Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1891-10-02
PORT TOBACCO MARYLAND OCTOBER 1884,

lie was answered in the negative.
and then said:
swell, come on, gentlemen, we'll
go to his house."
The postmaster in the lead, with the
crowd following, proceeded to act.
frayersing the one long street, in the
bright morning sunlight, they arrived
at Dison's home at the extreme end.
As the house came within view, some
what obscured from the street by
large locust trees in the front yard, it
presented, as the villagers afterwarl
said, a weird and uncanny aspect.
The windows and doors were closed--
nt a sign of life was visible. Knock
ing and receiving no answer, they scat
tered and went to work investigating
and searching the grounds. A back door
was found open, through which they
entered, finding themselves IN the room
evidently used as the kitchen. Dirty
dishes and cooking utensils were
sifewn around just as they had been
left-from their appearance or
four days before. The rest Of the
furniture on the first floor was in its
proper place and undisturbed. Pass
ing from tie down stairs TO the second
story, the self lf-constituted Investigators
found themselves at the entrance of a
room opening off hall. The door
was firmly locked, and, seemingly,
the only ono in use on that floor. IL
was manifestly the workroom in
which Olson conducted his expert
ments.
"IIow shall We get in, fellows?"
said Tom Jones, big, strapping
countryman. "Break in the door?'
"IIold on, Tom," Hal said, as Jones
put his shoulder to the door, prcpara-
tory to carrying out his suggestion;
''maybe some of the boys have a key
that will fit the lock.
Several men stepped forward with
punches of keys, and among them one
was found which opened the door.
Sam Hall, the postmaster. was tho
first to cross the threshold. As he
made 4 step or two ne uttered loud
exclamation and pointed TO the middle
of the room. Lying under large
table was the body of Olson. Upon
investigation it was discovered that
long knife wound in the breast was
the cause of death, although probably
not Immediately. The apartment was
torn up and everything in confusion,
asif desperate struggle for life had
dfen place A safe III The corner of
the room was blown open, and the
conclusion was naturally drawn that
the crime had been committed for the
purpose of robbery. On the table
just above the dead man was
a peculiar looking machine. The
villagers had seen nothing like
it before. When the excitement
caused by the discovery of the murder
had somewhat subsidized, an examina-
ton was made of the machine. The
apparatus consisted of a tube having
an open mouthpiece at one end, and
bearing the other end thin dia-
phragm of metal or other substance,
with sharp point or stylus affixed to
the centre of its outer surface. An
other apparatus consisted of a cylin-
der about four inches in diameter,
having on its periphery a V-shaped
groove cut spirally from end to end.
Over this grooved cylinder a sheet of
wax was placed and advanced till the
point of the stylus lightly touched
the wax over the opening of the v
shaped cut. The cube with the
mouthpiece was within the cylinder,
Which had a handle for turning it.
The instrument caused great deal of
speculation as to what is was, but
nothing could be made of it, although
it had the appearance of being used.