Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-02-01

was taken ill?'
George dear, why do you ask me?"
she replied uneasily, 81 on know that
the orders are that you are not to be ex-
cited or distressed. When you are quite
strong you shall know everything"
1t only worries me, having news hid
den from me. Why can't you tell me
what | want to know" lie exclaimed
peevishly. II shall not sleep now unless
you tell me abouJit. | won't get excited
You need not be afraid.
'Well, she said, after few minutes
hesitation, lit was bad news about poor
Captain sturgis."
''What? What bad news?"
''He Is dead.
.'Sturgis dead? Nonsense"
"Yes, dear. Now don't be upset. He
died very suddenly on the night that he
left this house-and in fearful man
ner.
Poor fellowv' said Atwood quietly.
''Tell me how. How did he die?'
''He was murdered in his chambers. "
Murdered! | can hardly believe IT,
Who could have murdered him?'
"Alas, fear that the evidence points
to one whom we all know" replied Mrs
Atwood, much lected.
'Une we all know?" he inquired slowly.
"Yes-John Delaney.
John Delaney? What, Is he then sus-
Iected of the n urder "
ayes. George: and fear that there are
but too good grounds for the suspicion.
He was being hunted for by the police on
account of that dreadful dynamite affair.
He left here with Sturgis and at the in
quest the cabman who gave evidence
swote that he drove both of them as far
as ricca lilly Circus There they got out
and walked in the direction OF all Mall,
where SturgiS chambers were situated.
That was the last seen of Captain Sturgis
alive-Delaney has never been heard Of
since.
John Delaney suspected" muttered
George Atwood. How very awful. What
what Oh ect could he have had In kill
ing him.
Money" replied Mrs. Atwood. 81
would never have believed him capable of
harming anything until that night" she
sobbed As the memory of the r last inter
view crossed her mind, and how she had
promised 10 look after his mother and his
sister While he was away. ''lle must
have suddenly gone mad - she continued.
at was known-indeed. IL you remember,
Captain Sturgis himself mentioned the
fact TO us-that he had large sum OF
money In his possess on; but how John
Delaney could have heard that l can't
imagine. >
George Atwood wiped his forehead with
his pocket handkerchief, and sighed.
well he said, as IL he wanted to
hear more.
perhaps Sturgis told him that he had
this money" she said perhaps he told
him while they were driving along in the
cab. Outcast as he was and tempted be-
yond measure 10y this knowledge, he must
have suddenly resolved to become possess
ed OF the money, and"
And so murdered Sturgis-that sounds
possible
"Ies. Oh. George, it was too awful,
the-the way the muir er was committed
When was il found out
Not until late the next night. 1t seems
! that Captain ST r1is had given orders Ia
his servant never to disturb him until he
rang. lie was fire II entity in the habit of
sleeping until midday, and sometimes
even late in o the aflerno N, so his not
having rung created no surprise until to-
wards nightfall. Then his man raped at
| the chamber-dOor-it was locked or DO ted,
as he then thought, upon the inside
afterwards il was discovered to have been
| lCcked from the outside as the key was
| found lying under a couch IN the saloon,
as If il had been flung there. The servant,
receiving no reply, be, anne alarmed and
called up the landlord OF the house. Al
last it was determined to force open the
! door. When they did so dreadful sight
met their eyes-Captain Sturgis lay dead.
stretche across the bed. His body seemed
literally to be hacked TO pieces. as If the
murderer had cut and slashed at him in
an outburst of ungOvernable fury. The
bedclOthes the walls, and indeed the
whole apartment were stated TO be covered
with blood
shocking Turmured George Atwood.
How very dreadful
~ es, y said lanche, weeping. only
! 10 think that John Delaney should have
done 1t. he weapon which had been
] used WIS an Indiin scimitar IL was
found lying upon the tloor."
al remember Sturgis showing me such
sword, remarked her husband.
"A cash-box, which usually food upon
a table near his bedstead, had been burst
! open and ri ed. -
WAS it known what money he had fol-
certain?
at was known that he had Just received
! two thousand pounds i'm noes, and also
! that he had COOL sum of gold by him,
which he kept, "a a rule. for everyday eX-
penditure. Nothing but the money was
touched, though, as the papers all remark
ed, the rooms were full of many valuable
and costly things. 20 ii could not have
been the work Of any ordinary thief"
And the number OF the notes, f" asked
| Atwood -''were they KNOWN
Cautiously enough, not one He had
received them from several different peo-
! pie in various sums and not one of them
had troubled 10 note the numbers down. y
''lla! And there Is no trace of John De.
| laney? That looks adj. -
e. one at all. / was called upon to give
evidence at the in nest. You also were
summoned, but of course your Illness
made 1t | M os>ible for you to attend. All
| could say was that both Sturgis and De-
laney were here that night and that they
lett the house together at about half half
past ten. The cabman depose to their
going as far as Plccadillv Circus, when
they walked oil arm in att. fear there
can be no ossible doubt OF his having
| committed this awful cri re-.
II am rather tired now +" sad Atwood.
after short silence. II think J could