The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-03-24

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absence for that afternoon, which had been
granted = ~ '-sS
Now said Mr.. Horton, "what has be
come of that three hundred dollars ?" I
.eMr smith, !. he remarked, "it has either
been lest or: olen.s; The former, Of course,
ispossibles t4ough unlikely; but it's more
probable that IL has been stolen. It very
often the case 7:ttlhat thieves are found in
boarding-housess yhoseSsole purpose is to
rp,nnder their fellow boatders. Now, among
your swife's flock Of boarders there may be
such! d. thief; and granting that Jonas
Sampson was robbed, perhaps We can lay
our hands on the culprit. Who entered
the room he occupied, after ho went to bed
yesterday afternoon until the time OF the
searching of his effects? Do you know,
I feel great interest in this hitter be-
cause Jonas Sampson was favorIte OF
mine, besides I've q detectives nature, and
like to solve mysteries.
ITO my knowledge,'' said, speaking be-
fore Mr.. Smith. "The physician, MIR. and
Mrs. Smith, myself, and a young lady
| boarder Miss Gardner by name, who staid
up and nursed him last evening. She to
my knowledge, is the only person who vas
in the room alone with Jonas Sampson be-
fore his death"
GAS far as I know" said Mr.. Smith, "Mr.
Slocumb is correct in what he says. But
I doubt very much whether Miss Gardner
would do such o thing; in fact, can hard
ly give such o suspicion place In my
mind for an instant. She has as open and
| honest Il face as I ever saw, and Is very
lady-like and refined in her manners IT'S
true, she has been boarding ut our house
cnly month; and my wife and I know
nothing about her beyond that she is a
saleswoman in Broadway store"
"She may not be profe Hsional thief
perhaps we are wrong in oven thinking
that she is q thief Of any kind-but prob
ably she CHANGED to see the money in his
coat pocket, where saw Sampson place it
before leaving the store yesterday, and, on
dae spur of the moment, was tempted to
purloin it.; and did so when he was un-
couscious from fever or sleep. I tell you
Whit we can do" said Mr.. Horton. "To-
morrow, when this Miss Gardder is away
attending to her business, you and Mr..
Smith, can search her room, clothes, and
things, and Il we do not find some conGrma-
ton Of my suspicion, in the shape OF the
money, we will let the matter drop. Let
poor Simpsons remains be decently in
terrcd," added Dir. Horton. "And have
the bill for same sent to me. There is, l
know, more than a hundred dollars due him,
which he said, when he took his money yes
terday, he would draw next Teek. So
there will be more than enough to pay fun
eral expenses and board bills"
Mr.. Smith agreed to Mr.. Horizons prop
osition about searching Miss Gardner's
room, to see if she had taken the dead
mans missing money; and, accordingly
the next day it was done.
To Mr.. Smiths surprise and regret, two
hundred and ninety-eight dollars were
found secreted in an old dress in-her trunk.
The money was replaced where it had
been discovered and Mr. Horton, his sus-
picion being confirmed, forwith procured a
warrant for her arrest, and also u search
| warrant. The former being served upon
her that evening. .r ....
Mr.. Horton, Mr.. and Mrs. Smith, an Off.
Ger and 1, were seated in the private parlor
when Miss Gardner came home from the
store where she was employed.
Mrs. Smith went out to her and told her
some parties in the rarlor wished to see
her. ...
She walked in ahead Of Mrs. Smith, plen-
ty of color in her cheeks, and bright smile
| upon her face, perhaps thinking some
friends had called to see herr but when she
perceived that four men, one Of whom wore
a policcman's uniform, were the sole occu-
pants of the apartment, she started back In
dismay, and 8 little Of the rosiness fed from
her cheeks, as IL she had some chilling
prcseptiment of coming danger to = her
SELF
"Do these gentlemen wish to see ME,
Mrs. Smith ?" she asked in falternS tones.
What for?'
"About tho three hundred dollars you
stole from Jonas. Sampson" said Mr.. Hor-
ton stcrnly.
Er. Horton, US rightly judged was pitt
less to any person who he was convinced In
/ his own mind was 4 criminal; and l believe
he would have sent his own flesh and blood
to prison, the circumstances being the same
is they were in the present instance
.The three hundred dollars l stclc from
lon.s SAmpson:" she repeated, in apparent
...l;lzvlncnt, the color dying out Of her face,
..nd leaving it deadly pale as she spoke.
Good Heavens what do you mean by ac'
cusng me Of such Il crime?"
Jonas Sampson had three hundred '."i
l,rs on his person the evening before he
lied" said Mr.. Horton, as sternly Us before
"Mr. Smith and Mr.. Slccomb searched his
effects, and found but five dollars. at
once suspected that he had been robbed
tbouph it was possible that re had lost It.
but it wasn't likely. Mr.. and Mrs. Smith,
Mr.. Slocomb, the physician, and yourself
were the only persons who cntcrc'l the dead
mans room from the time OF his sickness
until, and after his 'ieIth. My suspicion
fastened itself upon You, and Mr. Smith
und l searched your room to-day, and Dis
covered, sccretcd in III old dress in Your
trunk, two hundred and nincty-cight dol
lars, which I believe you stole Mrs. Smith
tells NE that you get cnlya salary Of twelve
dollars Il week AMI :hcrsforr, having %
pay board and ether living expenses. how