The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-06-07
MISS ARMSTRONG'S HOMICIDE.
A Scientific Bat Jealous Lover Sets q
Trap which Proves TO be the Jaws
of Death, and In which lie
Himself is Caught.
(san Francisco Argonaut.)

corner of California and Mason streets
were considerably puzzled at finding a
number of copper wires connecting the
bath room with the room above. The
owners of the property were equally puz-
zled, having never before known of their
existence. The wires were removed, and
nothing more thought of the matter This
recalls to my mind an incident which
many will now remembers
On the I4th of july, 1862, a Professor
Crofty was found dead in the bathroom
have Just mentioned Crofty was well
known among scientific men as professor
of chemistry, and, besides, had large cir
Gle of acquaintances in this city. He was
supposed at the time to have committed
suicide, and his death furnished three
days sensation for the press. The ac-
counts in four leading newspapers materi-
ally conHicted, which made the matter all
the more interesting TO the public. All
agreed, however, with singular unanim.
ity of opinion, that he was dead Even the
"Cali," while not positively admitting his
demise in the article, virtually conceded it
In the head lines
Crofty, when found, was lying in the
bath, covered with wounds of so curious
nature that no one could explain how
they came to be inflicted. They were
deep, ragged and gaping, and there was
no instrument found in the room with
which they might have been made Even
the detectives who visited the scene of
Croftys death shook their heads and
Thnca tbp I,e,o,a-n.l ~.
body found the door securely fastened
from the inside and were obliged to burst
It open The room had no other means of
egress or ingress.
Suicide" remarked one Of the re-
porterS.
"How came those wounds on the back ?"
isked detective.
"Who else was here" responded the
journalist. And neither man had any
Thing more to say.
A post mortem revealed nothing new,
except that the physicians had found
state of the blood which they conld not
satisfactorily account for.
ale was frozen," said young physi-
clan, whose opinion seemed to have its
foundation only in surmise.
"4ou seem to have forgotten that this
july" remarked an elderly gentleman
connected with the University.
The newspapers We'd with each other
building up ingenious theories accounting
for the affair, the Coroners jury found
verdict of suicide, for want of anything
better, and the remains were buried
The reader who desires to get more
detailed account Of the affair-as related
al the time-can do so by referring to the
tlles OF any of the city papers of that
date. In fact | would produce them here
did space permit The main thing, how.
ever, is to clear up the mystery of Crofty's
remarkable death.
lie came to the coast in 1860, and was
reputed to be man of sufficient means
to live handsomely on the interest of his
money.
He stopped awhile at the Grand Ori-
entail Hotel, and there met Edward Dean,
young man, who, like himself was a
gentleman of leisure. The two became
intimate, and finally, tired of hotel lie,
They determined to seek quarters which
would be more congenial and home like
they found these quarters at the residence
OF Richard Armstrong, mutual acquaint-
unce, who lived in very desirable quarters
on the corner of California and Mason
streets. Before the costly habitations of
Stanford, Crocker and other milionaires
sprang into existence, Armstrong; house
came very near being called a mansion.
Armstrong rented Crofty and Dean three
elegant rooms, partly because he liked the
men personally and partly because he was
running on pretty close margin finan-
cially. The two found their new quarters
as attractive as men Of taste could wish.
Armstrong was widower, and the three
men had some rare old times together
evenings. His cellar was stocked with
excellent wines, and his library with
books OF the very rarest vintage Of liter
ature.
One evening a hack drove up to the
door, and woman, clad in wraps, bound
ed up the steps with astonishing vigor
and agility, like most Western girls who
are blessed with good health and animal
spirits. She dashed into the hall in style
that sent perceptible tremor through the
building, and fell into old Armstrong;
arms. A fusillade OF kisses followed.
1t was his daughter, Alice.
Next morning the usual formalities of
Introduction were gone through, and Miss
Armstrong became one of the fixtures of
the place. a Jew days before her arrival
Professor Crofty had suggested the idea
OF living somewhere nearer the centre of
the city. After Miss Armstrong entered
the house, however, no further allusion
was made to the proposed removal. The
Professor began to pay Miss Armstrong
the most devout attentions, and, AZ mat.
ter of course, she fell mady in love With
young Dean, who paid her none. 1t is
S generally conceded that one Of the most
Effective ways of wooing a woman is to
! et some other man do it. The woman
Tres of the indeiatigable lover and the
man who treats her with indifference is
soon preferred. Some men learn this by
Experience; Dean discovered it by acci.
3ent.
/ lie presently began to turn his knowl-
edge to excellent account, and a bitter RI
&alry sprang up between the two men.
sCroity soon realized that he was not the
slavorite and neNe., for the life of him,