The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-02-28

lhSe norsee pr specnate, ana consequently
was not In financial troublss, why did he
commit suicidep
"But did he commit suicide?
"That question I mentally answered
most decidedly in the negative, when an
hour later stood in the Office and viewed the
body and surroundings It was still lying
in the same position as when found, it not
having been disturbed further than for an
unauthorized examination of the pockets
in which were found his watch, small
amount of monsy, and the key to the safe.
I took the latter. and opening the safe ex-
amined its contents. 4
II found but few small express pack
ages, of small value, according to the figures
marked on them, with the receipt-book be-
longing to the agent. 1t showed no other
entries than of the packages mentioned,
and it. as I supposed, he had received any
valuable packages from the messenger on
the express the night before, a for railroad
freight, he had neglected to make an entry
of them, or had been murdered ere he had
the opportunity. You see by that last how
my thoughts were drifting.
'But how account for the office being Sc
curely locked-as well as the outer door
and no possible signs of forcible entrance
on doors or windows2
"What easier than for the murderer to
slip into the freight-room unperceived, af-
ter Pancoast had hurried ont to the train,
conceal himself behind the freight, and
when the agent locked the outer door fol-
low him to the inner Office and perpetrate
the aeed2
'T procured light, and went prowling
around in the dark corners behind the
freight, scanning everything carefully; and
just as was on the point of going else
where for clue, my eye caught something
deeply imprinted on the top of a box,
which, on examination, I found to be the
impress of a boot-heel.
''Now you may say there was nothing
strange in that; but when tell you that a
man standing on the top of this box could
just see over the pile of freight and watch
the inner office, you will know that fpicked
up broken ink-that that impress was to
me what the broken twig or faint imprint
of o foot, Is to the scout on the trail.
'Here, then, the murderer had stood and
watched with baleful eyes hisvictim. From
this lookout he had planned the manner
and time for attack. Then, stepping care
fully down, he approached the unconscious
agent, with open knife in readiness for the
fatal stroke, grasped him, drew him quick
ly backward, and with one lightning fash
of the blade across the throat and the deed
was done.
''But to make sure of his work he had
used the knife in giving several stabs in the
r region of the heart; and then arranging the
body, and dropping the knife near, to give
the appearance of suicide, he had opened
the safe, abstracted only the valuable pack.
ages, locked the doors of the Office and
freight-room with duplicate keys, and fled,
leaving, as he thought, no trace.
: "But as I studied the heel-mark in the
b soft pine knew that he had left trace
2 link that determined should be fitted tt
: chain that should bind him hand and foot
Q As have said the exact imprint of the hee
' was deeply impressed into the yielding pine
q The maker of the boot to which tina
o heel belonged must have had leisure, ant
n a fanciful tnrn of mind, when engaged il
o its manufacture, for he had made in thu
II centre perfect star, and there it was
q every nail distinct 1t was useless to thinl
e of tracing his course without, for 1t hat
d been showing all highland in fact all daJ
Q and of course every mark was long snc'
l obliterated.
10 GAS expected, the country coroner aut
" jury returned verdict of death by suicide
n Immediately held consultation with tn
r railroad express officials, to whom l i'm
II parted my belief Of murder, but cautione'
ut them to let the impression go forth tia
they were satisfied with the verdict, an
is then the chances were thnt the mu,
as derer would not take alarm and fly. M
idea was that he was no stranger to tha
J, section, and that he would unless startle
4. by the fact being made known that Pancoas
Mt had not committed suicide, remain for fec
q that his going away would create SUE
to picion.
ly 'I visited all the boot and shoe stores i
I'd that part of the country, ostensibly to bu
I'd pair of boots, but l was hard to suit.
lie managed to discover, however, that non
ar had made or sold pair of boots O
,e shoes with star in the heel. fell +
Or inspecting every shodded foot, and tn
I'd marks they might make, with indefat
gable perseverance, It grew to b
IN such mania with me, that greatly sul
II prised Mrs. Rollins by mechanically raisin
her bootees, as she laid them aside 70 do
her slippers one evening, and exarninin
the heels thereof; and she fell TO expatia
-, A., ixnx,,4,, ~ ~ 49, -,