, 1883-12-08
A HOTEL MYSTERY.

A HOTEL MYSTERY.
In the latter part of April, 1873, l
went to the Metropolitan hotel in
New York, which is situated at the
corner Of Broadway and Prince
street, and was assigned to room
"242." This room fronted on Prince
street and was about ten feet wide
by fifteen long with an Above for the
bed adjoining the main hall, while a
narrow hall led from the main hall
to the room by the side Of the alcove.
l am thus particular in describing
The room because it has a direct
bearing upon the story l shall relate.
The room has but one window, and
beside that is the fireplace, and both
together take up the entire wall
space. An old-fashioned bureau
stood by the window on the left hand
on entering the room. A stationary
wash-stand; with a movable gas
burner above, was placed between
the bureau and the door leading into
the little hall. A rather faded Brus-
sells carpet covered the floor, and 4
small oval handicapped table stood
in the center Of the room. A couple
of easy chairs and two plain chairs
also stood about. On the right hand
side Of the room was n wardrobe
near the foot Of the bed, just outside
the alcoTe, and between that and the
fireplace was lounge. This COM
pleted the furnishing Of the room.
Ihad arrived from a railroad jour
ney and was very tired, but in su-
perb health. Inever was one likely
to indulge in visions; and | wish it
distinctly understood that am not
a Spiritualist, and do not believe in
spiritual manifestations in any way.
| relate what have to say just as it
happened, leaving the explanation
to any one who can explain it.
Iarrived, as l shy, and was gwen
this room. had my dinner served
in the room, and sat there until
nearly midnight writing letters, and
then calling the bell-bOy and giving
him the letters, I closed and locked
the outer hall door, and then the
inner one, and after looking at sew
eral photographs Of friends, ] left
them and my writing materials on
the table, and went to bed, first as
surfing myself that there was no pos
sibility Of any one entering the room
by the window. There were no
transOms, only a sort Of window
blind slat-wOrk over the head Of the
bed for air. Ileft the gas turned up
slightly, and the little table by the
side Of the stationary wash-stand,
where had drawn it for the sake
of light, there being no other burner
in the room.
Being very healthy, tired, and not
troubled by a bad conscience or di-
gestion, l went to sleep almost as
soon as was comfortably settled in
bed, and 1 do not know how long l
slept. Suddenly | woke and sat bolt
upright in bed, and saw two men in
the room. The light was bright,
and they were seated at the right
hand side Of the room at the foot of
my bed. One was on the sofa and
the other on chair, and the little
handicapped table was between
them, and on this table they were
playing euchre. heard no words,
but knew it was euchre, because l
understand that game fairly well
myself.
He who was sitting, or rather re-
clining, on the sofa was a delicate
looking man, like one in poor health,
and he was dressed in a light suit Of
clothes. He had thin reddish hair
and struggling beard. His forehead
was unusually broad and high, and
the rest of his face was so thip that
the pointed beard gave him9 a pc
culiarlook. His hands were longand
thin, and his left wrist was mis-
shapen, as II it had once been broken
and badly set.
The other man was stout, dark,
with piercing black eyes, and eye
brOws which seemed to stand out
straight. His hair was straight and
thick and very black and shining.
His mustache was thick and droop-
ing. At one corner Of the mouth
l can'tremember which-was a lit
tie scar like letter V in shape, and
his face and chin had that peculiar
blue tihge that some dark men have
when newly shaved. He was hand
some, withal. He was dressed in
dark clothing. They had played out
one hand and had played one trick
on the next, when 1 noticed they
seemed angry and quarreling, though
Iheard no sound, and in an instant
the dark man quickly drew a knife
and stabbed the other in the left
breast. The knife penetrated to the