Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1879-09-04
THE LEFT HAND.

SIanIlal eEIucHCc. LIZ. IuuoIin was
a physician and naturalist, and was
wealthy. He lived alone, and was OF
somewhat miserly habits. He had an
iilegitimate son, whom he had brought
up with care, who was apparently q
worthy youth. DR.. HunstOn's house
stood in th1 suburbs of the rural
town, with trees around it Very |
near it was the residence CT a lawyer |
named Terwhit. Dr. Hunston was
originally very successful surgeon
in London, but during an autopsy he
cut his right hand with an operating
knife, and to prevent fatal conse
quences Immediately submitted to the
amputatlon of the arm. The dwelling
occupied by the doctor had been pur
chased many years before The date OF
the crime to be narrated. From tine
to time he added to it, until it was "a
peculiar structure. la wing, reach
ed by five steps from the parlOr, was
the doctors bedroom; beyond that
was his workshop, and beyond that
again, IN an odd angle, his study.
damned into what appeared q pas
sage just begun and left unfinished,
was the desk in which the doctor al
ways kept a quantity OF loose cash
and some old jewels Of great value.
heirlooms of the Hunston family.
/ from which he was descended. A
coachman, gardener, and a groom
lived in the yard right below the doc
/ tors apartments, and he was in the
habit of saying that they gave ample
protection to the dwelling in that di
rection. In his workshop
4 LARGE BLOOD MASTIFF
always slept, and the windows Of the
parlor were supplied with strong shut
ters, closed every night. When Law
yer Terwhit joked with DIR. funston
about his chances of being robbed, he
was wont to laugh and say that it
would require very expert thieves to
get an entrance, or, having got an
entrance, to get out again safe and
sound.
1t was the 18th of August, 1923.
Young funston had returned from
college and gone to London for :.
visit to friends. LAWYER Terwhit had
sat with the doctor until nine O clock
Then the ter saw that his servant
closed up the house, and soon after
ward retired. DR.. HunstOn was an
early riser, and when he failed TO he
stirring at eight O'Clock next morn
ing. surprise was excited among the
domestics. BY nine O'Clock they
we're alarmed, and 10y ten resolved to
send for Terwhit and ask his advice.
The lawyer suggested the forcing OF
the door leading from the parlOr to
> the bedroom OF the doctor. This
was done, and the lawyer and the do
mestiCS entered.
DREADFUL SPECTACLE
was disclosed. DIR. HunstOn lay OF
his bed in his night-clothcs. His arm
WAS thrown out so rs to hang ou
over the side of the bed. His hcaC
lay over the bolster, and his throa
was cut from ear to ear. An Ordina
ry kitchen knife, sharpened like a ra
ZOr, WAS laying on the left side Of til,
bed, and in the bolster on the same
side was cash. The doors through
the workshop into the doctors room
were open. The dog lay peaceful,
sleeping. The desk i'll the study ha,
been
! RASSACKED OF EVERYTHING
of any value. There had been diff
. Guilty in opening it, and the pcrsoI
forcing the lock had worked to tn
right side of the desk as it stood, fo
there were marks on the wall shown.
where he had rubbed Off the white
wash. The windows of all the room
Il were examined. All were fastcnc,
except one in the workshop. OF thi
the cords had been broken, for whc
the broken sash was raised il fell wit
Il crash.
Right below this window was
ilowCrhcd. In the soft mould ther
were prints Of a mans knees and hi
.. toes had struck the soil. The scrvan
men who slept near the spot ha
T. heard no noise i'll the night eXcep
what sounded like the hanging of
shutter, and as there was wind the
thought nothing of thai.
Lawyer Tcrwhit was very shrew
v man and clever criminal expert
The authorities were duly notified {
the dreadful crime which had bee
k perpetratcd, and measures were TAX
en- to find clew to the guilty perso
or persons. The motive was clearl
plumber. The perpetrator or perpe
traitors knew that the doctor ker
o' valuablcs in his apartments. Itwoul
also seem as though they knew wher
there was a defective window. Th
D. points presented in the case were mt
b mcrous and pregnant:
THE POINTS IN THE CASE.
no |. There was no possible access t
=. - the apartments of the doctor exceI
IS by the window already spoken OF
That this had been used was evden
1t was twelve feet from the grount
% There were marks of feet on the col
70. ing just below as though some OF
had walked along it from the corne
- clinging to :hc windows, on purpos
to avoid leaving traces. Immediate
=, below in the soil there were no mari
of feet, and no impression of any so
other than those already mentioned
u namely: the marks of the knees, Il
toes, and the left hand. These,
was very clear, had been made by
person in falling, and were turne
away from the window, the toe-marl
being nearest and the hand-marl
furthest off. These IMPRESSIONS WEI
evidently made by the murderer
a his descent from the window. III
= bottom Of the window-sash shove
on it stains of blood, with pieces {
skin adhering. How had the bloc
and skin come there?
2. The throat of the doctor hs
been cut as the murderer stood at h