The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-07-18

coarse black hair ciutched in the dead
woman's palm. My friend in his shirt
sleeves had just such hair. These were
the mental notes ! made while / was
talking with him there on the balcony.
sAre you a stranger heres' I asked.
mot exactly" he replied. eve been
in business here a little more than three
months. I'm q surveyor"
w parted for the night and before I
returned / decided to dismiss my foolish
impression of the man and turn my at
tention to other matters.
But Lcould not quite rid my mind Of
the idea that in some way or another he
was connected with that murder.
In the morning after breakfast he
walked across the street to the postofice
Ia his shirt sleeves and got his mail.
Isaw him a dozen times that day-al-
ways in his shirt sleeves. All that week,
whenever I met the man, he was coat
less. It seemed to be his habit to go
that way.
i was strangely attracted to him, and
the more I thought of him the more /
felt convinced that he knew something
about the murder.
He said he was a surveyor. Perhaps
that was the reason he took long walks
every afternoon? / had seen him in the
park a dozen times, but he seldom wore
his coat.
sought the colored woman who had
testified at the inquest. IF she saw that
man in the park again would she be able
to recognize him?
She thought she would if she could
see him standing in the same position.
slipped q five dollar bill in her hand,
enjoined her to secrecy, and obtained
her promise to bein the park every even
ing after that until she met the man.
The next day at twilight / saw a man
standing in the park with a coat on his
arm. In his hand he held a heavy cane,
and appeared to be contemplating some
object in the distance.
While he was in this position the
woman, true to her promise, passed hur-
riedly by, keeping her eyes fixed on him
as she went.
I followed her, and when we were
well out of hearing she stopped and said:
Before God, I think it's the man l
saw with Mars Huntley. 1 know him
by his shapei'
was wild with excitement. "Do not
breathe a word of this to any one" was
my caution to the ON as I hurried
to the mayors Office.
''Impossible!' he exclaimed, when I
laid the story before him. 'sThat is Capt.
Carlton, a surveyor, whose character is
above reproach. 1t is true he had paid
the dead woman some attention, butt
l interrupted him with an impatient
gesture. ssYou are bound to take this
Yo1nan's testimony said, ssand place
this captain under arrest. 1t matters
not what his character may be. The
wonan says it is the man.
The marshall was called in. s.Find
Capt. Carlton said the mayor, s-and tell
him I wish to see him Immediately on
business"
It was, perhaps, q full half hour be-
fore the captain put in an appearance;
and when he did the mayor did not know
what to say to him.
"Well,' he said, with an inquiring
look, ''what can / do for your
The mayor said nothing, but looked
ap~pealingly at me.
eve should send for the woman" I
said.
what womans" asked Carlton, excit-
edly.
"Why, captain said the mayor in a
nervous voice, there is a woman here
who says that she saw you with Mrs.
Huntley'-
The man started at the name, and a
faint pallor overspread his face, which
soon changed to an indignant red. Te
did not wait for the mayor to finish the
sentence, but stamping his foot furious
ly exclaimed:
sit is a liza black lie; and I'll strike
the mar or woman dead who says it!'
Don't commit another murder, cap
TAIN" l said, placing my hand on my
pistol. Il aceuse you Of the crime!'
He sprang forward with a fearful i'm
~precation, but drew back at the sight Of
my pistol, which was leveled at his
breast.
By this time the Office was crowded
with curious citizens, who had over
heard the oaths Of the Gagged captain.
He was soon secured and taken to
Jail. The woman was brought face to
face with him, and he covered before
her.
The lock of hair found in the dead
woman's hand matched his own exactly,
and finally a confession was wrung from
him.
He had loved the woman, but she had
repulsed him. He o o found that she
loved another, and on the evening be-
fore the murder he had met her, by acct
dent, and walked with her 10 the place
where her body was subsequently found.
In a fit of jealous rage he had choked
her to death, though he did not mean to
kill her.
The sound of a wagon approaching had
frightened him SO that he fed, leaving
the body where it wa found next morn
ing.
I believe the captain is serving time
in the peIitentiary now.
1t was the first detective work / had
ever done and I hope it will be the last.
Twas not wor1dng for the reward, but
the mayor thought l deserved it, and l
was $500 better off in the bank when the
case was concluded and I left Broun-