Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-04-04
CHAPTER ~.

That morning the Deputy Coroner held
an inquest on the body of Lazarus Stein.
The six men hastily gathered together
barely glanced at the remains, and then
listened to the report of the County Ply
sician. He, misled by the surmises Of
the police, made no autopsy, nor even a
careful examination of the body, but
stated as his opinion that death had re-
suited from old age and exhaustion. A
verdict in accordance with this view was
promptly rendered.
1t was with mixed feelings that Harry
Weston heard at noon of the result of
this official farce.
He held the key to the mystery! Two
lines in an obscure part of each paper
would dismiss the case of Lazarus Stein
Tuesday morning. Why should not the
Argus appear with a four-column sensa-
ton exposing the whole strange and
dramatic story, denouncing the blind
stupidity of city and county authorities,
and achieve a SCOOP in journalistic
circles that would ''paralyze" his rivals?
The answer was in one word-Stella.
Nothing must be said or done that could
bring a pang to her heart, nothing that
could cast a shadow of shame upon her
fair life. Weston was ambitious, but he
was also in love, and when a man is
young and the blood in his veins is I'M
touched by the acldity of disappoint-
ment, love is apt to stagger ambition.
''To protect her is my first duty" he
thought, ''and I must ask her to give me
the right to do So"
He was walking along the corridor
leading from the reporters room in the
station to detective headquarters, when a
detective stopped him and drew him to
one side.
1t was Dennison, perhaps the oldest
man on the force, and one who by a long
record of dangers braved and criminals
run down and captured enjoyed repu-
tation in his profession second to that Of
no man in the country.
''That was a good article you had in
the paper this morning, on the Stein
case"
"Why?" asked Harry, in surprise.
"Well, I don't know whether you told
all that you knew or not, but it gave me
hint that robbery, and perhaps MUIR
der, were involved in that Jews death.
What's more, I've got the men located
who did the job, and they will be locked
up tonight"
"Indeed.''
eyes; tell you this because 1 know
sOu AAcA w OOlloC OAICuA5I 41OJ W 1IlohO clIlJ
bad break, and / want to protect you
against getting left Be at hand at IL
o'clock at the armory (another name for
the Harrison Street Station, and you
will see them brought in"
That's all right, said Harry quietly,
although his heart was in his mouth:
you know I'll keep mum, Jim. But
tell me how you caught on so that won't
have to bother you tonight"
80, easy enough. Inosed about among
ventory. 1t was in the keeping of the
a will. Well, there were two things
missing in that tumbled-up room. One
was tin box containing $573 in gold
and silver, the other was a locket. A
kid in a neighboring dago-shop used to
bring the old man his meals when he
was too sick to go out on the street. His
name is Tony-I forget the other. / ar
rested him and he squealed. l don't
know whether the youngster is lying or
not, but he told a queer story. He says
he planned to rob the old man and took
two pals with him-circus-men that he
met in his fathers joint. They went up
shortly after midnight, but were scared
by man rushing past them on the
stairs The found the door open and
went in. They found things scattered
about all over the room, and thought
that the old fellow was asleep. They
got the tin box and were about to gather
up everything else in sight, when one of
them went to the bed and drew down
the quilt. He saw the Jew bound hand
and foot-and dead. He gave the alarm
to the others, and scampered off. Now
I've recovered all the money, but the kid
swears that they took nothing else, and
l believe him. He's cute one, and he
knew too much to take anything to pawn.