The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1885-10-30
.'Early this mornir 8, when was not on

duty"
"Did anybody occupy the room during th
evening""
"No--yes-let me see," he replied, glanein
over the regster--"lIere is the name OF Harve
Elton. i remember now. He was withou
baggage, and paid for the room In advance say
ing that ne wanted to be called ut three O'Clock
The porter went up at that hour, bat the doc
was open andthe bed had not been slept In
The other clerk told me he gave the same room
to Mr. Brown because he wanted front yoom.
edo You remember the appearance OF El
Ton 7"
"Yes-rather small man, with very full
| black beard"
Henry Collins was a small man but had nj
beard OF course my suspicious were fused o:
him as soon as discovered his name ON tn,
| margin OF the newspaper, yet never dreamed
that he was capable of committing a crnae-
| 1t was about midnight that Henry Collins
| told me that Mr. Bradley had been in but
| very few moments. i now remembered that
the body was cold and rigid when l first wen
in, and hastehed away TO- meet the surgsor
| who had made the examination five minutes
| later.
| l had the luck to find hm soon, and in reply
| to my inquiry he stated shat Bradley must have
been dead two hours when he was called.
"Have the detectives found any clue r he
| asked.
'Not that am aware Of" I replied, and
| LODh HIY lcuVCs
| My first step now was to go to a" establish
ment in which Collins was employed aud In
| quire for him. ] did so and was told that he
| had asked and obtained leave of absence to
| visit Trenton. next started for his house
which was half mile distant, carefully look.
| ing up and down every street crossed. l had
| made half the distance when caught a glimpse
of the very man was looking for. He was
| coming toward me on one of the cross streets,
showing that he had come directly from his
house. He carried a valise, and by his side
walked small, rough looking man whom
did not know, and with whom he was converS-
ing earnestly. went few steps to meet
them, and was within few yards of them be-
fore Collins saw me.
All, how are you Mr. Collins !" said.
lie started visibly, but on recognizing me
seemed to regain his composure and answered
my salutation. He would have passed on but
l detained him by passing in front Of him and
opening a conversation.
"Going travelling 7" said l.
eyes; to New Haven"
"Wouldn't it be just as well to 60 to Tren-
ton !" ] asked significantly.
He turned pale, and in voice that qaivered
porceptby.
"Great Heaven, Mr. Whitmire, what do you
mean now :"
81 mean that you and your friend must 60 to
the station with me-"
With a look of despair on his white face that
/ shall never forget, he dropped his valise and
staggered few steps to an awning post, which
he held to for support.
At the same moment his companion turned to
dart away, but, luckily, two men, who had
lust stopped on the side walk to talk, stopped
directly in his path and his movements became
confused l reached him in one bound and
seized him by the collar, warning him not to
resist. He was thoroughly cowed, while Col
Inns had too little strength left in him to es'
cape.
In five minutes marched them into the sta
ton, together with the valise, and had them
locked up in separate cells. / then told the
captain the whole story. He was disposed to
think, at first, that had made blunder; but
on questioning the two prisoners, and especially
on examining the valise and finding large sum
of money in it, he concluded that l had caught
the right men, and so distanced the regular de-
tectives.
1t proved to be so. and the two men were daily
convicted of murder on evidence that was be-
yond all dispute. Indeed, when Collins lost all
hope of escaping the gallows, be was so broken
down that he made full confession, giving
the following account OF the
crime:
The stories of Bradley's great wealth had first
put it into his head to rob him. By watching
for long time from back window be had dis.
covered the nature Of the fastenlngs by which
the back door and gates were secured. He was
not bold enough to undertake the task alone,
but he knew certain bad character named
Kevern, to whom be conlided his scheme, de-
scribng the fastening on Bradley's gate and
door and asking him If he thought he could
Force them.
Kevern said he could, and readily entered into
he plot. They went to work little after dark
)ne night when they knew that Bradley had
zone out; but the fastenings of the rear door
esised much longer than they had expected,
ind they had but fairly succeeded in entering |
When Bradley came in at the front door, locked |
t, and lighted his candle.
Dot rmined not to be foiIed now, they rushed |
lpon the old man and struck him down with |
he tools they had been using. This, it seems,
vas between and 10 o'clock.
They then ransacked the house, finding con-
iderable money, chiefly in bank notes. The |
after were in disOrdered condition, and to |
make compact bnndle OF them, Collins hasti. |
y tore in two the fatal newspaper, which he |
,hanced to have in his pocket, using one-half
o wrap his sroils in, and in his nervous haste
eaving the other on the floor.
In order to examine their plumber at leisure |
hey went to tine hotel alluded to where one of |
hem engaged a room to which he repaired and
n which he was soon joined by the other. Both
II them were disguised, a portion of Collins be-
ng false beard.
hat night that he would not take any OF the
,lunder home with him, and so, after counting
he money, he entrusted it to Kevern, for the
light, with the understanding that they should
meet next day, take trip to New Haven, and
here deposit bis share in the bank in bis own
anne, or any name he might wish to assume.
When Kevern made a package Of the money
gain he picked up fragment Of another news
aper he found in the room, leaving that bear
ng Collins name lying upon the floor. 1t was
hortly after Collins return home that night
hat he called my attention to poor Bradley's
ouse, 'oolishly thinking that by SO doing he
'ould not come within the range of suspicion.
Collins died before the Gay appointed for his
but Kevern paid the extreme penal
of the law.
1t was in this case which l worked upon my
wn account, and in which | was largely as
sted by mere chance, that gave me place on
he detective force, and l have bet n pretty sue
ssfur ever since. Many man has worked
arder and displayed more sagacity than did
a that occasion without accomplishing So great
I end,