Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-02-16
the other men were found dead p

l asked.
"Oh, yes"
"And Hannah was there also ?"
"All my married life Hannah ha
lived with me-" a
"Your daughter oversees your
household in your absence 2"
"Yes, poor child, with Hannah,
help"
/ thought little while.
MADAME" said, "there is some
strange mystery in this affair.
do not despair of proving to all the
world your entire innocence. Mean
while be as calm as possible, and
endeavor to remember everything
connected with the sudden deaths
that have occurred in your house.
The incidents that seems the least
important may really be Of the most
value"
So l left her and went home
Strange enough, on the way l met
the doctor who had been called in.
He was very dull, heavy sort of
a person, considerably given to
beerdrinking, and my opinion of
his ability was not very great
However, I questioned on the sub
ject, and he replied:
"Well, you see, I don't say the
old woman murdered him. If she
did, l should say it was by sitting
on him or smothering him with
holsters. suppose the cause of
his death was asphyxia. Well, then,
what is aspbyxia Why, too little
breath to keep one living. He died
because he was short of breath.
| wash my hands of that matter.
Only there's the watch that looks
dark"
Learned nothing from the doctor.
The coroner lived near me. His
jury had been twelve of the most |
ignorant men in town.
This is all he told me:
"He was smothered, that man
was so were the other two. Men
don't smother themselves. We
made it inscrutable Providence
tother time. That there watch,
you know"
Thus, without any new light,
vent home and formed my plans.
There was but one way in which
10 penetrate the mystery. / must
enter the house; l must see the
people there; / must penetrate to
he room in which these men had
lied so suddenly, and / must not
Do known in my real character.
That Madame Matteau was innocent
fully believed, but that some one
beneath her roof was guilty / had
10 doubt. 1t might be the librarian,
Mr. Bassford, whose key fitted the
lead mans door. 1t was possible /; !
,ut no, I would not harbor o mad
'uperstition. There could be no
supernatural power beneath which
,uman beings dropped and
lied. Death as it came to us was
mystery enough. What had been
aid to me by woman, who would
ave been q Spiritualist had she
ived to-day, was a mere absurdity.
81 believe there is some horrible
Unseen thing in the room," she had
aid, "some awful shapeless spirit,
nd when it is locked in with its
'ictim, murders him. Let others ,
'elieve what they will l believe {
hat"
The words haunted me, but / !
aughed at them of course. What
yer it was, l would try TO know.
had plan.
At dusk, that day, went into {
ny bedroom. came out a strange
nan. / wore white wig, a pair
{ green goggles, and an overcoat,
he tails Of which reached to my
eels. had muller about my
hroat, and "a little hunch on one of I
ly shoulders. / carried n thick [
ane, and stopped good deal as ! j
,alked. In my hand I carried q {
and in my bosom / car I,
led a pair Of pistols, well loaded.
As / passed out into the street ,
ne early moon was just rising (;
he lit me on my way to the door l
{ Madame Matteau's house. |
1t was opened for me when / s
nocked, by old Hannah. Her eyes ]
ere red and swollen. Then told {
er that I was stranger, and had !
sceivcd Madame Matteau's ad- {
reea fvon n Contlamao Ia NJ 4,