The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1880-04-17

ever the man was he had not secured
dollar IN money. Hehad, however, taken
away an old-fashioned gold watch be-
longing to Arnold, which was out OF re-
par, aud chiefly preserved AS an herr
loom. A dozen persons could identify
the watch, if found, and here was some
thing which might prove good clue.
] did not expect to get much out OF
the boy, owing to his youth. Taking
him on my knee, | made his acqualnt-
ance, gave him some pennies, and then
asked him what he saw.
You see." began the child, very
grayely, q heard grandpa talking and
getting up, and then [ saw big robber
Jump up and hit him with the axe. Then
grandpa fell down, and the big man went
over and struck grandma. Then he
looked In the bureau, on the bed. in
grandpa's box, in the closet. and then
went off, and then | went to sleep"
| dreaded TO ask him how the man
looked, for much depended on his
answer. But he was ready with his re-
ply, and all my cross-questioning could
not alter his statement.
big man-red collar (necktie. on
great big breast piu-ike Mr.. johnson
there-shlning ring on his fnger-one
eye almost shut up"
| tried to make little Jack believe that
the murderer had black hair, and was a
little man, but he stuck to his story
Then one Of the constables talked to him
about something else for ten minutes,
and then questioned him rs to the APP
pearance Of the man; but the story was
the same as he told me at first. Several
Of us wrote it down, and | charged the
child TO remember It.
| was convinced that the murderer WAS
a stranger in that part of the country.
No one had seen him come or 90; no one
knew the horror of his arrival or depart
ure, and he had left no clue behind
nothing but my theory that the thumb
was missing from the left hand | rode
up to the toll-gates, but he had not been
seen to pass. | questioned the stage
drivers, but they could give 10 satisfac-
ton. | went the railroad station, but no
one could remember having remarked
the presence of a stranger on that night.
The murderer had arrived and departed
like bird
[ was considerably discouraged In not
striking his trail, but | was determined
to pursue the case until | had found the
criminal. Visiting Pittsburg and Har-
rlsburg / laid my plans to trap him if he
tired to dispose of the watch | wrote
letters to various officials, and then |
could DO no more. For six months had
the case uppermost in my mind, while
transactlng other detective bushes, but
[ had failed to fud the least clue. Then
one day got trace.
I yv-oy ;,cr ~, tho no,., ~ ho Da,,r,,-l
yauia Central railroad, when | observed
an old lady shaking a gold watch in her
hand, and then holding it to her ear to
see if i would run. Crossing over to
her / asked TO look at the watch and she
handed it ont with the remark:
. 1t isn't much good, but | don't know
rs it ought to be. My husband only
paid SO for it.
| found out that her name was Allen;
that she lived within a dozen miles Of
whore the Arnolds had been murdered:
that on the morning after the murder. rs
near as she could remember, her husband
had purchased the watch of traveller on
the highway, who was looking for work
and out OF money. She remembered
that the man was large man, had red
hair and full beard of the same color,
but could not say that she had observed
anything suspicious in his actions.
l found by questioning that the stran-
ger had continued on the road to the
west, and that if he kept on he must
have struck the railroad after an hours
travelling. | am convinced that this was
the murderer, and that he had made
long journey on the highway in order 10
battle pursuit and hide his trail.
But It was little comfort 10 know it as
SO many months had passed that the man
might now be in Europe or under ground.
| took the lady's address, allowed her to
retain the watch | knew had belonged to
the Arnolds, and again / lost the case for
several months | wrote over fifty let
tiers, travelled three or four thousand
miles on the lookout for n big man and
nothing came Of it. But one day when
approaching the village of Dewtield, \.
T., by stage, two uspiciOus-lOoklng
chaps got into the vehicle, and they were
my only company. | knew them to be
= flash, I" as soon az / saw their faces,
and their talk went 20 prove 1t. | pre-
tended to be very deaf az soon as they
got in, not replying to any of their ques-
tions. | assumed the tone Of voice gen
orally used by the deaf, held my hand
to my ear, and moved over and express
ed my regrets if [ had offended them,
saying that | could not even hear the
rumble Of the coach.
Good" exclaimed one of the men, as
I sat down at the other end of the
vehicle. "Now you can go on with your
yarn.
Before proceeding, the other one called
me an old fool, thief, a robber, and
various other things, closely watching
my countenance tosee if | could hear his
words.
"The old smooth-bore is as deaf as
stone" he remarked, having satisfied
himself az to my deafness, and then he
went on with a narrative which had been
interrupted.
soon ascertained that they were on
their way to Penfeld, to rob a merchant.
They had everything arranged to commit
the crime the next night, and the one
who had put mp" the plan gave all the
details az to how the robbery was to be
committed, where they would run to
and gave a guess as to each ones share.
"What about Luke 2" inquired the
other, after the plot had been fully dis
cussed.
"Oh. Luke will be there on time, y re-
piled the man. He has kept devlhsh
shady since that business at L., but
now wants to make Il haul and dig out
Z ~ ErN wa