Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-02
A TERRIBLE SECRET
STORY 0Y THE DEATH OF LIBRARIAN on
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY.
The Mysterious GrOliO Gives Up Its Dread Secret
How an Old Man Was S,ranglsd in Cav
srn-1hs Motives for Making Away
With the Aged Professor.

"a Win Ihe aged Professor.
MANCHESTER, ENo., February The
tails Of the foul crime, already cabled.
that has deprived Manchester Of one
OF her most worthy citizens have lust
reached here. One Of the ornaments of
the great commercial aud mauufactnr-
ing center is Victoria University, found
ed In 1850, and composed Of Owens Col
lege, Manchester, dating from ISL:
University College, Liverpool. issi,
and Yorkshire College. Leeds. 1874.
The university is governed by a chan
cellor, an Office now filled by the great
Duke Of Deyonshire, assisted by a vice
chancellor and pro-yice-chanccllor
or this institution DR.. Lindemann, a
German gentleman Of untarnished repu-
tation and great eruditlon. has for the
past - years acted in the capacity OF
Assistant Librarian. DR.. Lindemanns
habits were methodical and his manner
OF patiently investigating all subjects
that came up for his consideration were
those Of most German scholars Last
summer IL was noticed that Herr Linde-
mann was not as regular IN his attend
ance at the university library as usual,
and on inquiry IL was found that bis
health had suffered from too great de-
votion TO his favorite pursuit.
BY the autumn his maady had n-
creased until, at the beginning OF win
ter he was told plainly by his physi-
clans that unless he gave himself abs0-
Lutte and entire rest for a season they
would not be answerabe for the conse-
quenceS. The assistant librarians
trouble, though entirely physical, was
OF such character that at times 10
seemed TO affect his brain. aud his mind
being generally absorbed Ia books and
subjects more or less abstruse, he app
peared TO casual acquaintances not en-
tirely master OF himself
Such was his condition when about
eight weeks ago he left Manchester and
slowly journeyed toward the Riviera 90
spend the winter In the generally
genial climate. Going first 10 Genoa.
he stopped at German hoStelry known
as the Hotel Schmidt, the proprietor of
which has kindly forwarded the follow
Ing details Of the sad event. lie had not
been there long when IL was noticed
that he was becoming unusually init
mate with two Germans, who were also
guests OF the house, one apparcatly
about - and the other about 81. About
Christmas the trio left Genoa for san
Reno. on the road 10 Nice and just be-
yond the French frontier There the
party put up at the Hotel Rationale.
hiring two rooms.
Al &uu HUmn q Italian
that relies almost entirely on It's Eng
liSh and American visitors, DR.. Llndc-
mann seemed to throw Of his English
antecedents and his individuality. lend
ing himself 10 the stories OF his newly
made friends lie said very little him
self, but his fellOw-trayelers made up
for his reticence by their garrulitY.
They informed the people of the hotel
that the invalid scholar was d large
landed proprietor from the ueighbor-
hood OF Vienna. aud that they them
selves resided In POtsdam. They added
that the supposititious land owner wa.
not In good mental health. aud that
they were travelling in his company Go
see that no harm befcli him.
They also requested those they met
not to poster their invalid with conycr-
sation, alleging that he was exceedingly
irritable. and that all annoyance iu-
creased his malady Having thus care
fully laid their plans, the TWO villains,
who. by this time. appeared 30 have
taken possession Of their unfortunate
victim. body and soul. announced that
they were about 10 90 tO Monte Carlo.
where they proposed placing poor Lin
dcmann in mai,On de- ,ante.
All this seemed remarkable enough,
and the three traveller, took their dee
parture the next day without further
question. This was the last seen OF the
assistant librarian alive. The rest Of
the story is told by the Italian police.
High up on the wonderful Coruichc
road. built by the first Napoleon. that
stretches from Nice 20 Genoa. and boo
many places runs pcrIlOu.ly icar the
edge Of frightful precipi 'es, are several
gr0ttOs that were once the hiding places
of the littOral free bo0ters aud that are
now at time, put % still more criminal
uses.
Passing one Of these rocky cayerns q
few days afterward a sergeant was at
tracted by an unpleasant 0d0r Crop
ing his way inside. be soon stumbled on
the body Of a man. On bringing 10 into
daylight and searching the pockets, not
the slightest clue could be found 10 his
Identity. The man had been strangled
10 death, and there were evidences oi
terrible struggle.
Meantime DR.. Lindemann's friends
here were becoming terribly anxious.
Beyond brief note just after Al, ar
rival In Genoa no tidiug, had been rr-
ceived Of the invalid traveller. At last,
some two weeks ago steps were taken iO
learn his whereabouts, and through thr
kindness Of the Italian Consul al Liver
pool. Commissioner DurandO, and thr
use Of a photograph Of the missing man.
il was found that the body Wa, that OF
the Manchester scholar.
On the fourth day after their depart
ure from san Reno, the two Germans
returned 10 the Hotel Nati0nalo alone.
on being questioned boy the landiady as
20 what had become of the missing VI
emma traveller, they stated that be- had
been placed in the charge Of the best
| known physician Of Nice. who ls 40 the
head of a large establishment Tor the
care of minds deceased They re-
malned only few hours. taking the
night train Genoa-ward. They also rr-
lieyed the landlady Of the further care
Of handbag that DR.. Lindemanu bad
! left behind him, apparently through
accident. They disappeared boo th'
darkness, aud all clue tO The pefprira
| tors 0f the crime Of the grOttO b. low