The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1881-10-08
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.

~ lntO cdCl OtutI Inc u COupic vi Guy
wheels" said John T. Morris, who is
an experienced detective of Spring
field, Ohio.
"Give us n story, Uncle John"
mot long ago there resided in
Franklin county wealthy old maid,
Miss Sabina Smith. BY Inheritance
she was the possessor of a large
farm. on which there was an old fash
toned though comfortable dwelling
house. She was reputed to have
good, square bank account"
allow old is sheg"
swell, on the shady side of 20, but
she had weakness like all old maids,
not for kittens, poodles or canaries,
but for children. She had raised
several orphan girls, who are now
we'll settled in life. In 1865 she
adopted six-yearold, black-eyed
girl, bright as button, named Mol
lie McCan, whose father had fallen in
battle fighting for his flag and coun-
try, while her mother, crazed with
grief, pinned and faded away. Mollie
soon learned to love her new mother,
and from prattling maid in short
clothes and pinafores she soon
bloomed forth into gushing school
girl, and at eighteen was the belle of
every rustic gathering-the pretty
Miss Mollie McCan, over whom the
boys raved and the girls envied. To
all her admirers she turned q deaf
ear, and with pretty toss of her
head and a merry twinkle of her
rougish eye, babe them be off and
not bother her.
miss Smith was sensible, knew
that Mollie would probably marry
and have home of her own some
day, so she neither discouraged her
fondness for society nor harped upon
the miseries of welded life in the
maiden's ear, but when she came
back from the State fair at Columbus
in 1878, and told her adopted mother
about the young gentleman she had
met, his attentions and good quail
ties, Miss Smith was not please1 nor
did she hesitate to frown her displeas-
ure, and advise her ward to turn a
willing ear to the many suitors Of the
neighborhood instead of seeking in
far-otf fields that which was nearest
home.
"But Mollie was like many anoth-
er-struck on a travelling man, and
she carried on a secret correspond
encc with him through lady friend
for long time, until at last they
were engaged.
Miss Smith and Mollie were the
sole occupants Of the house. The
bedrooms were four in number, two
of which were used as spare rooms,
one occupied by Miss Smith and con
tanning two beds, Mollie occupying
one, Miss Smith the other The
fourth bed room was called Mollie's,
but was only used by her when a
lady friend was visiting her. In one
of these spare bedrooms was an old
fashioned bureau and book case com
bined, the top drawer Of which could
be converted into desk. The back
part of this drawer was fitted up
with small drawers. One of these
drawers had from time immemorial
been used as a money drawer. In
the summer of 1879, the sum of $685.
was missed from the drawer In the
summer of 1880 5000 mysteriously
disappeared, together with some old
gold coins which had been in the
family for over a century.
"On May Goth Miss Smith loaned
neighbor $500, giving him her
check and he signing note in her
favor. Sickness prevented his pre-
senting the check at the bank in Co
lumbns, and, learning that Miss
Smith was going to that city on the
both, he requested her to get it
cashed. She did so, and returned
with Mollie about dark on that
day, having the money all in 800
bills.
"The house was all securely locked
down stairs, and Miss Smith deposit
ed the $500 in the secretary drawer,
closed the drawer, locking it and
placing the key in the bureau drawer
beneath. She then locked the room
containing the bureau, and placed
the key under some quilts that lay in
wardrobe in her bedroom. Before
retiring she locked her bedroom door,
and she and Mollie retired for the
night in separate beds in the same
room. The next morning, May, 81,
the neighbor who had borrowed the
money, having long journey to per-
form, during which he expected to
make payment on some land he
had purchased, called as early as 5
o'clock, before Miss Smith and Mol
lie had arisen.
awakening Miss Smith she took
her key from the wardrobe, unlocked
the bedroom, then taking the bureau
drawer key from the under drawer of
the secretary, opened this to find the
money gone. She went down stairs,
everything was locked and bolted as
she had left it the night before"
"Who took the money!
"That was the question that con-
fronted me. There were no signs Of
burglary, no locks forced, windows
and doors ali right. No ore else in
| Az I..-1 LA NT.-x<C. lit -. =, NIL