The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-12-09

place. This time 10 was Ut wealthy
farmer who lived some fifteen miles further
IAN this is most extraordinary" OBJ
srrved why did you not prolong the
watch ou the place."
80 We did" replied the coroner. "but
early one morning . stranger a man OF
gsasslemsnly gs sppearance, was found s;i d:ad
who he was; he had no jewelry or val
TABLES Of any kind about his person save .
diamond ring. Any letters he had which
might lead to his iden ifcation were doubt
less In whatever bag he may have carried,
which, 1t is needless to say, was not forth
case Of the peddler. The fact Is, the police
force hero are so bewildered that they
gave up the matter in despair, and ad-
mitted their incompetency to cope with
the mystery, and they recommen led that
your irm should be wired to send their
most efficient officer"
"Well, Mr.. Coroner" said I, "though the
case does look any thing but promising: l
shall do my best and have hopes from the
reck less persistency with which the muir
deiS have been perpetrated that shall un-
earth the desperado, or my name is not
We separated for the night to repair
to my hotel in the town on the understand
ing that the coroner was to come to me
whenever | should send for him, and that
should not be seen either entering his house
or the police precinct. I should here mon
disguised as a mechanic, carrying large
bag containing several suits OF various
descriptions. Ihad brought the bag in my
hand from the depot to the hotel, and after
having sent for the "aptain of police and
aScertained wnere the inqu .st was to be
held I! had seuntered to the place in .
casual sort of way and dropped in dis.
guised as u travelling preacher.
AS lay awak. for several hours that
night revolving in my mind what course
OF action should lopt, came to the con-
clusion, inasmuch as noue Of the victims
when found had their boots wet, that they
were when severaily overcome travelling
from St Rose East. and in the direction Of
the place where was at present sojourn-
ing. consequently that the murderer must
in all probability have come from the di-
rection OF the former town, and that I
should at present prosecute my investiga-
tions on that side of the river This to
some xtent simpliaei the case.
Another hypothesis l formed was that
possibly the several murders were COM
mitted by person disguised as a woman,
anil further one was that as the river was
described to me as being deep and sluggish
save Mt the ford and was overhung by
wooded eminences,the murderer may have
come from his lurking place in q boat anl
watching his victims come along tho road
.
hal joined in conversation with his
several victims. and had in an un-
guarded moment on the part OF each
OF them taken his life and then male
good his escape up the river with his plum.
dor, especially as he might possibly be seen
road. Whoever the murderer was, he must
have been q man of considerable deter
mination. cooness and intrepidi5y, I con.
cinded. lmade several other specuations
about the matter and fell asleep through
sheer mental weariness
On the folio wing day arrayed myself in
the attire of a con mercial traveller bear.
ing in my left hand black leather SQUARE
shaped bag, and having carefully exam.
ined tine priming of my revolver. which
carried in my coat pocket ready for use at
my left hand. l am ambidextrous, using
either hanI with aqual facility: carried q
thick stick in my right hand. could thus
on an emergency drop my bag and draw
my revolver with the left baud, or could
use the stick with the other.
Two hours OF stroll sufficed to cover the
distance of five miles between the town OF
Mineral Point and the river, and it was not
without sensation of treDidation that
reached the fatal ford. In the most incon-
sequent way, as trudgsd ankle deep
through the river, stepping whenever I
they presented thems elves above the water,
looked on either side Of me up the stream,
and fancied that I had never seen so
gloomy place. The boughs on the oppo-
site banks at either side Of the cartway
almost interlaced, and as the sky was
clouded the river appeared like an inky
pool, stagnant aim 3st, save in the place
where was crossing. /, ofcourse besto wed
little more than hasty glance around me,
with an affectation OF unconcsrn, and when
got to the opposite side of the stream
wipod my boots in the grass aui oceedei
tn al n rol u - so(,
I had another five miles to 60 before
should reach st. Rose East This last, 1t
may here be explained, is not on railroad
line, the nearest depot to it being at
small village about four miles further on.
The road l travelled was rather uuinte
ing; there were no hedges along it save in
the vicinity OF farm-houses, and there was
but one store on the way. Into this I on
tered, and calling for a glass Of beer sat
down on form to rest myself; that was
my avowed objs.t but it was in reality to
take stock Of the place and its owner.
The establishment of Jsbez Watkins did
not appear to do a roaring trade, for during
the half hour rested near the counter
smoking l perceived that only one GUS
toner came 10, ne gro, who called for and
drank off a glass Of lager The negro and
the proprietor appeared to be acquain ted
with each other. Having fallen into chat
with the landlord while the negro was
drinking, let 1t ooze out that was q COM
mercial traveller bound for st. Rose East.
Both of them stared rather hard at me,
and Jabez inquired did I intend to return
to Mineral Point or was going forward to
st. Rose West, where the railroad depot
was. and both Of them shru eyed their
shoulders when / stated that would be
returning to Mineral Point, though not for
. few days yet l endeayored warily to
draw them into conversation as to matters
stirring In the neighborhood, as I was Q
stranger in these parts. and SO forth but
each Of thetn seemed carefully to avoid the
subjsct, and finding that no further good
could be got by my remaining ordered
another glass OF beer, an l having drunk It
bade them good day. The proprietor, how
ever, inquired in civil sort OF way would
not cali at his store on my return, which
I promised to do.
In about an hours time I reached st.
Rose East, which found was small town
having less than two thousand OF popula-
tion, and put mp for the rest OF the day at
the only hotel iu the place. A wretchsd
1t was, bad victuals. worse
cooked. poor attendance and worse sleeping
teristics. Ths landlord appeared to be
anxious to know my business and for the
purpose OF gratifying his curiosity Iopened
my baggage and produced some sam Piles of
prime whisky which l offered him upon
very good terms The man appeared to be
in a trading disposition and gave mo q
small ords for e.. o. ID. made believe to
go around some Of the liquor stores,
sLanties rather, about the place, and BY
the time Iget back, inasmuch as had to
imbibe shall quantity Of beer at each,
which in the aggregate ! found amounted
to more than my head was we'll able to