Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-12-07

liar nail was seen similarly fitted In it
and a vigorous attempt to raise this sash
failed al-o. The police were now en-.
tirely satisfied that egress had not been
in these directions; and, therefore, 1t was
thought matter of supererogation to
withdraw the nails and open the windows
my own examination was somewhat
more particular. and was so for the reason
| have just given-because here 1t was,
knew, that all apparent impossibilities
must be proved to be not such in reality
II proceeded to think thus-a pos
teriori: The murderers did escape from
one of these windows. This being SO,
they could not have refastened the sashes
from the inside, as they were found fast
ened-the consideration which put stop,
through its obviousness, to the scrutiny
of the police in this quarter. Yet the
sashes were fastened. They must, then,
have the power of fastening themselves.
There was no escape from this conclusion.
l stepped to the unobstructed easement,
withdrew the nail with some difficulty
and attempted to raise the SASH 1t re-
sisted all my efforts, as had anticipated.
A concealed spring must, now knew, ex-
list, and t'is confederation of my idea
convinced Inc that my premises, at least,
were correct, however mysterious still ap-
peared the circumstances attending the
nails. A careful search soon brought to
light the hidden spring. l pressed 1t,
and, satisfied with the discovery, fore
bore to upraise the sash.
II now replaced the nail and regarded
1t attentively. A person passing out
through this window might have reclosed
it, and the spring would have caught, but
the nail could not have been replaced.
The conclusion was plain, and again mar
rowed in the field of my investigations.
The assassins must have escaped through
the other window. Surprising, then, the
springs upon each sash the same, as was
probable, there must be found difference
between the nails, or at least between the
modes of their fixture. Getting upon the
sacking of the bedstead looked over the
headboard minutely at the second case
ment. Passing my hand down behind
the board | readily discovered and pressed
the spring, which was, as had supposed,
identical in character with it's neighbor.
| now looked at the nail. 1t was as stout
as the other, and apparently fitted in the
same manner-driven In nearly up to the
head.
You will say that was puzzled; but
If you think so, you must have misunder-
stood the nature of the inductions. To
use a sporting phrase, l had not been
once at fault. The scent had never for
an instant been lost. There was no flaw
In any link of the chain. had traced the
secret to it's ultimate result, and that re-
suit was the nail. 1t had, say in every
respect the appearance of it's fellow in the
other window; but this fact was an abso-
lutte nullity conclusive as it might seem
to be) when compared with the consider
m ot toJ
the clew. There must be something
wrong, said, about the nail touched
1t; and the head, with about a quarter of
an inch of the shank came off in my fin
gers. The rest of the shank was in the
gimlet hole, where it had been broken off
The fracture was an old one (for it's edges
were encrusted with rust), and had ap-
parently been accomplished by the blow
of hammer, which had partially EN-.
bedded, in the top of the bottom sash, the
head portion of the nail. | now care
fully replaced this head portion in the in
dentation whence had taken it, and the
resemblance to a perfect nail was COM
plete-the assure was invisible. Press
Ing the spring, gently raised the sash
for few inches; the head went up with
1t, remaining firm in its bed. l closed the
window, and the semblance of the whole
hdii was uSdiu perfect.
The riddle, so far, was now unriddled.
The assassin had escaped through the
window which looked upon the bed.
Dropping of its own accord upon his exit
Tor perhaps purposely closed), it had be-
come fastened by the spring; and it was
the retention of this spring which had
been mistaken by the police for that of
the NALL further inquiry being thus con-
sldered unnecessary.
The next question is that Of the mode
of descent. Upon this point | had been
satisfied in my walk with you around the
building About five feet and half from
the easement in question there runs
lightning rod. From this rod it would
have been impossible for any one to reach
the window itself, to say nothing of enter
ing IL. | observed, however, that the
shutters Of the fourth story were of the
peculiar kind called by Partisan carpenters
ferrades-a kind rarely employed at the
present day, but frequently seen upon
very old mansions at Lyons and Bordeaux.
They are in the form of an ordinary door
"a single, not a folding door,, except that
the lower half is latticed or worked in
open trellis-thus affording an excellent
hold for the hands. In the present in
stance these shutters are fully three feet
and half broad. When we saw them
from the rear of the house they were both
about half open-that is to say, they
stood off at right angles from the wall.
1t is probable that the police, as well as
myself, examined the back of the tene-
ment; but, if so, in looking at these fer.
rades in the line of their breadth las they
must have done), they did not perceive
this great breadth itself or, at all events,
failed to take it into due consideration.
In fact, having once satisfied themselves
that no egress could have been made in
this quarter, they would naturally bestow
here very cursory examination. 1t was
clear to me, however, that the shutter be-
longing to the window at the head of the
bed would, if swung fully back to the
wall, reach to within two feet of the
lightning rod. 1t was also evident that.
by exertion Of very unusual degree of
activity and courage, an entrance into the
window, from the rod, might have been
thus affected. By reaching to the dis
lance of two feet and half 1--WE now sup
pose the shutter open to it's whole extent)
robber might have taken firm grasp
ba trails tuorly Lot