Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-11-28
THE WOUNDED HAND.

Office, behind my desk, when our chief en-
tered the room with letter in his hand.
and addressed me with an invitation to
undertake the unraveling of a mystery
which had baffied the local police of T.
l consented, and departed for the scene of
the crime which had been committed,
much limited, however, as to the time l
was allowed for spending-on the case.
Two hundred and fifty thousand marks
had been stolen from the widow of we'll
connected man named Friedow. Her villa
stood outside the gates of a small town, and
the lost property consisted chiefly in cou-
pons and such value together with a little
coin. Her babit was to keep all papers of
importance as well as money in chest of
drawers beside her bed. Her sleeping
room was situated on the first floor. and
had bat one window, which looked out
upon the yard. Her confidential friends
had often advised Frau Friedow to keep
her gold, at least, in some safer place, but
she had always resisted such counsel. and
put no faith in banks or bankers As to
the safe, she had averred that if robbers
did ever modest her, unless her tlusty dog
and her faithful Frederick. who was her
factotum and the only male person upon
her little property. could not protect her.
an iron box would avail little beyond, per
haps, delaying the thieves in laying hold
on what they wanted.
On the night of the 9TH of May the poor
lady was suddenly awakened about y
O'Clock. Her room was illuminated. Be
fore her bed stood q small, thin man. with
lantern in his left hand and a Ratchet in
his right
In rough, disguised voice he threatened
TO knock out her brains if she so muct as
ventured TO utter sound. The unfortu-
nate Frau was already voiceless from alarm.
This speech could scarcely make her more
quiet, hut she could use her eyes, and did
so for the next few seconds while her visit
ors remained with her. She.saw that the
speaker wore black hose, o blue blouse and
mask, and that two more men were busy
in the background, breaking open her chest
of drawers. In the farthest back division.
covered over by stockings yarn and fax,
lay round TIN case, in which she kept her
movable treasures. She was Just recover
ing herself sufficiently TO begin thinking
about risking her life by calling for help,
when the smothered yelling of q dog was
heard without. The thieves had found
what they wanted, however, and sprang
WIN II W INC WluuONt one StlSn OF winch
was open. They threw themselves on a
ladder without and descended to the
ground while the third man still kept
guard beside the bed. Frau cried % Help,
help with all her might.
= on may scream as long rs YOU like
now, he Inuttered, turning away and fol-
lowing the others from the room.
Frederick appeared at this instant, hav-
ing been awakened by the noise. He
found the ladder still in its place, and be-
low was Just in time to save the life OF the
house dog which had been almost choked
by cord twisted round his neck, fastening
him to his kennel. The man-servant
reused up the neighbors, but all Pursuit,
then or later, by friends privately or by the
police publicly, had been in vain. Not the
least clue had hitherto been obtained as to
the identity Of the housebreal;ers
This was how the matter stood when |
arrived at T. When l had privately
communicated with the magistrates. my
second visit was naturally paid to Frau
Friedow. ! sought everywhere for any
special indications which might put me on
the right track, but what / found was des-
perately little. Like those that had gone
before me, ! concluded that the robbery
mad, at any rate, been accomplished bv
persons well acquainted with the locality.
as entrance to the premises had been made
by small door in the yard, of the very
existence of which many of the neighbors
were unaware. y pane OF glass had been
smashed in the window of the bedroom to
enable one of the assailants to slip back
the bolt. A few footprints had been traced
but there was nothing remarkable about
their appearances, and they had been lost
at once upon the htgh-road or street upon
which the little courtyard opened
one thing seemed alone certain amid the
maze Of perplexity the househreakers
must be sought from among neighbors
servants, friends, or relations. Now the
nelghbor theory, upon an Investigation
seemed utterly futile. and one glance at old
Frederick was enough TO make one dismiss
all thoughts connected with tie second
item in the list
There remained the friends and relations
III the habit of visiting at the villa. The
widow had not the faintest suspicion OF
foul play in any of these; nevertheless, /
made her describe and closely partcularize
them to me- l took up half dozen mag
mary scents | ran hither and thither. |
telegraphed IN various directions. |
worked, in fact, in the sweat of my brow
but, alas the result was simply nothing,
nothing, nothing. never before had been
SO utterly puzzled and hopelessly at fault.
On the fourth day of my residence at
T. l went again to the villa, where the
widow greeted me with eyes full Of ex-
pection. " Frau Friedow." | said. it
seems to me hardly possible that YOU are
utterly without suspicion in every quarter.
There must surely be some one or other on
whom your mind has fixed if it were but
for second. Confess it is so. and confide
in me-
=" assure you I have not shadowy
thought such as you describe, she renlied
in much disappointed tone.
And has nothing more struck Won
about these men you saw in your room
than you have already mentioned? One
remembers things on due consideration
which have often been overlooked before.
Did you notice no.peculiarity about any OF
the scoundrels, in the voice, for instance.
the way Of standing, the hands of him who
held the ak? Had he on a ring? Did he
look rough like the others?"
There was one little thing may not
have told YOU before she replied SLOWLY.
g 1t was scarce worth telling. When the
two fellows ran off down the ladder with
my little case the window slipped down as
they disappeared. The third man nushed
1t up again to go after them, but in so doing
| think he must have put his hand through
the broken pane, and have hurt it with the
glass, in his haste. l certainly heard him
mutter TO himself, as if he was in distress. +"
Was there no trace of blood left ?" l
asked, anxiously
None whatever"
l began investigating anew, and this
time with the doctor of the district We
got into lively discussion upon wounded
hands and particularly upon hurts inflicted
by glass. By degrees l acquired the. to me,
very interesting fact that some three weeks
since, when the medico was riding home 10
breakfast after an early call, strange man
had suddenly appeared in the highway and
mplored his help. He complained of hav-
ing fallen upon heap of broken glass. and