Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-08-29
LURED TO HIS DOOM,
BY AN ENGLISH DETECKWE.

In bar room of all old house IN the
vicinity of London Bridge Railway Sta
ton man was found dead, hanging by
a small cord to a hook driven into the wall,
his feet resting on the floor.
BE was discovered some days after his
death, and by reason of the strong smell
sent forth from his decomposirg body.
He was a stranger, whom no one
knew, and why he should have come to
that place to commit suicide was a mys-
terry.
He was well-dressed, had gold
watch in his pocket, to which was at
tached heavy gold chain; he had dia-
mond stud in his shirt front, and clus.
ter ring of diamonds on one finger; he
had also pocket book on his person
containing over two hundred pounds in
bank notes.
It was therefore evident that he had
not committed suicide on account of pov.
erty, nor murdered for his money.
Was it suicide or was it murder?
There was no scrap of paper on his
person to tell who the stranger was, nor
his motive for the murderous deed, If be
did it.
The room, which was an upper story
of an old building, the lower portion of
which was occupied by a commission
agent, contained no article of furniture.
It had been rented about ten days
previous to rather venerable looking
man, who walked little lame and wore
goggles, who said he wanted. it for an
office for the sale of patent that would
soon become very popular with seargo-
ing people.
When questioned about the patent,
he said he would not then explain it,
but would have some things CD hand for
exhibition in the course of ten days or
two weeks.
The dead man was not the one who
had taken the room. however, and how
and when he had got access to tue
apartment no one knew.
There was an old-fashioned fireplace
in the room, and some paper ashes in
this attracted the attention of detec.
tive, who happened to be no other than
my humble self.
In turning over these ashes, discov-
cred two or three little bits of paper not
entirely consumed, and they had these
words written on them, though now
barely distinguishable:
found her and locked
private room
meet you station G.
Now, after reading these disjointed
sentences, began to study and ponder
them.
Might not this be portion of mes
sage sent to the dead man, to lure him
to the city for the purpose of putting
him out Of the way?
But for what motive?
All, that indeed l could not know
that was something to be found out after
serio Is investigation, in case one should
fbe ma lie.
examined the charred papers as we'll
as could, and reached the conclusion
that what I had read was q part of a
telegram which had been sent by some
body from London, and received by
somebody at a distance, and that either
the 81 nder or receiver intended to de.
stroy it.
Now, if the deceased had received it,
it must have been sent to him by some
body, and that somebody intended to
meet him, and probably did meet him,
at the railway station.
Well, then, where was that somebody.
and why had he allowed bis correspond
ent to visit that out of-the. way room
alone and commit suicide, without ever
going near him afterward?
And why should the man come to such
a place to kill himself?
And could he have found the room
without guide, and got access to it I'M
known to any one, if he were not the
man who had rented it in the first
place?
But then it was certain that he was
not the man unless he was disguised
when he hired it; and why had he gone
to all that trouble merely to hang him
self, when he could have done it quite as
effectually in ten thousand better
places?
No; look on it reason as I might
could not bring myself to believe that
the stranger hanging in that bare room
had put the rope around his own neck.
l told the coroner of my belief; but
whether he conceded with me or not, it
is certain his jury did not, for they
brought in verdict of suicide
The body was placed in the mortuary
for recognition, and requested that it
should be kept there as long as possible,
for had desire to see what could do
in working up the case.
started out with tho bits of paper I
iad secured, to see if could find at any
telegraph Office any message recently
sent of, embodying tho words I had
transcribed in their consecutive order.
I was soon fortunate in getting pos
session of what I believed TO be the
original message.
1t was addressed to Horace Granger,
1877 - ~ Street, Manchester, and read
as follows-the words found among the
paper ashes I enclose in brackets.
I have found her and locked her up
in [private room. Come on and use
parents authority. Take the last day
train, and I will inject you'll at London
Bridge station. T. = Il. ~@.G q. <
Judging from this, it was case of q
runaway daughter, whom &C." had
followed and captured in Londen, and