The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-18

mel. Within the month we had chatted to-
gether five or six times
"At last, one evening as passed his gate,
saw him smoking a pipe, sitting astride a
chair IN his garden. I bowed, and he asked
me TO come in and drink glass OF beer. /
did not wait to be urged. He received me
with the scrupulous courtesy OF the English,
ana began to praise France and Corsica.
Then with the greatest prccauton, mask
ing my curiosity under the form of deep
interest in him, l asked O few questions
ABOUT his life and his plans. He answered
with uncmbarrnssed frankness, told me he
had travelled great deal. in Africa, the In
dies, and In America. He added, laughing:
ures.'
u began 10 speak OF hunting, and he gave
me the most singular details Of hippopota-
mus hunting. tiger and elephant hunting,
and even gorilla hunting
II remarked that such animals were dan
gerous game.
HE smiled: oh, mol man Is the worst
Then he laughed outright a big English
mans laugh. I've hunted men good deal,
too, he said. Then he spoke OF weapons,
and invited me into his house 10 show me
different kinds Of guns
ellis parlor was hung with black silk en-
broidered with gold. Great yellow flowers
sprawlcd over the somber material, as brill
liant as fire. Ho announced that II was a
japanese stuff.
"But in the middle Of the largest panel
strange thing caught my eye. On a square
Of rcd velvet there was black object. /
drew near; IL was a hand mans hand.
Not skeleton hand, white and clean, but n
dried up black hand, with yellow nails,
l starting muscles and traces OF blood that was
like mud on the clearly cut off bones, sew
cred as with an AK near the middle OF the
forearm. Around the wrist an enormous
iron chain. rivcted and soldered 10 the I'M
Clearly. limb, fastened IL to the wall by q
staple strong enough 10 hold an elephant.
II asked what It was. The Englishman
coolly answered:
from America. That was cut of with q
| sword, and the skin scraped off with flint
| and dried In the sun Tor eight days. Pretty
good for mo, wasn't itr
II touched the remnant OF humanity,
which must have belonged TO a Colossus.
The immodcrately long fingers were attached
by enormous tendons, 10 which shredS OF the
skin still adhered. The hand was frightful
to behold, hayed as IL was; il naturally sug-
gestcd barbarous revenge.
The man must have been very power
| full said I.
"'0h, yes. sstsd the Englishman. gently,
but / was stronger than he was. put that
chain on 10 hold it.
thinking he was testing, | said:
The chain IL rather useless now. Tie
hand won't get away.
| Sir John replied, seriously; It's always
wanting to get away. The chain is ncces-
sary.'
III gave him n quick look, wondering
| joker. But his face remained unmoyed,
| calm, and kindly. i changed the subject,
| and examined his guns. Noticed, however.
| that three loaded revoivers lay in different
| places on tho furniture, as II the man lived
In constant fear Of an attack.
IL called on him several times, and then
went no more. Every one had grown accus.
toned 10 his presence, aud consequently
wholly indifferent 10 him.
"a whole year went by, when one morn.
ing my servant awakened me with the new.
that Sir John Rowcli had been assaSsinatcd
in the night. Half an hour later i entered
the Englishman's house with two police OH
cials. The French valet. frightened and
overcome, was wdnging his hands az the
door. lie was the man first suspected, bul
he was innocent.
"rhc murderer was never discovered.
Entering Sir Johns drawing room, | al
once perceived his body lying stretched on
the floor In the middle OF the room. Hi
coat was torn, one sleeve was wrcnched of
aud hanging, everything gave evidence OF
terrific struggle. The Englishman had beer
struggled 10 death. His black, swollen face
expressed the most horrible fear; he hcld
something between his clenched teeth, ant
his throat was picnced with five bleeding
holes, rs N made by iron points A surgeon
Joined us, and examined the hngermarks II
the flesh. lie uttered the singular words:
81 should say lac had been stranglcd by I
sllolcton.'
81 felt The chills run down my hack. ant
glanced up nj the wall where had seen th,
horrible ilnycd hand.
at WAS there no longer The chain hum
broken.
II bent over the corpse. and found In IL
teeth one OF the fingers OF the vanished
hand, cut or rather shaved, of by the teeth
lust at the second joint
Tho inquest was held, but nothing wa
discovered. No door had been forced, nc
window opcncd no furniture displaced
| The two watch-docs had mot wakencd.
"rhe servants testimony was about n fol
lows For month past his master had mp
pcarcd troubled. lie received great many
letters, which he burned n fast NJ they
came. Often. picking mp a riding whip IN
rage that approached insanity he would lasl
the dried hand TINT was fastened 10 the wall
and which had been removed No mysterious
IN the night Of the crime. lie went 10 bed
very late, locked himself In carefully, and
always kept weapons close az hand. III,
would often speak out loud ut night a. II h,
were qunrrcling with some one. On th'
night In question, a. ID happened, hc mad,
no sound and II was only when tho servant
came 10 opcn the windows that he discover
ell Sir John had been assassinatcd. lie had
no suspicion Of anybody. ] reported thu
whole matter 10 the proper authorities, and
the island WIS infinitely searched. Nothing
came 10 light
crime, I had n frighuul nightmare.
dreamed ! NV the hand, the hideous hand
running like q scorpion, or spider. mp ant
nwoke, three times went 10 sleep again
aud three times kaw tho hoshiess horro
crawl around my nom, moving itS finger
like legs. Next day tho thing itself va
brought IN me. II had been found In tn
graveyard on Sir John Rowcll's tomb. III
had been buried there because his fainilJ
could not be Traced.
''The hand lacked ~ ilrst hnger
THAT Is the story, ladies. There Is moth
Ing riorr 10 u"
ihe terrified women were pale and ,rcm
bling. One 81 them exclaimed;
THAT Il not n solution. nor an explana
ton. We shall none of Us sleep tonight mn
les you tell what you think really tool
The magistrate now smiled severely.
''Oh, 1 shall certainly spoil your terrible
dreams. ladies" he replied; II simply thinl
that the Legitimate owner OF the hand wa
not dead at All, aud he came 10 ret his scv
cred hand back with the one he still pos
scsscd. Hut I Certainly never discovered
80, A.. ,n,ua.ed IA The whuie thinr WINS I