Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-01-05
THE MYSTERY OF HOLLY HOUSE.

| In the romantic ana picturesque region Ol
the White Mountains stands large, fine no.
tel, which once was tie popular resort for
miles around for tourists and summer board.
ers, whom the beauty and healthfulness of the
place brought to that vicinity. --
Holly House was known far and near as
furnishing the best accommodations, the most
courteous attention and greatest amount OF
pleasure excursions of any hotel in or about
the place. Yet Holly House stands to day
empty and gloomy and forbid
ding-among its joyous sister hotels; for
around it clusters the horrors Of mysterious
tragedy which cannot be forgotten.
The story is as follows In the summer OF
1877, Holly House was filled with more than
its usual number Of wealthy and fashionable
guests. Among the number was Mrs. James
Hunter, with her two daughters, Beatrice and
Theodore. ,.6f...a ....
Beatrice, or Trix, as she was called by rel
atives and intimate fieads, was quiet girl
of twenty-three or folT.,father plain, though
lady.like and attractive in manner. Theo,
on the contrary, was beauty one of those
beauties of whom one cannot tire-a beauty
made up of ripping smiles. girlish bushes
that came and went on the sparkling, chang
ing face, and the joyous laugh and springng
step of unconscious, happy girlbood.
Yes, Theo was glad, always welcome,
creature,a a universal favorite, the young low
ing her for her ever ready and genial spirits,
the old for the sweet touch Of reverent respect
and kindliness which marked her intercourse
with her elders. And yet on this sweet and
happy girl fell the terrible tragedy of Holly
House.
On the night of the nineteenth of August,
a grand hop had been given at the hotel !;
Trix and Theo were both present. Trix, who
was passionately fond Of dancing, enjoying
herself in the ball room, Theo more fond Of
the romantic and sentimental, spending the
evening strolling up and down the piazza or
chatting in some remote or moon-lit Corner,
now with this one, now with that
AS the hour grew later Trix sought out her
sister, and finding her comfortably ensconced
in a corner talking with young Harry Gard
ner, warned her Of the lateness of the hour,
and advised her in kind, eldersisterly ly man.
ner, to retire. ....
T,.eo promised to obey in FIVE minutes; so
Trix left her and retired to her own room.
The FIVE minutes had heightened into a
half hour when Theo came upstairs hum
ming gayly.
ood.night, Trix ]" she cried, rapping
lightly on her sisters door as she passed.
"Good.night, Theo I" was the response /;
then Theo passed down the hall to her own
room, and Trix, heard the door shut and fas-
tened behind her.
In the morning Trix was late at breakfast !;
but late as it was Theo was still later, not
having yet appeared below stairs. Ten
o'clock came and passed, and the half hour
had rung from the parlor clock, when Trix,
growing uneasy, raped at the door of her
sisters room. No response greeted her sum-
mons. Growing thoroughly alarmed, she
called for aid and demanded that the door be
forced.
1t was done, and the sight which met their
eyes was horrible to witness. Theo was sit
ting before the dressing bureau, her hair
hanging about her shoulders. quite dead.
The expression of her face was one Of unspeak-
able horror the eyes were starting from
their sockets, and about the fair, white neck
were the marks of eight fingers, showing how
poor Theo had met her DEATH Her dress had
been removed-evidently before anything had
occurred to disturb her, as it was carefully
turned wrong side out and laid across chair,
beneath which stood the little white shoes.
Upon one foot was found a black slipper
from which the buckle and bow were miss
ing; the other slipper could not be found.
No sign Of a struggle was to be seen. The
murderer had probably stolen upon his vic
tim as she sat before the mirror brushing her
hair and the death.grip was upon her throat
when she first saw his face in the glass.
Nothing of value was missing as far as
could be determined, though at the other end
of the room were several articles taken from a
drawer in table; feather torn to shreds,
some lace pair of gloves, and also the mis-
sing bow of the slipper, with its buckle bro
ken in half, and the hair brush which the
dead girl would seem to have been using
The door-the only door in the room-was
found as before stated, securely locked, and
both windows were closed, though not fastened
A noted doctor examined the body, and de-
cided that the unfortunate girl must have met
her terrible fate within an hour after going to
her room-that is, about two o'clock.
thoroughly examined the room, but were un-
able to find the slightest clew to the mystery.
No theory as to the way the murderer left the
room could be given. No human being could
scale smooth perpendicular wall Of forty feet
with nothing to give foothold, and nothing
save flag pole ten feet distant was there to
afford the slightest help.
Trix, being sworn, testified to what has
already been stated.
Harry Gardner swore that he had sat upon
the piazza with the murdered girl until late
hour-could not tell exactly how late
thought about one o'clock; it might have
been later. Theo had refused to remain lon-
ger; had hidden him, goodnight, and ran
up stairs humming as she went.
Cross.examined, confessed that he had &C.
ccmpanied the girl to the head Of the first
flight of s;airs-kissed her when he bade her
good night-went down the hall to the left
toward his own room, while Theo ran up the
hall to the right and up another flight Of
stairs. Was not engaged to Miss Hunter
had known her about two years ; never had
written to her in his life
Mr.. Rowland was sworn.
II am boarder in the hotel was upon the
piazza until late hour on the night Of the
nineteenth. Saw Miss Hunter and Mr. Gard
ner sitting in the corner heard them laugh,
but could not hear their conversation should
Judge it was agreeable from the tones of the
voices looked at my watch lit was ten min
utes after one. Was near enough to touch
the young lady as she passed me to 60 up
stairs; started to 60 up also; heard them
! ,uhisnnr ON the fret landinn then heard her