Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-04-14

"Why, what do you meanP" he ex-
claimed. rising from his chair.
"Oh, nothing of consequence, re-
piled, coolly.
perhaps you wouldn't object to my
taking a look into that valise, chP"
perhaps you will do me the kind
ness to get out Of my ROOM he re-
torted.
He had taken the valiso from the
floor andI quickly snatched it from
him. had hardly done so when he
dealt me a blow near the temple. send
ing me reeling across the room, where
/ brought up against the door. He
then threw the yalise on the bed and
angrily exclaimed:
"Look here, sir, are you drunk or
crazy? Now hand me that key and get
out of my room, or I'll throw you out
of the window"
"Not so fast" said !, drawing my
revolver. IL am an officer, and here
to arrest you for the murder you COM
mitted last night"
He stared moment, then change
came over his countenance, and he sat
down and fairly roared with laughter
Come, you can't play that, said l.
'This is no laughing matter Where
are the money and silverware you took
from Bradley's houscp"
care you really an ofiicerP" he
asked, growing serious again.
Certainly am. Perhaps you never
saw this bit of paper, sir" said l, dis
playing the piece that had blown from
the window.
"My friend" he replied, II admire
the earnestness with which you go
about your business as detective, but
you have got on the wrong track. |
am sorry 1 struck you in moment OF
anger. and hope you will pardon me.
| am Charley M, n Boston de-
tective, of whom you have probably
heard. / arrived at daylight this morn
ing, and have been taking good sleep
before attending to some business in
Brooklyn. registered rs j. Brown,
for reason you will readily compre-
bend. Here is my card, and here are
some slight evidences of my occupa-
ton" Here he took two pairs of hand
cuffs out of his pocket and jingled them
before my astonished gaze. "By the
way, il that is tho piece of newspaper
that fell from my window, and you
affair you speak of, it will probably af-
1t here, where it was probably left by
former lodger. think you will find
name on the margin"
/ examined the margin over the
title of the paper, and to my astonish-
ment found written in pencil the name
and residence of Henry Collins. 1t was
weekly paper, which i observed was
published in city he had formerly
lived in, and its date was so recent that
he must have received it on the day
preceding the murder Immediately
took leave of Mr.. M, saying /
thought l knew where the paper had
come from, and, begging his pardon for
having been so rude to him, fastened
down to the Office of the hotel, where 1
examined the register, finding the name
of j. Brown, with room 81 assigned.
l knew the clerk, and inquired:
"When did Mr.. Brown take room
2lpr
early this morning, when / was not
on duty"
"Did any one occupy the room dur
! ing the evening""
glancing over the register there is the
name of Harvey Elton. l remember
now. He was without baggage and
paid for the room in advance, saying he
wanted to be called at three o'clock.
The porter went up'at that hour, but
the door was open and the bed had not
been slept in. The other clerk told me
he gave the same room to Mr.. Brown
because he wanted front room"
do you remember the appearance
of Eltonp"
..Yes-rather small man, with very
full black beard"
Henry Collins was q small man, but
had no beard. OF course, my suspicious
were fixed on him as soon rs L discov-
cred his name on the margin of the
newspaper, yet / never dreamed that
he was capable of committing a crime.
My mind underwent q series of rapid
changes. One moment l regarded it
rs almost certain that Henry Collins
had something to do with the murder;
the next moment would say to myself
it is preposterous; he is no such man.
There are many ways by which this pa
per might have got into other hands.
may have fallen from his window; or
he may have lost it from his pocket.
| Why should he have called my atten-
ton to Bradley's housep Besides, he
has no beard.
On the subject of this beard, it did
not first occur to me that he might have
worn false one, but it did finally, and
l realized, very soon afterward, what l
now regarded as very suspicious cir
cumstance.
1t was about midnight that Henry
Collins told me that Mr.. Bradley had
been in but very few minutes. / now
remembered that the body was cold
and rigid when l first went in, and /
fastened away to meet the surgeon
who had made the examination five
minutes later.
had the luck to find him soon, and
in reply to my inquiry he stated that
Bradley must have been dead two hours
when he was called.
"Have the detectives found any
clewp" he asked.
mot that l am aware Of" replied,
and took my leave.
My first step now was to 60 to an
establishment in which Collins was en-
ployed and inquire for him. did so,
and was told that he had asked and OBJ
tanned leave of absence to visit Tren-
ton. next started for his house,
which was half mile distant, carefully
looking up and down every street 1
crossed. had made half the distance
when caught 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 car
RED valisc, and by his side walked a
small, rough-looking man whom did
not know, and with whom hc was con-
versing earnestly. | went few steps
to meet them. and was within q few
yards of them before Collins saw me.
"Ah, how are YOU. Mr. Collins.r