The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-01

L IA In her name, ant
with her permits
sion had examined all the personal eff
fects of the deceased. He had found let
tiers in plenty, both at the Office of Tenn
pleton and his boarding place, but nom
that threw any light upon the motive o
the deed or which even demanded in
quiry.
The books and business papers were il
excellent and methodical shape. HI
was certain after closing everything VI
and paying all outstanding obligation:
he could turn over something above
thirty thousand dollars to be added t.
the fortune of Mrs. Templeton. The
greater part of this money was already
in government bonds deposited in a
safety vault.
The ladies were comfortably situated
in Lexington avenue, and he saw them
nearly nightly.
He had been over to see old George
Dolwell on Long Island, and had con
versed with him as to Wessing's visit.
Little had come of that visit. Messing
had not been by any means communities
tive, had adroitly avoided direct answers
to direct questions, and had tried to draw
upon Dolwell for recollection of the pa
pers of Pierson when in the Office.
AS these principally related to litiga.
ton over the collecting of business debts,
and the settling of partnership enterprises
and speculations, wholly commercial and
financial affairs. Dolwell's recollection
had interested him little.
He had asked how much Pierson had
left, and Dolwell thought over two mil
lions. His only significant question was
this:
Had Mr.. Dolwen reason to suppose
that Pierson had ever borne any other
Manner
"Ah" cried Tom, that is getting
warm. What was Dolwell's replyf"
mo, upon the contrary he had every
reason to believe he had not: he had first
known of Mr.. Pierson twenty-five years
ago, and he then bore that name, and
was known as a reputable merchant"
This thing is very perplexing,' re-
marked Tom thoughtfully. Il cannot
| LudhC Out tIlC NOllAlCNb4OII. w 10
here making inquiries with regard to
Persons papers; Fountain makes the
same inquiry, and yet SO far as we are
enabled to ascertainthere is no relation
between the two"
Holbrook was pacing up and down his
narrow room in profound thought. FL
nally he said:
tom, the case stands like this. Now,
follow me closely: Templeton is murdered
in the open streets and there is no ap-
parent motive for the deed. Circum-
stances, wholly arising from Flora Ash
groves manner and words, point the way
to suspicious of Fountain"
Good, l follow you"
LAS soon as we set inquiry on foot we
run against the dead Pierson. Messing
inquiries for his papers, so does Fountain"
Eyes, and so does Parker"
''Oh. that is nothing: he is an attorney.
probably acting for one or other of them.
Don't interrupt me, you destroy the con-
tinuity of my thought. To get back-so
does Fountain. Now, in the talk be-
tween Flora and Fountain, overheard by
you, there are three points made-tirst,
Fountain is an illegitimate son; second,
he is proposing 70 engage upon an enter
prise in the. following of which is in
volved the exposure of his illegitimacy;
third, Providence has removed Temple
ton from his path"
"Oh, no, begin to see your drift"
"Now to weave these facts. Let us
make some suggestions. Suppose Pier
son was one of those men who, having a
fair and reputable business exterior,
lived double or even triple private life.
This is not wild supposition-therea are
plenty of such instances; the records of
the courts are full of them. Now to pro-
coed: Note that Messing is making in
quiries because-now mark-because his
mother-his mother, mark you, thinks
that Pierson is relative, and if he is
then she is an heir"
Good follow; follow"
"Now, suppose Messing should be
son of Persons under another name,
that would account for his inquiries af-
ter Persons property in SO guarded
manner, wouldn't it,
"Yes."
"And sul~yse, since Fountain &C
knowledges chat he is an Legitimate
son, he was another son of Persons by
another mother, that would account for
his inquiries"
"Yes, but 1 don't follow you closely
now"
"And suppose that Pierson was an as
sumed name in middle life to escape the
consequences of devious way of living,
and that, having had two illegitimate
sons, he had third, legitimate son,
whose mother he had abandoned, and
that son was Templeton-Templeton,
whom Providence had removed from
Fountains path-that is to say, Provi-
dence in the shape of sharp knife in
the hands of Harry Fountain.
"You take my breath away. And
what them
"Why, you have the motive for the
murder
"But how do you bring Messing in?"