Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-06-04

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 fashioned gold watch belonging
to Arnold, which was out OF repair, and
chiefly preserved az an heirloom. A
dozen persons could identify the watch,
| if found and here was something 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 acquaint.
ance, gave him some pennies, and
hen asked him what he saw.
"You zee, began the child very
gravely, III heard grandpa talking and
getting up, and then ! saw big rob.
Der Jump up and hit him with an 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 of, and then went to
sleep"
| dreaded to ask him how The man
looked, for much depended on his ans
wer. But he was ready with his reply,
and all my cross questioning could not
alter his statement.
"Big MANFRED collar (necktie) on
great big breast pin--like Mr. Johnson
there--shining ring on bis fnger-one
eye almost shut up"
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 oonstablos talk
ed to him for ten minutes, and then
questioned him as TO the appearance Of
the man; but the story was the same ~
he told me nj first. Several of uswrote
il down and l charged the Child to re-
member it.
/ was convinced that the murderer
was stranger in that part Of the
country. No one had seen him come
or go; no one knew the hour of his ar
rival or departure, and he had left no
clue Misunderstanding 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 tho stage drivers, but they
could give no satisfaction. | went to
the railroad station but no one could
remember having remarked the pres
ence of q stranger on that night. The
murderer had arrived and departed
like bird.
| was considerably discouraged in
not striking his trail, but determined
10 pursue the case until had found the
criminal. Visiting Pttsburg aud Har-
risburg laid my plans to trap him if he
tried 10 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 transacting other detective bust
ness, but had failed to find the least
clue. Then one day got trace.
| was riding on the cars of the Penn
sylvnnia Central railroad, when | OBJ
served an old lady shaking gold watch
In her hand, and then holding il to her
ear to see If il would run. Crossing
over to her | asked to look Mt the
watch and ahe handed it out with the
remark:
at isn't much good, but don't
know as II ought TO be. My husband
only paid $40 for it."
/ found out that her name was Allen,
that she lived within dozen miles of
where the Arnolds had been murdered;
that on the morning after the murder,
M near IN she could remember, her
husband had purchased watch OF
traveller on the highway, who was look
ing for work and out of money. She re-
mcmbered 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 action.
l found by questioning that the
stranger had continued on the road to
the west, and that if he kept on he
must have struck the railroad after m
hours travelling. | am convinced that
this was the murderer, and that no had
made a long journey on the highway in
order to battle pursuit and hide his
trail.
But il was little comfort to know it M
80 many months had passed that the
man might now be in Europe or under
ground. | took the lady's address, al
lowed her to retain the watch | knew
had belonged to the Arnolds, and
again lost the case for several months.
wrote over fifty letters. travelled three
or four thousand miles on tho lookout
for big man and nothing came of it.
But one day when approaching the vii
lage Of Dewfeld, N. u, by stage, two
suspicious locking chaps got into the
vehicle, aud they were my only COM
pany. knew them to be "Hash" ~
soon as | set my eye on them, and
their talk went to prove it. / pretend
cd to be very deaf rs soon rs they got in
not replying to any Of their questions,
| assumed the tone of voice generally
used by the deaf, and moved and ex-
pressed my regrets if | had otiened
them, saying that could not even
hear the rumble of the coach.
Good" exclaimed one of the men,
NJ sat down ut the Other end Of the
vehicle. "Now you can go on with
your yarn"
But before proceeding, tho other one
called me an old fool, ~ thief, u robber,
and various other things, closely watch.
ing my countenance TO see II ! could
hear his words.
"rhe old smooth bore Ia as denf ns n