Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-12-23

case A h4a aEalbst Tue otosiAei o AoA
looked it over | came to the conclu
sion that nv work bad just begun.
They had lett home without noise, If
not secretly; had hired a horsp and
buggy under false pretences; had
driven, secretly across the country
under cover of darkness. They were
objects of suspicion, but had no
proofs. Il was my duty to hunt for
proofs. went to the bank to have
some questions answered. 1t was in
summer. and the front door stood
open. A new jsnitor had been EN-.
ployed, aud as | entered the cashier
was ssyIng to him:
John, get'a paper and wrap around
that brick which holds the door back.
IL is no ornament as it is. 'D : s,se7
a Naturally enough | glanced down
at the brick. AS the janitor lifted 1T
up | took 1t from his hand, and next
instant Fhad made discovery Pdefe
was cIot of dried blood on the brick,
and in the clot we're stickiRg several
hairs which ! knew, bad come from
the dead ianitor,s head.nul had made
an important discovery, n but had at
the same time ruined my case, The
brick had been in the Office year or
more. The blood and the hairs were
evidence that it was the weapon used
to strike the janitor with. Would
the men come to rob the bank without
weapons? Was it likely that the, brick
was used2 Ireplled TO these, in the
negative. and | walked straight over
to the Jail and into the prest nee OF the
prisoners, and said;T ,ir-ri .ti1,To1.
Neither of you is guilty of the mur
der of the janitor. s4Hg s-Iei-vgl .Ha9
5tWe are not, they answered. Ead1
You we're not near the bank that
night Boo ..".i 5dn d2d9d A'aF T .7T.i2
1--WE were not -rolamaH "oi -'.21
But you had a secret purpose in
coming here that night
We had 'e"'| '"' bh'h ,
What was it?' 80 fes.r t-1-7 l.'F I
1--WE will not tell. 'ln'2 .aoH haa z15H .
That ended the interview. Mind
you. every man in the community be-
| liieved them guilty Of murder, and |
was the recipient of praise on every
hand for what was termed clever
capture. You may think it strange
that ! went away from. the Jail as full
Ily determined to clear them as ! had
been to convict them, The drawback
to good detective works. the hesitancy
to drop false scent, orioto admit taat
pet theory is wrong | returned to
the bank and asked for the average
health Of the dead janitor He had
been heard to complain Of pains around
his heart, but otherwise nothing could
be said '" ~ " ','.4 '''.',' ~ $ "',''
Gentlemen, said to the bank off
cials, 'your janitor had gone to his col
for the night. A sudden illness seized
him, and in his alarm he made his
way to the door to call for help He
had got the door open, when he fell
to the floor, probably dead, and in bi:
fall his head came in contact with the
brick ..r ~'' '
That is theory, they answered.
| But | will furnish the proofs. !
want a post-mortem, examination o.
the body, ita1-,lr q bs4rqor4 sno.rag
b. ! hgd hard work to- get it but the
result was that three reputable doctors
found that the man came to his deatl
by heart trouble They mixed il
some professional terms and SONS
Latin, but that was the substance d
lit The Gay the two prisoners wer'
discharged from custody 7 said t
them: '' a'i..'''. 7'.' ''' .''' ''''''' ~.
Il caused your arrest, but I have
also brought about your liberation,
Now tell me what, brought you te
Blankville that night, ~" ~l- ~. -,,1
, M And you will keep it a secret22'' z, o-
Yes. ..rr .,, ..t,,,,sf,,r ia .,s.7 sso,
To burn that tannery. 1t belong
to an estate in which we should haV,
shared, but we were defrauded Of ou
rights. In revenge we sought to burr
up $4,000 worth Of property. n
IL | kept il .s,ef secret until both Wer
o9aos Fl . rednu5od2 N .d ..a8a4I la
Il - ,-4fs-s TTG9FI-- - ,N7-.TT l.lt ~ not