The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-06-07

ing to an electric battery. "With a cur
rent of say one hundred ONES of electrici-
ty, can accelerate enough evaporation
to freeze instantly one hundred gallons Of
water"
Here the professor took basin of wa
ter and poured in small quantity of
colorless liquid "This is amonia," said
he. "But this"-here he added about as
much of some other liquid-"is something
else"
"What is it?"
"No one knows but myself"
l deemed it impertinent to question
him further. He then attached the wires
of his battery to the water.
watched, much interested, and he laid
his hand on a piece of metal which was
part OF the apparatus, and the turning of
which caused the currents TO connect. lie
turned the brass piece, and instantly a
cloud of vapor rose from the surface of
the water. CRYSTALS shot from the sides
of the basinwith astonishing rapidity, and
there was a sharp, cracking sound as the
water expanding in it caused a strain
upon the basin, which pressed out the
sides.
"With five hundred omes," continued
the Professor, 81 can freeze five hundred
cubic feet of water"
left the house much impressed with
the discovery made by the Professor, and
few days afterwards learned of his death.
The public considered it case of suicide.
/ made careful examination OF the
premises, and came to different conclu-
sion. 1t was the hand of Alice Armstrong
that killed Professor Crofty.
Let us go back little After the Pro-
fessor realized what could be done with
his new appliance of electricity, he deter
mined to utilize it in the murder of Dean.
He hit upon the grand idea of freezing
him in the bath.
"She will not love him cold" he said.
and began to arrange his plans. Dean
was fond of the bath. He retired at mid
night and always took bath Just before.
The bathroom Of Armstrong; house was
an exceptionally good one. 1t was situa-
ted but a short distance from the suit
occupied by the Professor and Dean. The
tank was Of marble, large in size, capable
of holding four hundred and eighty cubic
feet OF water. Crofty connected the bath
with his own room by means of wires.
One entered the bath by the waste pipe.
He reached this under the pretext of
planting flowers. IT was concealed from
observation by lilac bush. The other
was connected with the pipe which fur
nished the water. He bored hole in the
wall and found the pipe as he expected,
running in the rear of the room close to
the floor. He then increased the lars of
his battery, and raised its strength to five
hundred ONES.
No suspicion was excited by this, as
he had been for months before making
electrical experiments. His apparatus
was fixed on a stand near the wall, and
the wires, from it connected with those
leading to the bath. When the apparatus
was removed its wires would be pulled
away from the others, and no trace would
be left of previous connection.
On the night of the 18th of July all was
in readiness. Crofty laid his plans with
nicely and deliberation. Dean always
took bath before retiring which was
about midnight. In the morning Crofty
had purchased two seats at the Metropol-
lldi uCdli Z dtiu gave tilCIii "
who took his daughter to the play. BY
eight o'clock everything was quiet in the
house. Croity knew he was safe from in
terruption until eleven o'clock, and per-
haps later.
He now began to work in earnest. He
filled the tank with water, and then test
ed his wires over and over again. Every
thing was in splendid working order. He
calculated that he had EMBEDDED his rival
turn on hot water. In the morning there
would be no trace of freezing. He rubbed
his hands with delight, and then poured
in the chemical proportions, wherein lay
the secret of his discovery.
He then went to his room and laid
the two connecting wires Of his appara.
tus side by side upon the instrument 1t
was now nine o'clock. He turned the gas
up to full blaze to disperse the, shadows,
took an easy chair, and determined to read
until Deans return. The silence of the
house became unbcarable, and the sultri-
ness of the apartment more and more
oppressive. His excitement began to tell
on him, and he was no longer cool.
The man who Is about to kill suffers
more pangs than he, who is about to die.
Crofty paced up and down the apartment
and then a strange fascination drew him
toward the bath. lie entered the room
again and stood gazing into the motion
ess water in the tank, and murmured to
himself: "Four hundred and eighty cubic
eet and five hundred ONES.
There was agas jet above the tank, and
It's faint glow was reflected in the water.
To Crofty the atmosphere seemed to have
been generated in blast furnace. The
water looked cool and refreshing. There
was yet more than an hour Crofty turn
ed the catch of the door from force of
habit, and throwing of his clothes plunged
in. He could discover no disagreeable
trace of the chemicals, and once more he
felt the delightful sensation of being COOL
1t was So delightful that he began to
reflect in his mind whether he would not
continue to enjoy the bath and postpone
the murder.
Suddenly the hall door Wac slammed
and he heard the voice Of Miss Armstrong
II ipu With bar fntbar The ,,;s H.