The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-04-04
. A DETECTIVES EXPERIENCE


s IT was q dark, rainy day. The dawn had
stolen in through ashen clouds, and dense
fog wrapped around the houses and lay upon
the streets like q winding sheet. misty
wind, steely and cold, now and then, would
whistle along the wide avenue and LATHE the
shutterless easements of the old brick house.
A wild, clustering day was that Tuesday,
twenty years ago; and many heart shrank
with o strange feeling of horror as they read
in the morning Picayune OF the tragedy far
down on Chartrcc street 1t was one Of those,
densely crowded districts for which certain
localities in New Orleans were then noted.
Mf. l. and myself, said Mr.. r
had been sent for at an early hour, and were
among the first to reach the place, where
young girl, in the very flush and beauty of
her tender womanhood, lay murdered. On a
low cot, the crimson stain on sheet and pill
low, and the dark hair thrown back like floss
of silk, the dead girl lay. Underneath the
linen sheet was traced the outline of the
slender limbs and rounded FORM Full of
grace and exquisitely fashioned had the
beautiful creature been in life. Even with
the seal of death stamped upon face and
form, she looked like child asleep. One
almost expected the glorious eyes to open
the long black lashes to lift from the waxen
cheek. IA smile yet fingered about the lips,
as sunshine plays on a cloud sometimes
and the olive tint of the brow and neck still
looked like life. !, ocs .-
The tears fell like rain as we looked upon
the dead-this nameless stranger from
foreign land. No one knew whence she
came; none knew her history. The house
itself had been long deserted-a ruinous
building given up to decay. But one night
the neighbors heard cries of distress, and
the piercing wall Of woman in terror thrill
outon the night air; then lights flashed on
the windows, and the patter of rdnning feet
were heard on the stair. Still later in the
the. silent street-and then sobbings, like
some one crying-and after this all grew
dark, and the quiet unbroken. But in
the early dawn some one went into the
old house to search out the mystery. High
up they found locked door, which detied
all efforts to open it. But they broke it in
at last, and saw poorly furnished room,
and dead girl lying in the cot There was
nothing in the house outside of this room to
show 1T had ever been inhabited. There was
no wardrobe, no dresses; nothing but the
crimson sheets and the linen gown; and on
the floor, near the bed, bracelet set with
diamonds; but it bore no initial mark-a
silent Jewel, beautiful as the arm it encircled
There was no clue to be found, unless the
bracelet would lead to one; curious trifie,
fashioned like a golden serpent, and the
jewels flashing like eyes from the head
even the tongue had q diamond flame, and
cleaned like o Jet of fire.
The girl had been stabbed to the heart,
and had died without struggle. There
was an awful mystery about it I could not
unravel d, To me it appeared there had been
crime committed which, if revealed, would
disclose some terrible purpose, that now
could not be perceived. But tnothing could
be done as yet We must wait and watch,
and this we did.
had heard of sloop landing below the
city, 10 few days before, under circumstances
that created some suspicion. determined
to look up the parties who had seen it, and
see If could find some trace that would
holp my Investigations From this source as
learned that an old man and woman and q
young girl mad landed, and the vessel had
Immediately gono back to sea. Those who
had observed its strange conduct then re-
membered to have seen it again on the
morning of the homicide, at the same
place, and the old man and woman were
taken ON board, but this time they were
alone-only the two-the girl was left be-
hind! The fisherman and his wife who told
me this, told me, too, that the young lady
Yves richly clad, and the old people appeared
to be her servants. What could it mean?
On this clue, L went to Havana. Some
times am led by strange feeling which
acts as sort of foreshadowing of what is
to come. It was so now. I knew by sort
OF intuition, that should find out some
thing about il then. Nor were nv impress
sions deceptive. 1 did ascertain that such a
vessel had left that city, ostensibly on a
pleasure excursion; but in reality to spirit
away an heiress to an immense estate. The
old man and woman had been bribed by a
treacherous uncle to put her out of the way.
They had persuaded her to go with them by
representing to her the evil designs of her
relative, and protesting to be her friends.
In this way. they succeeded. in bringing her
here. Their plans had been craftily con.
trived, and but for the strange whim that