The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1890-03-12
MURDER, NOT SUICIDE.
Trifles Which an Old Detective
Worked Into Solid Facts.
Upon the Merest Thread OF Clue He and
His Assistant Finally Run Their Man
DOwn-The Sequel of Terri
BILE Crime.

During my experience as detective
proved that the American was full
match for his English or French brother,
and that when it came to a genuine
mystery" he had the acumen of a vi
docq to unravel it.
One morning in Chicago during the
last year of the war a Mrs. Annie Hol-
worth, widow, about forty years of
age, who kept lodging-house, went up
stairs to arouse a seamstress named Jane
Ryan, who occupied a couple of rooms
These rooms were reached by an outside
stairway, built against the end of the
building. This stairway reached those
two rooms only, and was only used by
the seamstreSs. One room was used for
a kitchen, and the other for bedroom,
and had been occupied for year. Miss
Ryan was goOd-looking woman of
thirty. While she called herself Miss,
it was suspected that she had been mar
ried, but as she repealed every attempt
to secure information, no one ever ac-
quired any thing definite. She did a
fine class of work for certain store,
earned good pay, came and went as she
pleased, and the only thing the land
lady could say to her detriment was that
she was too reserved and unsocial. She
never went out except alone, and no
one ever came to see her except some
one from the store. The rooms were
furnished plainly, but neatly. and she
had canary bird for company.
The Ryan woman had agreed to do
some fancy work for Mrs. Holworth on
this day, and not having been seen or
heard of up to the hour of ten o'clock,
the landlady went up to see if any thing
was wrong. She found the outer door
slightly open, and, pushing her way
into the bedroom which was also the sit
ting room, she was overcome at the
sight. Miss Ryan was hanging stiff and
cold in the moose Of a rope made fast to
lamp hook in the ceiling. 1t was a
stout iron hook bored we'll into beam,
and had never been used by Miss Ryan
for the purpose intended. Word was at
once sent to the nearest police station,
and it so happened that detective,
whom will call Graham. was sent to
look into the case. l had been part
ners' with him for two years, and where
he went went. As he had to stop on
the way. l reached the place first, and
was ready to report to him when he
came that it was . clear case of suicide.
/ had entered the bedroom and stood be-
fore the body. but had been careful not
to disturb any thing. Graham stood in
the door, look around him for three or
four minutes, and said:
Tell the patrolman to keep every
body out There has been q murder
here"
looked upon him as out of his mind,
but he soon satisfied me that his mental
faculties were never clearer. The cur
tains were down. and what l had seen
was by the light Of the open door. The
body hung exactly in front of it and
about seven feet away. We pulled of
our shoes and left them in the kitchen,
and then went in and pulled up the cur
tains. This let in a flood of light and
enabled us to see every thing. The
hook which held the rope was about
nine feet from the floor. Miss Ryan
was about five feet two inches tall The
knot in the moose was directly under her
chin. Behind her was An overturned
chair. but it lay on its side instead of on
its back.
First" said Graham, as we stood tax
ing in these details, ''these are mems
tracks on the carpet See there, and
there. and there. The streets were
muddy last night. and the visitor
brought some Of the stuff in here. Let