar, the terrible story Of how our opposite
neighbor died was very seldom thought Of
My business increased. / was growing
rich. Not rich in the past war sense o.
this year of grace 1866, but I had enough
to keep me in quiet way without more
work if chose to remain idle. We saw
little company, and except some occasional
visits from client, saw but few new faces
at home.~ People did say I was getting fat
but that was q calumny.
"Anybody been here to-day, Jackson ~
This to my clerk, with me now, man and
boy, for twenty years.
"Only one man; queer-looking chap
Mr.. Elder; looks like returned digger, OF
something of that Sort"
"What does he wantI" asked.
"Some questions about California land
claim, think" said jackson; "but he
will be here in half an hour to speak fol
himself"
And in half an hour he came. Why
Jackson should compare him to digger
could not for the life Of me imagine. He was
tall, well built, though rather slender had
black, curling, glossy hair, and full, dark
beard, and his eyes were full Of gentleness
There did not seem even the cool, ready
tongue and iron watchfulness Of expression
that have noticed about many who have
made fortunes in gold claim, and lost
them again in the gilded saloons of San
Francisco. But there was q something
no matter; will get on with the facts.
Mr.. Layton-that was the gentleman's
name-had, he told me, purchased, several
years ago, certain California reservations,
and had paid for them in full. There were
now claims advanced against him by the
agents of certain Mexicans, and his object
in visiting me was to have the title inves-
tigated, and, secondly, to hand the whole
property, without restrictions of any kind,
to his wife. The total sum involved, or
rather the total amount Of bis money and
the value Of disputed property, would
place his wife in possession at his death OF
over 100000. She was in the city, and if
her presence was required, would be forth
coming, but being Of invalid habits, did
not 60 abroad much. ana
was, of course, ready enoughto under
take the case, and took charge Of the pa
pers respecting it, and we parted with an
offer on my part to make his visits as
agreeable as possible. For the next few
weeks I had frequent visits from Mr..
Layton, and became quito upon compan-
ionable terms-so much so that on his last
call invited him to my house on the fol-
lowing Sunday, and-requested him to bring
his wife which he promised to do.
I will remember that day. The morning
had been showery, and the sky had since
cleared; all the trees and grass were
dressed in their brightest green, and from
the cool earth perfumes floated up with
that Undesirable freshness only expert
enced after rain or at night. Punctual to
their time, my visitors appeared at the end
of the lane leading to my house, and my
..r:G, and I uronf IN rnaaf fham Mr. I.aY-