Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-04-13
THE WOUNDED HAND.

-Annie Laura Matthews.
THE WOUNDED HAND.
A German Detectives Story.
On the 22d of May, 1875, stood in our Of
fee, behind my desk, when our chief entered
the room with letter in his hand, and ad-
dressed me with an invitation to undertake
the unravelling of mystery which had baf-
fled the local police at T. l consented, and de-
parted for the scene of the crime which had
to the time l was allowed for spending on the
case.
Two hundred and ffty-fve thousand marks
had been stolen from the widow of we'll con-
nected man named Friedow. Her villa stood
outside the gates of a small town, and the lost
property consisted chiefly in coupons and
such value, together with little coin. Her
habit was to keep all papers of Importance, as
well as money, in a chest of drawers beside
her bed. Her sleeping room was situated on
the first floor, and had but one window, which
looked out upon the yard. Her confidential
friends had often advised Frau Friedow to
keep her gold at least in some safer place,
but she had always resisted such counsel, and
put no faith in banks or bankers As to a
safe!-she had averred that if robbers did ever
modest her, unless her trusty dog and her
faithful Frederick, who was her factotum and
",
could protect her, an iron box would avail
little beyond perhaps delaying the thieves in
laying hold of what they wanted.
On the night of the 18th of May the poor
lady was-suddenly awakened about twelve
O'clock. Her room was Illuminated. Before
her bed stood small, thin man, with Ian
tern in his left hand and Ratchet in his
right
In rough, disguised voice he threatened to
knock out her brains if she SO much as ven
tured to utter sound. The unfortunate Frau
was already voiceless from alarm This
speech could scarcely make her more quiet,
but she could use her eyes, and did so for the
next few seconds while her visitors remained
with her. She saw that the SPEAKERS wore
black hose, blue blouse, and a mask, and
that two more men were busy in the back
ground breaking open her chest of drawers
In the farthest back division, covered over by
stockings, yarn and flax, lay round tin case,
in which she kept her movable treasures.
She was just recovering herself sufficiently to
begin thinking about risking her life by call
ing for help, when the smethered yelling of a
dog was heard without. The thieves had
found what they wanted, however, and sprang
with it to the window, one sash of which was
open. They threw themselves upon ladder
without, and descended to the ground, while
the third man still kept guard beside the bed.
Frau Friedow cried, "Help! Help!" with all
her might:
You may scream as long as you like now"
ne muttere, turning away and following the
others from the room.
Frederick appeared at this instant, having
been awakened by the noise. He found the
ladder still in its place, and below and just in
time to save the life of the house-dog, which
had been almost choked by cord twisted
round his neck fastening him to his kennel.
The man-servant reused up the neighbors,
but all pursuit then or later by friends private
ly or by the police publicly, had been in vain.
Not the least clew had hitherto been obtained
| as to the identity of the house breakers.
This was how the matter stood when
arrived at I. When had privately communi-
icated with the magistrates, my second visit
was naturally paid to Frau Fr;edow. Isought
everywhere for any special indications which
might put me on the right track, but what l
found was desperately little. Like those who
had gone before me, l concluded that the rob.
berry had. at any rate, been accomplished by
persons well acquainted with the locality, as
the entrance to the premises had been made
by small door in the yard, of the very exist
ence OF which many of the neighbors were
unaware. The ladder made use of had been
dragged out of nook in which it had long
lain concealed. A pane of glass had been
smashed in the window of the bedroom to
enable one of the assailants to slip back the
bolt. few footprints had been traced, but
there was nothing remarkable about their
| N~PPS~'
upon the high road or street upon which the
| little courtyard opened.
One thing seemed certain amid the maze OF
perplexity; the ouse-breakers must be
sought from among neighbors, servants
friends or relations. Now theneighbor theory
upon Investigation, seemed utterly futile, an d
one glance at old Frederick was enough to
make one dismiss all thoughts connected with
the second term in the list. There remained
the friends and relations in the habit of visit.
ing at the villa. The widow lad not the faint
est suspicion of foul play in any of these
nevertheless, made her describe and closely
particularize them all to me. took up half
a-dozen imaginary scents. I ran hither and
and thither. telegraphed in various direc
| tons. worked, in fact, in the sweat of my
brow, but,alas! he result was simply nothing
nothing, nothing. never before had been sc
utterly puzzled and hopelessly at fault
On the fourth day OF my residence at T.
went again to the villa, where the widow
greeted me 18th eyes full of expectation
Frau Friedow,"I said, lit seems to me hard
ly possible that you are without suspicion ir
every quarter There must surely be some
one or other on whom you, mind has fixed, il
it were tut for second. Confess it is so, anc
cOnfde in me-"
81 assure you I have not even shadow
thought such as you describe" she replied, in
much disappointed tone.
And has nothing more struck you about
| those men you saw in your room than you
have already mentioned? One remembers
things on due consideration which have beer
often overlooked before. Did you notice nc
popularity about any of the scoundrels-i1
the voice, Cor instance, the way of standing
the hands of him who held the axe? Had he
on ring? Did he look rough, like the 9th
ersS"
"There was one little thing Imay not have
told BEFORE" she replied, slowly. 1T was
scarce worth telling. When the two fellows
ran off down the ladder with my little case
the window slapped down as they disappeared
The third man pushed it up again to 20 after
them, but in so doing think he must have
put his hand through the broken pane, and
have hurt it with the glass, in his haste
certainly heard him mutter to himself as i
he were in Distress
"Was there no trace Of blood left?" I asked
anxiously.
None whatever"
began my Investigations anew, and this
tim with the doctor of the district. W.
got into lively dissertation upon wounded
hands, and in particular upon hurts infic et
by glass. By degrees I acquired the to m,
; very interesting fact, that some three week
since, when the medico was riding home t.
breakfast after an early CALL a strange maj
had suddenly appeared in the middle of TIN
highway, AMI had implored his help. H
complained OF having fallen upon a heap O
glass. The doctor took out his pocket case q
instruments and extracted five splinters from
the infamed palm. While he did SO the na
tient whimpered like a woman.