Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1880-05-27


down and hold up his thumb. Mo- the
thumb on the left hand was missing-cut
off at least at the first joint.
This was clue, and all MY subsequent
investigations proved that | was correct in
believing so. There was another thing.
The man had torn up the carpet Of the
bedroom in several places; had got out the
Bible and looked between its covers; had
taken down and searched the clothing in
the closet; and had been so cool and
- thorough in his search that knew he was
no ordinary offender. A common thief
would have fled after committing murder,
or at most stopped only long enough to
search the bureau. Whoever the man was
he had not secured dollar in money. He
had, however, taken away an old-fashioped
gold watch belonging to Arnold which
was out Of repair, and chiefly preserved as
an heirloom. A dozen persons could
identify the watch, if found, and here was
something which might prove a good clue
did not expect to get much out OF the
boy, owing to his youth. Taking him on
my knee ! made his acquaintance, gave
HIM some pennies. and then asked him
what lie saw.
"You see," began the child very
gravely, Il heard grandpa talking and
getting up, and then saw big robber
Jump up and hit him with the ax. Then
grandpa fell down and the big man went
over and struck grandma. Then he look
ed in the bureau, and then went off, and
then | went to sleep"
dreaded to ask him how the man
looked, for much depended on his answer.
But lie was ready with his reply, and all
my cross questioning could not alter his
statement.
"Big MANFRED collar (necktie) on
great big breastpin-red whskers like
Mr.. Jackson tnere-Shining ring on his
tinger-One eye almost shut up.'E
tried to make little Jack believe that
the murderer had black hair and was
little man, but he stuck TO his story |
Then one Of the cOnstabes talked to him |
about something else for ten minutes, and
then Questioned HIM as to the appearance |
OF the man; but the story was the same
as told me at first. Several OF US wrote it |
down, and charged the child to rcmem-
Der it.
was convinced chat the murderer was
a. stranger in that part Of the country
NO one had seen him come or go; no one
knew the hour Of his arrival or departure,
and he had left no clue behind-nothing
but my theory that the thumb was missing
from the left hand. rode out to the toll
gates, but he had not been seen to pass.
| questioned the stage drivers, but they
could give no satisfaction. went to the
railroad station, but no one could remem.
btr having remarked the presence of .
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 there was no longer
any hope, or until | had found the
criminal. Visiting Pittsburg and Harris.
| burg laid my plans to trap him if he
tried 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 trans.
acting other detective business, but bad
tailed to find the least clue. Then one
day got trace.
| was riding on the cars of tie Pennsyl
vania Central railroad, vixen | observed
an old lady shaking gold watch in her
hand and then holding it to her ear to see
If it would run. Crossing over to her
asked to look at the watch, and she
handed it cut with the remark
ut ism t much good, but don't know
as it ought to be- My husband only paid
ten dollars for it"
| found out that her name was Allen;
that she lived within a dozen miles Of
where the Arnoids had been murdered; |
that on the morning after the murder, a.
near rs 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.
] found byquestioning that the stranger
had continued on the road to the west, ,
and that if he kept on he must have struck
the railroad after an hours travelling.
was convinced that this was the murderer ,
and that he had made a long journey on
the highway in order to battle pursuit and
hide his trail.
But it was little comfort to know it, as
so many months had passed that the man I
might now be in Europe Or under ground
| took the lady's address, allowed her to
retain the watch which | knew had be- '
lOnged to the Arnods, and again lost the '
case for several months. | wrote over |
fifty letters, travelled three or four thou 9
sand miles on the lockout for big man t
and nothing came of it. But one day (
when approaching the village of Newfeld, t
N. Y, by stage, two conspicuous looking '
chaps got into the vehicle, and they were |
my only company. knew them to be {
flash, us soon as | saw their faces, and t
their talk went to prove it. | pretended {
to be very deaf as soon as they got in, not '
replying to any OF their questions. as. |
sumed the tone of voice generally used by /
the deaf, held my hand to my ear, and {
moved over and expressed my regrets if
had offended them, saying that could not
even hear the rumble of the coach.
Good" exclaimed one of the men, as
sat down ut the other end of the vehicle. t
"NOw you can 90 on with your yarn"
Before proceeding, the other one called
me an old fool, thief, robber, and var-
Gus other things, closely watching my
countenance TO see if | could hear his
words.
"The old smooth. bore is as deaf as
stone" he remarked, having satisfied :
himself as to my deafness, and then he =
went on with narrative which had been .
interrupted :
on ascertained that they were on
their way to Penfeld, to rob merchant.
They had everything arranged to commit i
the crime the next night, and the one who
had "put up" the plan gave all the de-
tails as to how the robbery was to be !
committed, where they would run" to, !
and gave guess as to each ones share.
"What about Luke?" inquired the :
other, after the plot had been fully dis
cussed.
ooh, Luke will be there on time," re.
piled the man. "He has kept devilsh
shady since that business at l., but
now wants to make haul and dig out for
the far West. You needn't fret-we can
depend upon him." i
Before we got into the village the men
tried me again, but | could not hear ex-
cspt when they shouted in my ear, and
they were sure that the conversation had /
been strictly private. While they put up
at the hotel, went TO the house of a
deputy sheriff, intending to remain con- I
cealed all the next day. had, of course,
to state my business to the officer, as must |
have his aid, and he, the simpeton that q
he was, related the whole story to his wife !
after they had retired. Thus it naturally :