Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-02-16
Select Story.
MEDUSA.
A Detectives Experience.

"What a creature!"
The words sprung invoIuntarily tc
the lips of the observer as an old wo.
man hobbled past Age had rendered
dlscrepit her frame and wrinkled hei
face, but there was look out of hel
hollow eyes that made one shudder.
Eyes, a strange woman, and with g
history, too, said Mr.. f.
"You know her, them"
eyes"
"Who is she?'
"a murderess.
ais 1t possible?"
"Perhaps | should not say as much
but will tell you her history.
"lt has not been many years agc
since she lived with her husband, hon.
ored, and respected by every one
They had no children of their own
but had adopted a child from the or
phan asylum. 1t was winsome crea,
ture with laughing blue eyes and /.
merry smile that won insensible OF
your heart. Years passed away, AMI
the orphan girl grew into a beautiful
woman. Every one loved her, and So
ciety lavished on her caresses whic
only its bellies received. But the gra,
ces of her mind were not exec ,led b
her personal beauty. B Iii ut an,
fascinating, there was ever aoout he,
that charm which wins on the hear
while it pleases the senses. 1t is no
surprising that her protector love,
her as if she had been his own child
but it was the love of fether oniv
But somehow his vile grew Jealous 0
the child she had reared, and this sen
tlment on,e excited can never be .
peased. She may not have been ba,
woman, yet that passion made her in
sensible to every just and charltab
emotion. Unsuspectlng and lovin
as one SO clrcumstanced would be, tn
girl lavished upon both the alfectio
her real parents would have obtained
But 1t had no power to disarm the fa
tai cruelty Of a hear. maddened b,
suspicion. Her caresses were tortur,
and sight of her at last became insup
portable, Strange to say, the object OF
this hostility never dreamed of its ex-
lstence; And as trhes light as al
are to the jealous minded confirmation
strong as proofs from holy writ SO the
natural affection anu innocent love o.
this young girl were made the mean,
OF confirming suspicious that at las
destroyed her life.
You have often seen the hon,
where they lived. 1t is small two
story dwelling. The chamber o
Louise adjoined that of Mr.. T-ano
his wife, but the door to it opened
from the hallway which ran alongsid,
OF both of them. The only means Of
access was from window which
looked out into the courtyard. This
could only be reached by means of 8
ladder.
One morning the whole community
was startled by the announcement thai
Louise Raynor had been murdered
Mr.. |. and myself were among the
first who entered the house. The
door had been broken OPEN, but every.
thing remained as before. The young
creature, scarcely twenty, lay upon
the bed as if in sleep. The golden
hair fell like floss on the pillow; the
face was chill and white, but never
more beautiful.
The long lashes rested lovingly on
the cheek, and the blue-veined lids,
palely tinted now, looked as if they
were ready to lift from sunny eyes.
No sculptor ever chiseled form so
fair. The drapery that hid her did
not Conceal its delicate outlines, nor
the contour of the rounded limbs A
cash in the bosom and crimson stain
ds osed where the treacherous blow
had been dealt. 1t had found her
heart-that sharp avenglng STEEL
even as she slept. The young life
had passed without struggle, and the
scream that the lips had opened to ut.
ter was lost in smile.
The door Of her room had been
locked, and no answer being returned
when she was called in the morning
the door had been forced open. The
key was on the inside. The window,
however, was open. The murderer
must have gained access through it,
many thought. My conclusion led to
a different theory.
lsoon became satisfied from all I
could learn from the servants and the
statements of Mr.. T-that
she had committed the deed. Still
there was no proof of it, and I was
equally satisfied there would be none.
She had been far too cunning to leave