Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-24
A FOURFOLD ALIBI,

boardeTs at Mrs. Burntasl's family boarding
house learned that Mr.. Anderson, the occupant
OF the two pair front. had been found dead Oh
his bed with dagger sticking in his heart,
they felt that fortune had been kind TO them in
presenting them with a topic Of inexhaustible
merit.
For, in the first place, the question whether
the dead man had been murdered or had COM
mitted suicide was one admitting OF vast deal
OF discussion Then, suPposlng that he had
committed suicide, the Investigation of his
motive would be a rich vein in the working of
which unimaginable scandal night be unearthed
If, on the other hand, he had been murdered,
wide field of conjecture to the murderer
would be at once opened. In whatever light the
tragedy might be viewed, it was full of promise
to the lover OF gossip. So the twenty-siX
boarders at once fell upon it and discussed il
all over the house with the utmost enthusiasm.
With, however, two or three exceptions. The
wife of the dead man naturally did not join the
general conversational uprOar, neither did his
brother, who occupied the hall bedroom next To
the room of Mr.. Anderson, and who forgot his
own gnet in his tender sympathy with the
greater loss OF the wife. Then there was MIR.
Banks, a gentleman who was on bad terms
with the deceased, and who had quarrelled pub
liciy with him over a question OF politics onky
the day before the tragedy. Mr.. Banks said
little about the matter, and his reticence was
commended and Initiated by Mrs Stein,
fascinating and beautiful widow, who had
been but three DAYS az Mrs. Burnttsh's, but wa.
already the belle of the boarding house.
soon after Mrs. Anderson, entering their
room, found her husband quite dead, MIR. James
Anderson, hls oTotheI, informed tue police,
". A
physician swOre that the position in which the
dagger was found wa- quiet consistent with the
theory OF suicide. Mrs Anderson testified that
on the evening in question she had left her hus-
band in their room in his usual health ami
spirits, at eight O'Clock in the evening, in order
10 call on a friend living on the next floor. At
half past nine she returned and found him dead.
symptoms OF the rl9or agrtiS were already APP
parent showing that he had been dead for some
time. She was sure OF the exact time when she
left him and when she discovered his death, for
on each occasion she had glanced at the clock
in the room She had lived happily with her
husband, and could imagine no reason why he
should have committed suicide. He had no
enemies, so far a. she was aware, although he
was not on good terms with Mr.. Banks, whom
he disliked, and who, he said, had insulted him.
The dagger was her husbands, and was habitu-
ally used by him as paPer-cutter. Mr.. James
Anderson testified that he knew nothing of the
tragedy until Mrs. Anderson knocked at his
door ana cried out that her husband was dead:
heard no noise whatever in the room of the de-
ceased during the evening OF his death. Mr.
Banks admitted that he had quarreled with Mr..
Anderson the day before his death, and might
have said that he 'would beeven with him vet
III so, II was not threat, but an idle remark
mat really meant nothing. He had heard
OF his death after the discovery had been
made by Mrs. Anderson, though he could not
remember the precise hour. He was in his
tbfr f u See ~ Wat Vas the matter. He
met servant who told him Mr.. Anderson had
occupied the room adjoining the dead mans
room in the real, was the last witness and her
testimony was substantially the same that
Of MI Banks, with the exception that she was
in the parlOr with the latter gentleman from
seven O'Clock until after nine; thus establishing
an abb both for him a nd for herself. The jury
found verdict 70 the effect that Mr.. Anderson
came TO his death by being stabbed with dag
ger, but pr0fessed IN inability to decide whether
IL was a case OF suicide or murder. The dead
man was duly buried, his will proved, and his
property, the whole of which left to his wife,
taken in charge BY his brother as executor, and
both brother and widow remained at the board
ing and inta naH
pearance of deep and sincere grief.
Thus the problem how Mr.. Anderson came to
has death seemed to be generally given up BY
every one as unsolvable. A week after the
funeral, however, new bOarder made his ap-
pearance; a middle-aged man, apparently un-
married, with plenty of leisure ON his hands,
and with agenial hearty manner that made him
universally popular. Mr.. Pryor was not a de-
tective, as the reader has possibly supposed but
simply an idle man with passion Tor solving
difhcuit puzzles. He had read the report of the
eoroners inquest, and had made up his mind
that he would yet discover what the jurymen
admitted to be beyond their powers OF divina-
ton He, therefore, entered the ranks OF Mrs
Burntash's boarders and Immediately proceeded
to wo.k out the problem he had set himself to
solve.
His first move was TO make the acquaintance
OF the physician who had testified at the inlu
sight cold, for which he consulted him was
suneient Tor his purpose, and he easily led the
conversation TO the subject that occupied his
thoughts. The physician described the position
IN which the dagger was found, and though he
tumlttCu tAlt possibility Oh the theory OF suicide
he evidently inclined 10 the opinion thai tbe
man was murdered He could, however give
no reason for this, except that man who com
United suicide by stabeing would probably IN
stInctively withdraw the weapon II ON the
wound a. soon as he felt the pain produced by
n. Not much was to be gained from this
quarter, and the amateur solver of criminal
puzzles set himself 10 watch the inmates OF :
boarding house. lie soon decided that II muir
der or suicide had been committed one OF the
four witnesses at the inquest who resided in the
IN fhrnvy l,s.l@
upon the matter. As for the rest OF the board
ers, be was convinced that nOEe OF them hal
any Possible connection, however remote with the
tragedy. Being an intelligent, unm srried and
unbelieving person, he naturally decided that
the apparently diseOrsOlate widow was the most
probable culPrit, IL Mr.. Anderson's death wa
the fault of any one but himself. He, there
Tore, made her the first subject OF his investiga-
Mr. Anderson was net over twenty-three
years OF age, and was undenisbly a very pretty
woman She had been married about two wears
when her husband died, and in the opinion OF
All their acquaintance at Mrs. Burntash's
where they had resided ever since their mar,
rage, was exceedingly devoted 10 him. while he
was passonately fond Of her. They had no
Sh.ldren, and Mr. Anderson was evidently in
the possession OF considerable fortune This
VIII showed that IL amounted 70 some eighty
tnonssnd dollars. Everybody spoke well OF
Mrs- Anderson a. quiet, weil-bred woman of
rather strict, but scarcely puritan,c nr;nri
pies Gould this woman have stabbed her bus
Mr. Pryor soon satisfied himself IN, .,..
not directly driven the dagger into his heart
for he found no reason TO doubt the alibi which
she had proved at the inquest. Had She en-
ployed or instigated some one to perpetrate the
crime? There was no motive perceptible which
could have led her TO play 80 infamous and
hazardous game as that of hiring assassins
Her husband treated her with all the deyot ion
that woman could desire, and his death could
IN no apparent way improve her position. Had
she lover. and was his the hand that carried
out her secret murderous desire? Not breath
OF scandal attached TO her name even in a large
boarding house She knew but few gentlemen,
ana never went out except in company with
her husband or his brother. Mr.. Pryor sadly
relinqushed his hope that the exemplary
woman might be the murderess and contsated
himself with chasing her under the head OF
''faetors eliminated from his problem
Next he turned his attention TO M Rapks
the man who had quarreled with Mr. Anderson
he was young broker, quite q handsome And
elegant young fellow, engaged in a profitabie
business, and general favorite among womsn
He was hot tempered man, and was fond ~
billiards and champagne. He could hardly be
called dissipated man, though he was not by
any means q s'serious- minded person. yeryy
little study Of this easily gagged character con-