The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-08-21
A PEACH-STONE CLEW.
It Brought the Murderer Of Horace
Templeton to Justice.

"Five Thousand Dollars Rewardv'
This heading of a poster attracted my
attention as l was wheeling" toward
the place where purposed enjoying
needed and hard-carned vacation, and
i stopped to read the poster in its en-
tirety As follows:
THE above sum will be paid to anyone who
will furnish information that shall load TO the
apprehension Of the person or persons respon-
sible for tho murder Of Horace TcmpletOn,. .of
this town, on the evening OF August7.
'-SsLSCrEEs or STASDIsH.
''Standish, August \. ISL"
1t was the first that / had known of
the crime, as those in my vocation sell
dom care to read the criminal news ii
papers, having enough to do with such
things in the regular routine of duty.
/ resolved, however, TO strive for the
reward, and, changing my course.
wheeled my way to Standish, about
twenty miles distant
Preached Stsndish late in the after
noon and in the evening / went to the
residence of the chairman of the board
of selectmen, to whom ! said:
II am detective showing him my
credentials, ''and wish to work on the
Templeton case"
1.-Two detectives are already at work
upon it, and do not think it necessary
TO employ another one, he replied, lat
least not until they have proved them
selves unable to ferret out the crime"
he added.
II will pay my own expenses and
charge you nothing for my services un-
less they are successful, in which event
the reward of five thousand dollars
shall be given me-" rejoined- And"
an IL. al
reward if the two in your employ base
their operations upon the same clew-"
Under those conditions i see no OBJ
lection to allowing you TO do as you
wish"
asked
Albany"
And their names are-
Thomas Burns and James Perrin"
81 am not acquainted with any de-
tectives thus named, and, probably
they do not know of me. SO | can
prosecute my investigation without
arousing their suspicious that / am
competing with them / will assume
the name of William Dean"
So far our conversation had been
carried on while ! was standing out
doors Now he invited me into the
house, and when we were seated ]
said:
please acquaint me with all the
facts in the case"
MIR. Templeton," he began, twas
about forty-five years of ago, the
wealthiest man in the town-his native
place-universally esteemed by all who
knew him, without known enemy in
the world.
Last Sunday evening his wife, on
her return from a prayer meeting,
entered the library, to find him on the
floor dead, his head in pool of blood.
THE physician declared that his
death resulted from blows inflicted
upon his head with blunt imple-
ment in the hands of some unknown
person.
There had been heavy shower
early in the evening, and as there
were mud tracks on the carpet in the
library from a window-which was un-
fastened-to the easy-chair which Mr..
Tcmpleton occupied when in the
library, the theory is that the murderer
gained an entrance to and made an
exit from the room by way of this
window while Mr.. Templeton was doz-
ing. rs he was wont to do when alone"
''Will anyone be pecuniarily benefited
by his death?" i inquired
THE sole heir to his property is his
widow
suspicion attaches to no one?"
''It does not"
al presume that 1 should be per-
mitted to visit the Ebrary?"
Certainly. Many from far and near
have visited the scene of the tragedy
out of mere curiosity, and your visit
thereto would be attributed to the
same motive / will accompany YOU
there tomorrow morning, where, at the
request of the detectives, everything is
exactly as it was when the crime was
perpetrated."
Thank you," I said, and, bidding
him good evening"" went to the
hotel.
The following morning Mr.. Ames,
the chairman of the board of selectmen.
and / went to the library of the late
Mr.. Templeton, where, doubtless owing
to the earliness of the hour, there were
no other visitors, and l prosecuted a
vigorous examination.
Ten days later, when the other de
tectives had given up the case as
hopeless" went to Mr.. Ames and
asked:
About how much is Mr.. Ralston. the
cashier of the local bank, estimated to
be worth?"
"Some $4,000. should say" was the
yeply.
HE could not easilyraise that amount