Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1883-07-26
DETECTIVE SKETCHES.

A card, bearing the name of Miss
Clara Howe" was handed TO Varnoe
in his Office.
"Let the lady come in,n he said to
Mrs. Harris, and directly after pretty
girl of about seventeen summers en-
tered, making graceful bow on see
ing the gentleman rising from his seat.
"You are Mr.. Varnoc, | presumed"
said she, with faint color rising in her
check.
"At your service" replied yarnoe,
bowing.
1--WE are alone rc-pcrfcctly pri-
ate, / mcan?" asked she, glancing
round the room.
"Perfcctly so, madam" was the re-
sponse.
The lady took the scat proilcrcd her,
after which tho detective also seated
himself and awaited her pleasure. AT
ter momentary hesitation she began:
"a have called on you to aid me in
exposing q dcep-laid plot to dcfraud
mo out of portion of a legacy left me
by deceased uncle.
"Name the parties and state the
means employed" said he.
81 shall begin my story from the
period that first saw us inmates of Mrs.
lIull's boarding house." said she, "for
really believe that the plot was con-
ceived at that date.
"Mrs. Lucretia Hull Keeps n fashion
able boarding house at N Walnut
street, and my uncle and took suite
of three rooms there. But forgot to
mention that my uncle was my mother S
brother, and his name was Francis
Rowland. He was n man of consider
able means and y bachelor. am his
nearest relative, and he had given me
to understand that would be his heir
after his death-that, with the cxcep-
ton of n few small legacies to some of
his old friends, the entire fortune would
all to me.
"Uncle Rowland was afflicted with
heart. disease, and made no secret of it.,
hence, before we were with Mrs. Hull
one week she knew that the wealthy
old bachelor, Mr.. Rowland, was liable
to pass away suddenly nj any moment,
"OW landlady had brother board
ing with her, man of the same age,
apparently as my uncle, and possess
ing the same complexion and style of
face and figure. He soon became in
innate with my relative. and they fire.
quently played friendly game of
checkers in my unclc'S room until a
late hour at night.
"Mrs. Hull and her brother, Henry
Tetlow, when conversing with each
other, spoke German, alanguage | had
been taught when at boarding school,
and understood it well, better than
could speak it. | did not make il
known to them, however, and the con-
sequence was they frequently discussed
family affairs in my hearing which they
did not care to have generally known.
at was by this means that learned
that they had some secret designs on
my uncle, though could not readily
catch the drift of it, owing to the low
tone in which they spoke.
81 have found out since his death
what their object was. When it was
announced to Mrs. Hull that my uncle
had died during the night, she seemed
greatly shocked, and hastcnod to his
bedside and attempted to throw her.
self on his bosom.
81 looked astonished at such de.
monstration from q woman who had
known him but a few months, and as
| arrested her movement and remarked
that such proceeding on the part ol
n comparative stranger was uncalled
for. she turned and regarded me with
q melancholy countenance and said:
"Ah, Miss Clara! you do not know
what he was to me. Poor, dear Francis!
and she heaved heavy sigh.
"'What has he been to you?' asked
l, in surprise.
"'Ah, my dear, you will know in
time, was all the answer she made me,
and left my presence.
~ have maid" continued Miss
Howe, "and l acquainted her with the
singular behavior of our landlady. The
girl is an intelligent and faithful crea.
ture, and from the day we entered the
house she took a dislike to Mrs. Hull.
She pondered few moments on what
| had told her, then said:
" think this woman tried her best
to ingratiate herself into your uncle's
good graces while he was living, and il
wouldn't surprise mo il we found out
before long that she has played deep
part of some sort.
"Well, sir, both my fears and Ellen's
suspicious have proved correct. Mrs.
Hull now claims to be the widow OF
Francis Rowland, my late uncle"
"Is this mere assertion on her part,
or does she produce proof of what she
saysp" asked the detective.
"She showed mo q marriage cer-
tifcate, apparently genuine; it bears
the name of Francis Rowland and her
own, with tho name of Rev. Augustus
Brainard as the officiating clergyman. "
"Do you know of such q divineP"
when was your uncle buriedP"
"Three days ago."
HAS Mrs. Hull made any other
move sincep"
"Not to my knowledge. She gave
me to understand, however, that as
soon as my late unole's attorney had
arranged his affairs, she would make
known her claims in due form"
Every good" said varnoe, with a
reassuring smile, 81 shall do my best
to discover whether this is genuine
marriage or an attempt at fraud. Are
you still an inmate Of her housep"
asked he.
eyes, sir" replied the young girl,
| with oono,darohia e,,;r;t n,,d sLoll 90