The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-11-26

Then she gave malignant laugh, and
departed"
Toward the middle of March two country
lads, amusing themselves around Black
Tarn, saw something white among the
rushes. On closely examining the object
they discovered it to be HUMAN arm.
With branch of tree they pushed aside
the rushes and water plants, and the body
of female was disclosed. They were at
first disposed to run away, but finally re-
solved to haul out the body. This they
did with some difficulty, and laid it on the
grass. 1t was i'm an excellent state of pres
ervation, owing to the ice, which had just
broken up, and the features were perfect.
Both the lads identified the corpse as that
of the missing girl, Kate Coulter. Cover
ing it with rushes and leaves, they started
for the village and informed the grief
stricken father of their discovery. The
body was carefully reaossd to Coulter's
house, and coroner's inquest was held
A surgical examination showed that the
girl had been outraged, ahd marks Of
stssEgulation were distinctly visible on her
throat The body, when found, was en-
tirely naked, aud search was made for the
unfortunate girls clothing. They were
found under pile of stones about two
hundred yards from where the corpse was
discovered. They were torn and mud
stained, and traces Of blood were observ-
able on them. What the object of the
murderer was in removing the clothing
was beyond comprehension; but that he
had an object was evident. A verdict Of
wilful murder against some person or per-
son, unknown was returned by the corouer's
jury, and the corpse was inferred with be-
coming solemnity.
A large reward was offered for any in
formation which might lead to the appre-
hension of the guilty person, and the Lord
Lieutenant of the county specially interest
ed himself in the matter, and caused ex-
pert detectives to be sent from London to
investigate the affair thoroughly. 1t will
be remembered that Kate Coulter disap-
peared on the night of February ninlh.
The detectives accidentally came across
one Robert Johnstone, a shoemaker, who
said on the night mentioned, about seven
O'Clock, he was at work in his shop in
BromptOn, which was on the direct road to
Coulter's, when a young man, stranger,
put his head in at the door and asked for
light. 1t was a very cold night, and the
shoemaker asked the man to come i'm
and shut the door He did so and stood
with his back to the shoemaker while he
got light. Johnstone asked him whether
he had come by train from Carlisle and
he said he had. Johnstone remarked that
it was going to be a sharp night, and the
young man replied that he judged SO, and
abruptly quilted the shop.
"What did he light his pipe with ?'' the
officer asked, after a pause.
That's more than can say" Johnstone
replied, 'though it may be he took a bit
of paper from his pocket"
Chow often do you sweep your shop !?
the detective asked.
The shoemaker laughed and said
'Once a year, may be-
Then the detective, very much to the
surprise of the shoemaker went to work
examining the floor carefully all over.
Then he began i'll one corner and lifted
everything from the flo n, replacing it
where he found it. After he had been at
work over ten minutes he came across a
fragment of an envelope, burnt at one end.
This he carefully scrutiniZed, and putting
it in his pocket departed.
The same night a consultation was held,
and the detective exhibited his scrap of
paper. As before said, it was part of an
envelope, and on it was writing. The
writing was blurred and almost iIlegible,
but the words private john could be
decirhered.
Whether the writing was a mans or
woman's it was hard to say, but the gener-
al impression was that it was a womans.
Coulter instinctively associated the latter
with young Armstrong, Kate's former
lover, who, as before stated, had been
driven from the house by her father, and
had, as was supposed, enlisted. The jeer-
ing words Of Armstrong; mother came up
fresh in Coulter's memory:
"Ah, Mr.. Coulter, SO you've lost your
pretty miss Now we; re even. You drove
away my boy, and the dexfi hss driven
away your girl"
The officers resolved re- search Mrs.
Armssong's cottage, B there might be
some indications of her son having been
recently there. They went dswn at once,
and aroused the old woman, who was dOz-
ing by the fire.
"What dye want with me and mil e?''
she asked, querulously, this is no time o
night 20 disturb a body"
On being Informed that officers Of the
law demanded admission she opened the
door, and boldly confronted them.
Take what you can find," she said,
"that belongs to other than me-"
The officers began careful search of the
place, and were rewarded by finding pair
of boots slowed away under the floor, bear
ing on them the traces of the peculiar
black mud found on the borders of the
Black Tarn, from which, and the singular
ly dark hue Of its waters it derived its
name.
'Whose boots are these ?'' the officer
asked.
''They are my son's," replied the old
woman, 'before they drove him away from
home.'
'.When did he leave home9' the detec-
tive inquired.
'In November, IA, :" the old woman an
swered, quickly.
''Did lie put the boots under the floor ?''
the officer asked
"Deed did he, the very day he left
home,' Mrs. Armstrong replied.
''You saw him do it ?'' the detective in
quired.
''Saw.him with my own eyes," was the
reply.
''And that was when ?" the officer asked.
"The very day he left home, November
3, IA" Mrs. Armstrong replied.
"And he wrapped up the boots then as
they were when l found them, and put
them under the f1oor?' the officer said.
$50 help me God, that's what he did
Sir,'t old woman answered.
=. -: CH-.l u L., NH ola fla<a