Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-07-20
A CURIOUS Case.

During the first three years of
my career as a detective l had
some singular jobs given me to
work on, and the manner IN which
i one of them was worked and the
developments of the case may in
terest the reader.
About three miles outside the
limits of a large city in Pennsyl-
vania stood a large farmhouse -
There had been a murder commit
ted there and whisky had played
havoc with an heir, and the house
bad stood vacant for three years
before | saw it. The farm had
passed into the hands of New
Yorker on a mortgage, and he
seemed to have forgotten all about
it. Naturally the cry of "haunted
house" was raised, and presently
you could not have hired a neigh
Dor to enter the house IN the day
time. There were people living
within a quarter of a mile of the
place, and by-and.by they began to
tell some queer stories. On two
occasions parties Of three or four
went ont from the city to stop in
the house all night, but in each in
stance they we're driven away by
strange noises before midnight
| lived in a town 40 miles from
the haunted house, and | conse-
quently heard nothing of it.
had a case against an abscOnd-
ing treasurer. He had the funds
of a large and prosperous lodge in
his hands, and got away with
$4,000 belonging to it. He further
more borrowed about $4,000 Of his
friends, and got $500 on a forged
draft. This occurred in o town
about 80 miles from the haunted
house. The defaulter had bought
a ticket for Chicago, and left be.
hind him, as if by accident, par
eel addressed to a party in the
Garden City. 1t ought to have
been reasoned that this party was
he under another name, and that
he had gone to Chicago as fast as
steam could carry him, but L rea-
sOned just the opposite. He had
gone without his trunk or clothing,
but when l came to overhaul his
things, his landlady figured out
that two clean shirts, several col
lars, stout pair OF boots and an
old suit of clothes were missing
from the house. The boots and
old suit had belonged to boarder
who died months before.
There we're three highways lead
ing out of town. 1 worked two of
them without success. On the
third | soon found a farmer who
had seen foot traveller resem bling
my man pass on the evening he
had abscOnded. FIVE miles farther
on | became positive of his identi-
ty. He walked all that night, with
only two brief halts before mid
night to inquire about roads bnt
once on his trail | soon picked up
plenty of pointers. The abscOn-
der's name was Kelley, and he was
a keen, shrewd fellow. He had
planned the embezzlement and
escape weeks ahead, and he fol-
lowed out a regular programme
He left town dressed as labOTer,
and carrying a valise. He had a
light felt hat, a black felt hat and
a cap, and about once in ten miles
he exchanged his headgesr. He
was a smooth faced man, but had
provided himself with goatee and
side whiskers. l thus heard Of
him once as smOOth-faced young
man wearing a cap and having one
arm in sling; next as yOungIsh
man with a goatee and black hat /;
again as a full. .whiskered man with
light hat. 1 confess that / was
badly puzzled and about to despair,
when I came TO a farmhouse where
he had stopped for dinner. He
was then smooth faced and wore a
cap, and claimed to be an agent tor
a windmill company whose rights
had been infringed on and who
were taking steps to collect roy
atty.
When Kelly entered the kitchen
for dinner a hired boy of color,
who was not permitted to eat with
the family, was left 10 the sitting
room. His curiosity regarding the
contents of the valise was aroused,
and be picked the lock and over
hauled them. He was careful not
to say anything Of this to the fami-
ly, but when ! came along on my
errand soon discovered that he
had a secret. The sight of a silver
piece lOosened his tongue, and he
told me of the hats and false whis-
kers. After that /. had no trouble
in following Kelly, no matter which
- q.