The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-06-07
CHAPTER III.


low had not only been arrested, but that he
was under formal accusation, and that his
trial for murder would soon take place, the
excitement which pervaded the neighbor-
hood Of his handsome house on Fifth
avenue abated. But the newspapers threw
themselves with all the more earnestness
into the mystery of clearing up the disap-
pearance of his wife. Their reports were
sent out in every direction, and at times
they supplemented the work of the detect
ives, and at times they went into investi-
cations on their own account in a charac-
teristic way. The families of both Brown
low and Champion were successfully in
terviewed and emissaries of the press were
constantly logging the heels of the police
and presenting themselves at headquarters
to find the latest clew. Certain enterpris-
ing reporters visited the morgue from day
to day and tried to identify bodies as the
remains Of Mrs. Brownlow, and many q
sensational story produced good returns to
its writers by the space given to the matter
by all the principal papers in the city. The
private life of Champion was laid bare be-
fore the public in way that was little
gratifying to that gentleman. Meantime
the police continued their investigations by
themselves, and gave as little information
to the reporters as possible. The detectives
called upon the servants of Mr.. Brownlow,
and used all the devices in their power to
induce them to give testimony which should
lead to a definite clew. The servants ad.
mitted that they had been present at some
pretty lively discussions which were
brought about by the jealousy of Mrs.
Brownlow or the irritation of Mr.. Brown.
low against her parents. But the dis
agreement had never, apparently, gone
further than high words between them.
In these disputes Mrs. Brownlow never
hesitated to give vent to her anger in thu
presence of the servants. As to what might
have taken place on Tuesday, the 14th, they
knew nothing except that when they left
the house at seven o'clock Mr.. and Mrs
Brownlow were dressed to go out, and that
when they returned both the master and
the mistress were still absent, and further,
that Mr.. Brownlow returned alone at three
o'clock in the morning. Although no
definite facts, therefore, were developed in
this testimony, the tenor of it was decided
ly unfavorable. Whether they disliked
their master or whether they had some
foolish pride to satisfy in seeing the accu-
sations of which they had furnished the
first elements corroborated, they certainly
expressed the NOR al conviction that in their
absence something terrible must have
passed between the couple.
As for the neighbors whom the detectives
interviewed with unceasing perseverance,
none had remarked whether Mr. and Mrs.
Brownlow had gone out on that evening
separately or together. The difficulty of
establishing this first point was one which
caused the detectives the keenest anxiety.
Brownlow in the few words which he had
consented to utter had declared that his
wife had left the house between seven and
half past seven. It was this point that sew
eral of the detectives who were employed
on the case discussed most seriously when
they met one morning for a consultation in
the chiefs Office. One of the most enter
prising and successful of the detectives on
the regular force was Mr. Seth Ketch ham.
He had worked longer than any of the
others upon the case, and on the point at
issue SAID to his chief and colleagues:
"Inasmuch as Brownlow declares that his
wife left the house between seven and half
past seven, it must be falsehood. A man
In his grade of society and of his peculiarly
stubborn pride of character could not let
any thing escape through inadvertence, and
IL ue uaQ lurnlSncQ This 1nQlcaLlOn IL could
only have been with the purpose of mislead-
ing justice It's therefore reasonable to sup
pose that Mrs Brownlow did not leave the
house in the wayin which her husband indi-
Gated. In all probability the deed was done
indoors, and the cody thereafter concealed
in some way that we have to find out. In
my opinion, therefore, we should search the
house. In all probability Mrs. Brownlow
was murdered without reconciliation.
probably in q moment Of anger. Between
seven and midnight, the hour when the
servants had returned, the assassin had
Ave hours to cover up all traces Of his
crime"
But, y suggested the chief, sit is not
conceivable that, having committed the
crime in the house, he could have carried
the body on his back through the streets of
New York. He would hare been obliged to
take carriage. He could not have put the
body into carriage and taken it out again
without making the coachman his accom-
plice Now, he had had no timeko prepare for
this completely, as he did not know an hour
before seven o'clock that all the servants
we're t. Ia ont that. uiRbt There il irat