Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-11-18


father of their discovery. The body was
carefully removed to Coulter's house, and
a COroner's inquest was held. The hodv
when found was entirely naked, and
search was made for the unfortunate Cribs
clothing. They were found under a pile
of stones about 200 yards from where the
corpse was discovered. They were torn
and blood-stained, and traces of blood
were Observable on them. What the OBJ
ject of the murderer Eas IN removing the
clothing was beyond comprehension, but
that he had an object was evident. A
verdict Of willful murder against some
person or persons unknown was returned
by the Coroner's jury, and the corpse was
inferred with becoming 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
interested himself in the matter and
caused expert detectives to be sent from
London to investigate the affair thorough
ly. 1t will be remembered that Kate
Coulter disappeared on the night of Feb.
9. The detectives accidentally came
across one Robert tombstone, ashoemaker,
who said that on the night mentioned,
about seven O'Clock, he was at work in his
shop in Brompton, which was on the di-
rect road to Coulter's, when young man,
a stranger, put his head in at the door and
asked for light. 1t was very cold night
and the shoemaker asked the man to come
in and shut the door. He did so, and
stood with his back to the shoemaker
while he got light. tombstone asked
him whether he had come by the train
from Carlisle, and he said he had. John
stone remarked that it was going to be
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 pause.
'That's more than / can say" John
stone replied, " though it may be he took
bit of paper from his pocket
I" How often do you sweep your shop?'
the detective asked
The shoemaker laughed and said:
''Once a year, maybe
Then the detective, very much to the
surprise of the shoemaker, went to work
examining the floor carefully all over
Then he began in one corner and lifted
everything from the floor, 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 illegible,
but the words "Private john could be
deciphered.
Whether the writing was a mans or
woman's it was hard to say, but the gen
eral impression was that it was a wom-
ans. Coulter instinctively associated the
letter with young Armstrong, Rates
former lover, who, as before stated, had
been driven from the house by her father
and had, as was supposed, enlisted. The
jeering words of Armstrong; mother
came up fresh to Coulter's memory. "Ah,
Mr.. Coulter, SO you've lost your pretty
miss Now we're even. You drove away
my boy and the devil has driven away
your girl"
The officers resolved to search Mrs.
Armstrong; cottage, as there might be
some indication of her sons having been
recently there. They went down at once
and aroused the old woman, who was doz-
ing by the fire.
What dye want with me and mine?"
she asked, querulously; "this is no time
O. night to disturb body"
On being informed that officers of the
law demanded admission, she opened the
door and boldly confronted them.
Take what you can fnd," 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, bearing on them the traces of the
peculiar black mud found on the borders
of the Black Tarn, from which, and the
singularly dark hue of its waters, it de-
rived its name.
Whose boots are these?' the officer
asked
"They were my son's," replied the old
woman, "before they drove him away
from home"
when did he leave home?'' the de-
tective inquired.
"In November, a." the old woman
answered, quickly.
did he put the boots under the f1oor?"
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 when2' the officer
asked.
1.-THE very day he left home, Nov. 5,
IA" Mrs. Armstrong answered.