The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-08-04
EBENsBURG, !, THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 1870

had hard name, and suspicion did not
stop to observe his few good qualities, in
magnifying his bad ones.
Meanwhile, everything was confusion
and excitement at ''The Elms" EsteIle, |
apparently overcome by the sudden calanl-
ity, was Frustrated on bed of sickness,
and would see no one except Randolph
and Randolph himself, although stronger,
ill-bore his grief, for his uncle had been
as father TO him. He had lived with
him since be was very young. His pa
rents, having died while he had scarce
emerged from his infancy, had consigned
him to the care of E1r. Edison, who had
proved in every respect father to him.
A short time before the occurrence of the
tragedy, slight misunderstanding had
existed between Randolph and his uncle
on account of some indiscretion which he
had been guilty of, but which they had
compromised, and it was on that account
that the appeared TO feel more poignantIy
his loss. He wandered, pale and nervous,
through the house, holding no communi-
cation with any one.
On the day prior to that on which the
murder was discovered, Mr.. Edison had
completed the sale of valuable farm, for
which he lad received also in payment a
large sum of money. Having received ii
too late to bank it ON that day, he secured
it in a safe in his chamber, intending to
deposit it in the bank on the morrow.
But during the nightan entrance bad ap-
parently been effected through one of the
apartment, which was situated on the
second story, by means of scaling the va
randall, which ran the width of the mans
sion. The roof of which was on level with
it. The safe was forced open, and Mr..
Edison, probably aroused by the noise
which attended its performance, while at
tempting TO capture the intruders, was muir
dered, and the perpetrators OF the foul crime
decamped with their blood bought booty.
But the most inexplicable part of the
tragedy was the fact that notwithstanding
the great noise which had to all appear an
ces been made, none of the inmates of the
house, though sleeping in close proximity
to the scene of the hideous crime were
disturbed during the night in question,
| except the coachman, who, being sensitive
TO such things, immagined he heard the
rumbling of a carriage about midnight,
but being in his first sleep, he had paid
no attention to it, and on going to the sta
bic on the following morning, the horses
looked as though they had been driven
during the night, which fact he found it
| impossible to account for.
Things were in this state of conjecture
when the detective, a short, wiry, muscu-
lar looking fellow, named Boggs, arrived
on the day following The tragedy. Short
| ly after his arrival Boggs made an exan~
lnatiun Of the apartment in which the
murder transpired. Between its windows
stood the safe, its heavy iron doors still
adjar, and its contents strewn around the
room in confusion, as was also the turni-
ture. The detective took survey of tie
apartment in glance.
$50 they don't understand how they
didn't make any noise, do they g solilo
quized be, nodding knowingly. swell, L
! do, and what's more I've found out before
this that cats have velvety paws And
with this sage reflection, the detective re
sumed his investigation.
Going to the safe, he scrutinized it close
ly for some minutes. worked the lock,
looked at the interior, after which he pro-
ceeded to pick up the scattered papers and
other contents, and replaced them in the
rake. In bending to reach some which
had fallen beneath it, he caught glimpse
of something lodged behind, the corner OF
which was suspended beneath the safe. =
With the indifference which characterizes
! L 10, ~ M
place 1t proved TO be lady's cambria
handkerchief, in which was enveloped "a
small pointless dagger, scarcely larger
than a pocket knife, richly ornamented.
Both were stained with blood, now dry
and crusted, and upon the corner of the
handkerchief was embroidered the initials
''E. r." The murderers in their haste,
had hid them in that spot, fearing detec~
ton did they allow that evidence of their
guilt to remain unconcealed, and were
probably prevented by some circumstance
from coucealing it more etfectually.
After this discovery the detective close
ly examined the windows and the doors,
and then seemingly satisfied with his ex-
animation, quilted the room.
In passing through the hall he met Ran
dolph, who was just issuing from the IL
brary, where he had been pacing excitedIy
during the time the detective was prose-
cutting his investigation.
''Did you discover any clue which will
lead to the discovery of the murder Z" in
quired Randolph, searchingly.
"Yes, that there were two implicated
in it,
Randolph started and shifted nervously.
The detective bent his keen glance plerc-
ingly on him.
"Why do you think there were more
! than one concerned 2"
s'Because the indications are what we
generally go by, and they look very much
as though there would have been hard
time for one" replied the detective,
0And did you discover nothing furtherR