The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1892-02-18
WHO DID IT.
How the Question Was Solved by
Shrewd Detective.

Mr.. Joseph Tonce was spare built,
clean-shaven man Of about forty, with
gray hair and no whiskers, and with
nothing remarkable about him except
a deep cut over his right eyebro
When he first came into the neigh
borhood the gossips of Bradtown had
speculated great deal as to who and
what he was, but without any basis
for their conf lectures.
About the time our story commences
the captain had got into some trouble.
His landlord, an easy-going, well-to-do
tradesman, began to think that, as he
said, he should like to see the color Of
the captain S money.
The patience of his creditors was
nearly exhausted when one day cir
cular letter was sent to them, appoint
ing q meeting for twelve O'clock on
the following Monday. when" the
captain wrote, "he would satisfy all
claims, as legacy left by distant re-
lation had been paid into his account at
the Balston bank"
On Saturday the captain hired gig
at the Kings Arms to take him to Bal
ston. Johnny Wilson, the landlords
son, drove him to the bank at Balston,
where he stayed about ten minutes,
and came out at the end of that time
buttoning into the vest pocket of his
coat fat-looking pocketbook. Johnny
waited for him while he made q few
purchases in the town, and then drove
him straight home to the building"
At six o'clock on Sunday morning the
inhabitants of quiet High street were
aroused by violent knocking at the
door of the police station.
The policeman who was on night
duty opened the door, and Mary Will
connie, the captains servant. white
with terror and painting with exertion,
nearly fell into his arms. gasping out
that her master, the captain, had been
robbed and murdered in the night.
The inspector was Immediately
called, and the whole available police
force of the village, consisting of two
policemen, set of with him for the
'building." Ill
Mary Willcombe, who seemed utterly
Frustrated, remained under the care oil
the inspectors wife.
On reaching the building" the in
spector found the front undisturbed,
the windows closed and the doors
locked.
On going round to the back, the door
leading from the sitting-room to the
garden, which sloped down TO the riv-
err, was found to be open, and on en-
tering the sitting room drops of blood
were seen al ong the carpet between
the staircase and the garden door.
On the staircase itself the drops OF
blood were more frequent.
The bedroom, however, was clearly
the place where the murder was com.
mitted. The table by the window had
been pushed out of its place; the only
two chairs in the room were lying on
the floor.
The bed, which had not been slept
in, was deluged with blood, and in the
middle of it was deep indentation, as
If a heavy body had been pressed down
upon 1t.
A large clasp knife stained with
blood was lying on the pillow, and by
the door, on the floor, was an open
pocketbook.
So much the inspector saw at a glance
as he entered. He took the pocketbook
and looked carefully through it,
1t was empty, but lying near 1t, and
behind the door, was piece Of neatly
folded paper. 1t had evidently fallen
from the pocketbook while the muir
derer was emptying the contents
1t was half-sheet of notepapeI
folded in three, and written on II were
the numbers and value of forty-twc
bank notes, the total of which amount
ed to a270. 49,
The murderer, evidently wishing te
carry about him nothing which nigh,
aid detection, had left the pocketbooh
behind, but in his hurry had overlooked
this paper.
Policeman Jones was immediately
sent off to Balston with the paper tx
inquire of the bank manager whether
those were the numbers of the notes
which had been paid to the captain the
day before, and II so, to take measures
to stop them.
He also received orders to telegraph
Immediately to Scotland Yard an ac
count OF the murder and any facts h.
might ascertain at Balston-
After locking the bedroom door, tn,
inspector proceeded to the garden.
Outside the door, on the grass, wer.
the footprints Of man. the toes point
lag towards the house, and the heel
deeply indented in the soft earth
The rest of the foot prints wer,
partially obiiterated as II something
heavy HID been dragged over them.
The murderer most have gone ont Q
the sittinr. robin backwards, dragging
ia body d his Victim alter him.
Arcs ~ smsll grass net end hslt