The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-09-12

Geu. Lie ueaQ DOQy OF MISS moore
was found 10 the sitting-room at the
door of her bedroom. She had been
struck three terrible blows with a
club or other blunt weapon, each one
breaking the skull.
was visiting the sheriff at this
time, and we were driving through
the village when the first alarm was
sounded. / was, therefore, at the
house among the first, and being
placed in charge by the sheriff kept
the people out until / could make an
investigation. The murderer had not
obtained forcible entry the house.
Not single article ofvaiue nsisa been
removed, nor had any ransacking
been done. The woman had been
struck down where the body lay, but
her hands were clenched as if she had
grasped the weapon of death and it
had been pulled away from her. The
palm of one hand was torn and bleed
ing. did not know either the dead
woman or Fergus, but l wanted au-
thority to arrest the latter. When
this fact became known was regard
ed as an idiot or a lunatic. Agener-
al cry went up that Fergus could no
more be suspected than an angel in
Heaven, but while the sheriffwas left
ia secure Unnecessary papers l drove
out to interview the young man and
break the news to him. If Fergus
was guilty his defense would be an
alibi, and he carefully arranged the
details. He would be expecting the
news, and he would be braced up to
play a part.
found him making ready to hitch
up to drive back. He had never seen
me before, and he did not know my
profession. AS | entered the barn he
looked startled and turned pale, but
recovered himself after minute, and
asked the nature of my business.
"You know, of course, that Miss
Moore is dead?" carelessly replied.
"How-how should I know it!'' he
exclaimed, turning very white.
"Well, she is dead, poor thing"
"And do they charge me with it?''
"With what?"
"Her murder?"
81 hadn't said she was murdered.
| told you simply that she was dead.
How did you know she had been
murdered?"
He saw the trap he had fallen into,
and he gasped and stammered and
did his best to smoothit over Ipre-
tended not to lay it up as a point
against him, and speedily arranged
that he should return. in my vehicle
and leave the cooper's rig where it
was. After the first shock he braced
up wonderfully, and his demeanor
on the way home was entirely that
of an innocent man. He expressed
great willingness to give US all posi-
BILE information, but at the same
time advanced and clung to the
theory that no one but o tramp
could have been guilty of the crime
Upon reaching home he displayed
considerable griet and emotion. In
fact, he rather overdid it. 1t was
more like acting out a part. The
people were indignant that he should
be suspected, and he was not put
under restraint. Indeed, no warrant
had been issued for him.
Early the next morning, satisfied
in my own mind that Fergus was
the murderer, | drove out to his
aunt's. I found that he arrived
there at seven o'clock Saturday
night. Half an hour later he com
planned of headache and went to bed
saying he would be down again BY
nine O'Clock. As he did not keep his
promise, the hired girl knocked OF
his door at that hour, but receiving
no reply, was told not to disturb
him. He was not seen by the in
mates of the house until seven o. 'clocl
Sunday morning. The girl was W
at five, and as she crossed the yarC
she saw that his window was up
and some of his clothing was hang
ing in the sun. At the barn I fount
the cooper's buggy washed clean
Fergus had done this Sunday fore
noon. He had not made a good jol
on the horse, however, and | founC
plenty of mud on his fetlocks. AS i
was dusty Saturday night when h
was driven over, this mud must hav,
been picked up after the storm.
found the harness stiff and damn
from being wet, and the cloth cushion
of the buggy was still damp. Hunt
ing further, I found the fresh track
of horse and buggy turning into tn
barn-yard after the rain. The win
dow of the room occupied by Fergu
opened on the roof of the shed. A
the lower edge of the roof stood
leach. On the edge of this leach AM
on the roof l found mud. On the cal
pet in Fergus room found more G
it. He had scraped and cleaned hi
boots and flung the dirt into astove
whence l got half a pound.
All this I got without the aunt sus
pecting that was after proofs.
then returned to the scene of the mur
, der, and after an hours search dis
covered the place where horse ha,
been hitched for some time. 1t was i
, the rear of the house, on an opel
space and under O tree, and tn
; horse had paved up the ground an
gnawed the bark of the tree. TIL
footprints of a man could be faintl
, traced across the garden, and ha
no doubt that Fergus came and wen
! this way. On the fourth day afte
the funeral l learned from the in
surance man what he had seen dul
ing the storm, and then o warran
f was issued and Fergus was taken in
I to custody. By this time the towns
| people had begun to think it a quee
case. Fergus had gone over tn
house and declared that nothing ha
! been taken. Nosuspicious character
' had been noticed in the neighbol
, hood. Jewellery and money ha
been left lying on the bureau, show
I ing that the object could not hav
: been plunder. Did the woman hav
3 an enemy? No, not one, as far as "
J could learn. Who could profit b
, her death? No one but Fergus, an
yet this was one OF the strong point
! no hro,1uht fnrrard TT waa Enow