The herald. (Smyrna, Del.) 1870-1871, 1870-08-13
THE ROmASCE OF CRIME.

Last week therb occurred in Bullitt
county strange affair, which is as yet
unsolved in its particulars, but which
was one those very peculiar transactions
that seem to have no motive. A widow
lady, with a daughter some eighteen
years of age, lived near Mount Washing
ton. They were without male protec-
tors, and lived quietly and securely
One day the old lady received some
$5,000in payment of an old account, and
locked it in her trunk. The night fol-
lowing was dark and gloomy, aud one
that would cause people naturally to bar
and lock doors and windows, aud cause
one to hesitate to open them to stran-
ger. Toward night an old, bent up, de-
crepit man came to the door, and on it
being opened asked for shelter for the
night. The widow told him she was
alone, with no men folks about the
house, and she disliked to take a stran-
ger under her roof. The old man said
he was a stranger, poor, decrepit and
destitute and only asked for shelter from
the fast approaching night,
She acceeded to his request, and in due
| time he was shown to his room upstairs.
| The night grew darker outside, and the
widow and her daughter were preparing
to retire, when heavy knock came up
on the door, and voices of men outside
were heard demanding admittance in
threatening tones Terrified, knowing
the danger of possessing such a large
sum of money, the widow concluded
the parties outside were confederates o.
the man wnom she had given shelter
Acting upon this suspicion, with trem
bling limbs, she ran up stairs and lock
the door of the suspicious stranger. Re
turning down stairs, she heard the blow
| ~ IN ba AOor nd ne c1, .-a.af,l,.
ed to foot of the stairs, encountered tn,
man she supposed she had locked safely
in her room, Nolonger decrepit, ben
and feeble, the stranger stood uprigh
and assumed stalwart proportions. The
gray hair, the trembling voice, had
gone and instead was man of powerful
build and determined mien. Believing
that all was lost, the widow exclaimed
you know what have got; I'll give i
up!p
protect you." He held in his had rim
: he had taken from the rack, and as tn
: blows of the assailant's axe fell fast upo
the door, pushed the widow in her room
The door gave way, and the first ma
, that entered was shot by the stranger
: who grasped the falling body and pull
ed it inside the door. He then pulle
bnc uOOr Wlu6 open anu Hreu uBdln, XIII
9 ing another of the assailants. The par
Q ty turned to fly, and another of thei
number received shot from the valian
. stranger.
D : The attacking party having fled, tn
door was secured, and the affrighted in
mates took occasion to examine the fea
lures of the dead robber, who proved I
be the son-in-law and neighbor of th
widow
In the morning another man wa
found, leaning over the fence, with hi
arms thrown over tie rails, dead. MOI
tally wounded, his falling strength ha
;. carried him to the fence, where, In SUI
, porting himself, he had died.
> The stranger gave himself up to
; magistrate, who examined into the cas-
!. the stranger refusing to give either hi
y name, place of residence, or nature
y his business. The magistrate ordere
e his discharge, and the mysterious straI
u ger departed. Who he was, why he Al
umed the disguise he did that fearfl
o night, what was the nature of his bus
: ness, or whether he went, is a myster
: not yet explained, and comment woul
y be superfluous.-Lo isvitte Comme
l.. cidL.