Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-06-12
THE CHILD WITNESS.


up from the gate is bordered with pinks and
moss.
should not speak so confidently; 1t is five
years since saw the village or the house, and
perhaps the awful tragedy enacted under the
moss-cOyered roof one night may have kept
the hose tenantless. and allowed time to tHm-
One day, In answer to telegram sent from
the nearest railroad station to La matter
of dozen miles rode Unto the quaint old vii
lage on the top of the stage and at once report
ed myself to the town authorities. Every in
habitant OF the village, even to the ragged
urchins sitting on the tavern porch, carried
known a double murder had been committed
the night before, could have read some news
almost as bad by glancing at the faces OF the
tOwDS-peOple.
While / was eating my supper at the only
hotel, the town clerk and the president of the
village sat opposite and told me the story. 1t
seemed that Arnold, who was nearly sixty years
old had two sons In another part OF the state,
and, wishing to divide up his property before
his death, had few days before the murder dis
posed of farm and some manufacturing inter-
eStS In Pittsburg, realizing several thousand
dollars In cash. He intended visiting the SoHS
and dividing the money between them, but had
placed IL In the village bank until he should be
ready to go. Mrs Arnold was old and gray
headed, and the couple would have been all
alone had 1t not been for Little Jack, as he was
called. child four years old. The child had
been abandoned by woman passing through
the village, and the ArnOlds had taken 1t for
company; IL fact, had made provision to adopt
IL
The night before at O'Clock citizen had seen
Arnold at his gate smoking pipe. No one
heard any alarm from the house during the
night, but about sunrise little Jack crept down
into the village, his night gown red with blood,
and told the first one he met, somebody had
hit grandpa and grandma on the head with an
axe"
There was an investigation, and the aged
couple were found at the house dead and terri
bly, mutfated. The old mans head was nearly
split in two, and Mrs. Arnold had horrible
md an bod a
almost instantly. The child was not in the
least injured. but seemed to have been badly
frightened.
Ing, but found that none of the sensational
points had been Overdrawn when reached the
house. The corpseS had been the subject of
c0ffins but the rooms had not been disturbed
A constable had been present all the time to
see that any clue that might have been left OF
the murderer should not be erased by care
less hands or feet
The room where the tragedy occurred was
double bedroom on the ground floor. It con-
the old lady alone and the other by the Old man
and Little Jack. The murderer had come In at
the back door, bringing along the axe from the
lighted a candle which stood on the stand, and
had been some time in the room bef0re using
the weapon; ! knew this because the top
drawer OF the old bureau was pulled out, its
contents were tumbled over, and there were no
bloody 1nger-marks on anything. The other
drawers were daubed with blood, showing that
he searched these after the murder.
Something had reused the old man from his
sleep. He had started to get out OF bed when
struck by an axe. The old lady had just heard
the noise when the cruel implement descended
on her head, the positions In which the DO lies
were found bearing out my theory. The night
had been chilly and Little Jack probably snug
ged down under the quilts and hal thus eS-
capped harm, though, as afterwards shown, he
had been silent witness of part of the pro-
ceedingS-
The murderer made thorough search of tn
house, taking his time about it He had frs
felt under the old mans pillow after money
and then under Mrs. Arnold'S daubing his
fingers with blood and leaving marks ON the
he rested his let hand on the pilio vs. wlile
searching with his right. and In every case
there were only four daubS or spots There
fingers down and hold up his thumb. No: the
thumb on the left hand was miSsing-cut or
at least at the first joint.
This was a Clue. and all my subsequent in
designations proved that was correct fn bsliev-
Ing SO. There was another thing. The man
had torn up the carpet OF the bedroom In sew
eral placeS;and had got out the Bible and looked
searched the clothing in the closet,
In his search that l knew he was no
ordinary offender. a common thief would have
fled after committing murder. or at most stop
ped only long enough TO search the bureau.
whoever the man was. he had not secured a
an old-fashioned gold watch belonging TO
Arnold, which was out OF repair, and chiefly
preserved as an heirloom. A dozen persons
could identity 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 acquaintance, gave him some pennies
and then asked him what he saw.
You see,r began the child. very gravely 81
heard grandpa talking and getting up, and then
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 grandpas
box In tne closet and then went of, aud then l
went TO sleep"
/ dreaded to ask how the man looked. for
much depended on his answer. But he was
ready with his reply, and all my cross q IeStion-
ing could not alter his statement.
" Big man-red collar (necktie) On-great big
Teastpin-red whiskers like Mr.. jackson there
shining ring on his f1nger-one eye almost shut
up
i tried to make little Jack believe that the
murderer had black hair AMI was a little man.
but ne stuck 70 his story Then one OF the
Tor 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 II down, and l charged the child to
remember il.
! 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 arrival or departure, and he had left no
clue behiDd-nothing but my theory that the
tnumO was missing from The lett hand. rode
out 10 the toll gates, but he had not been seen
TO pass. questioned the stage drivers but they
could give no satisfaction went to the railro I'd
station, but no one could remember having re-
marked the presence OF stranger on that night
The murderer had arrived and departed like
bird.
Twas considerably discouraged in not striking
his trail, but 1 was determined TO pursue the
case until there was no longer any hope, or un-
I'll had found the criminal Visiting Pittsblrg
and Harrisburg / laid my plans TO trap him II
he tried TO dispose or the watch. wrote letters
10 various officials and then could do no more
For six months had the case uppermoSt in my
mind, while tranSacting other detective blsf-
ness, but failed to find the least cew. Tnen
one day got a trace.
/ was riding on the cars OF the PENNSYLVANIA
Central railroad when observed an old lady
shaking gold watch In her hand and then
holding IL TO her ear TO see II it would run.
Crossing over TO her / asked TO look at the
watch, and she handed IL out With the re-
mark:
sit iSpt much good but / don't know as it
ought 10 be. My husband only paid $40 for
IT."
i found out that her name was Allen: that
she hyed within dozen miles OF where the Ar
Eolds had been murdered; that on the morning
aIter the murder, as near as she could remem
Der, Der hus band had purchased the watch of
traveller On the highway, who was looking for
work and out OF money. She remembered that
me man was large man, had red hair and full
IeaIu OF the same color, but could not say that
tons 1880 SN'FA~A0N' AA AN' ~
found by questioning that the stranger had
Soht tas on one ROAD 70 the west and that II