Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-03-26
NO. 73.

this city, with full powers and authority to
act In it as he thought best.
This gentleman, crediting the old adage
that two heads are better than one," pro-
cured the services of companion who
had often been specially retained for cases
OF this kind After having been put in
possession of all the information that could
be given him, the character of the young
lady, her portrait, her dress, the names
of her companions with their addresses,
her admirers, and sundry little peculiar
characteristics, he set himself to work to
solve the problem.
Both of the detectives agreed at once Oh
one point, although they carefully kept it
to themselves. As the officer in question
remarked to the writer of these lines
whenever girl suddenly runs away in
this fashion, man is at the bottom of it.
Let us only find the man, and the rest will
be easy" He thereupon cautiously ques-
toned her sisters, and even the domestics
as to whether any one gentleman had APP
peared to be more agreeable than any
other. No! she had never exhibited any
decided preference. Did any one see to
whom the letter was directed which she
carried to the post on the day of her leav-
ing home? No; it was not even certain
that she had a letter at all. Could he see
any of her handwriting? Yes plenty OFF t.;
and he thereupon secured a specimen.
He then prepared carefully-written
description. and forwarded it, together
with her likeness, to the various police
stations in this city and other large towns.
He visited every hole and corner of New
York. watched the railway depots, and
interrogated the clerks The hue-and-cry
was raised everywhere, but raised in vain.
Now and again message would be
sent to him, saying that a young lady an
swering the description of the truant was
at some distant town, and thither at once
would the detective repair, only to find
that he had his journey for his pains, and
that he was as much at sea as ever. Once
he fancied that he saw Miss Archbold in a
carriage in Broadway, and followed it for
long time, only to acknowledge himself
again mistaken; but he was convinced
nevertheless that she had not left the coun-
try. and he much doubted whether she had
| left the town.
He carefully examined, or caused to be
examined, all the books of the various
steamship companies. and ''interviewed'
their agents, to no purpose The girl had
melted into the air without leaving trace
behind her, and the trail was about as diff
!
over a rock.
An unusually liberal reward had been
offered by Mr.. Horton for any information
that could lead to her recovery, and con-
stant applications We're made by individu
ais who protessed either to have seen her
themselves or T. have heard from some
friend who had seen her, and many wild
goose chase was the result, until at last
the detective began to fear that she had
made away with herself, and actually
visited the Morgue more than once when
the body OF Il dead woman was advertised.
Still he did not relinquish his original idea,
and when pressed by his companion to try
some other tack, only repeated what he
had said before.
depend upon it. a man is at the bottom
of it," One day a new thought struck him,
and absurd as it appeared even to him
self, he determined on giving it a fair trial
and startled his brother officer by remark
ing Dave, ! am going to watch old
Horton The other laughed at him. but
did not oppose his suggestion, as it gave
at least promise of something to do. Mr..
Horton, i'll common with many other gen
tlemen, was extremely fond of driving.
and an afternoon rarely passed without
his ordering his buggy. He had, of late,
been much worked at his office and fre-
quently slept at a hotel when he foundit
too late to enjoy an evening at home.
There was nothing extraordinary in all
this-more particularly as that home was
no longer as cheerful as it usedto be before
the death of the father and the loss OF the
daughter--and no one had paid any atten-
ton to his conduct.
The detective commenced his espionage
Immediately. and Mr. Horton was care
fully followed wherever he went. His
drives were usually in the direction of
Harlem; and rs he was but little learned
in horses, and would have as soon thought
of driving locomotive rs fast trotter.
the officer became curious to see what it
was that induced him so constantly to pat
ronize. that road. He therefore hired a
vehicle, and having instructed the coach
man to follow Mr.. Horizons buggy, waited
patiently for the upshot, whatever it might
! be.
Ozone thing he was convinced. Where
ever Mr.. Horton drove, it was not to Har-
lem. tor after pursuing that direction fora
short distance. he turned his horses head
and drove back towards the city. Closely
followed by the detective in the fly, he
drove to Il house in the immediate neigh
borhood ofthe New York Hotel. Here he
drew up, and having rung the bell. entered
with the air OF 4 man who was perfectly
at home. The detective, in the meantime
lett his carriage and took up position
where he could command everything with
out being himself visible. Nearly an hour
elapsed, and Mr.. Horton did not reaphear
What on earthis he up to? thought the de-
tective there must be some great attrac-
tion here; and he congratulated himself
on the step he had taken,
Presently the front door opened, and
Mr. Horton stepped into the street with
lady on his arm, whom he tenderly assis-
ted into the buggy. The lady's face was
thickly veiled, and the lopker-on could
not guess, even at her age, except that her
movements seemed those of a young wo-
man. MIR. Horton seated himself by her
side and drove off. and the detective, his
curiosity now excited to the highest pitch.
again started on his trail This led him
straight to the jersey ferry. and in course
of time he alighted. carriage and all in
Jersey City. TIE chase set of without