Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-10-17
LIGHTS AND SHADES OF CITY
TIT

4 SeHl TIE UOsuSU Fra NUMBER OF
sketches, founded on facts which
| came under his observation during
a detective service of about fifteen
years. The first IL entitled, oFound
| Dead
1t is a simple sente nee, that, some
times contains strange, weird
hist ory-FoUND DEAD. Over the
mysterious separation of soul and
body is flung the silence Of death.
The mute lips tell no ale, the ST.
lent wound breathes no name that
might hetrsy the hand that made
it. An awe steals over the heart
as one stands in the presence Of
the mysterious dead. Age had not
crippled the stro-g limbs-the
erect and vigorous body showed
no signs OF decay, but life had sud-
denly gone out as the flame Of a
lamp expires.
Standing in this very spot, said
Mr.. f., with the lamps playing
ttfulIy through the darkness, i
saw sight, years ago, which, used
as ] had been TO deeds of violence,
nearly curdled my blood with hor-
ror.
1t was late at night, Mr.. /. and
myself had been down in the city
watching case that detained us
late. A group OF men standing
near the waters edge attracted us.
Drawing near we found them ex-
aiming the body OF man just
just drawn from the bay.
He has beer drowned ~ said
one. i heard his scream an hour
ago as he fell into the water"
The peaker was fisherman who
sleeps in his boat under the wharf.
:" | was asleep AT the time" he
said, land his cry awakened me.
| sprang up as hastily as / could
and rowed my boat to the spot,
but the man HAD disappeared be-
meath the water. l knew there
was /. o current there, and that the
body must lay where it sunk, so i
called for help, and we searched
the place and found it at iast."
Who is ?" some one inquired.
A lantern was held close to the
pale, upturned face, and | started
back as | rec, gnized the features
OF an old friend.
"Tear epen the vest and rub
him; there may be life in him
yet"
1t was no sooner said than done.
but AS the clothes were torn apart,
a sanguine stain met the eye A
shiver ran through the crowd as
this was removed, and q deep
wound was disclosed in the breast.
" Murder ~
Pale lips repeated the low excla-
nation. In the presence of death
what voice was ever md full p
Yes, il was murder. The hand
that dealt the blow was cunning
one, and used to the stroke. 1t had
been stricken unaware. There was
no contortions of the body. Tae
cut was clean, deep, and penetrat-
ing. The hand of an assassin had
welded the knife that made the
fatal cut.
While yet we bent around the
PROSTATE body, a woman, pale as
death, horror in her eyes, and her
white lips speechless, parted the
crowd and knelt beside the muir
dereu man. 1t was his wife.
Some one had told her. They
lived but block away. Close to
the pale face of the dead was plac-
ed the living one; the little hand
stroked nervously the wet hair
and clinging garments, and then
with low cry repeated, frantical-
ly:
ION, no! mot .dead.! not dead
Do not say he is dead"
But the stony eyes gave back no
glance to the anguish in her own
no voice replied to the thrilling
cry of the girl-wife beside him.
We lifted him up and carried
him to the station near by, and
then the inquest was held and the
verdict, FOUND DEAD.
And so the circumstance passed
out Of mems minds, was forgotten
save by few who loved him, and
the officers tracing out the name
less murderer. This was no easy
task. Days and weeks went by
months fled, and the mystery only
deepened. Who did it? Time and
again, when almost on the POINT
of solving the mystery, we had
failed. We had traced him to Sc
cret interviews, sometimes at one
place sometimes at another; and
once | had discovered that young
girl and he were seen walking late
at night at this very place, and q
man in the distance following
them-a dark proved, dangerous
looking man. Perhaps this might
be clue. / followed it up and
almost haunted the house where
tia rirl was sean so 90 lnnnirina