The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-05-23
THE CAPTAINS MURDER

clean shaven man of about forty, with
gray hair and no whiskers, and with
nothing remarkable about him except Q
deep cut over his right eyebrow.
When he first came into the neighbor-
hood the gossips of Bradtown had specu-
lated great deal as to who and what he
was, but without any basis for their con-
lectures.
About the time our story commences
the captain had got into some trouble.
His landlord, an easy going, weli-to-do
tradesman, began to think that, as he
said, he should like to see the color OF the
captains money.
The patience of his creditors was nearly
exhausted, when one day circular letter
was sent to them, appointing a meeting
for IL o'clock on the following Monday,
"when," the captain wrote, she would
satisfy all claims, as legacy left by dis
tant relation had been paid into his &C.
count at the Balston Bank"
On Saturday the captain hired gig at
the Kings Arms, to take him to Balston.
Johnny Wilson, the landlords son, drove
him to the bank at Balston, where he
stayed about ten minutes, and came oat
at the end of that time buttoning into
the breast pocket of his coat afat-looking
pocketbook. Johnny waited for him
while he made a few purchases In the
town, and then drove hirn straight home
to the building"
At 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 Wilcombe, 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."
Mary Wilcombe, who seemed utterly
prostrated, remained under the care OF
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 dining room to the gar
den, which sloped down to the river, was
found to be open, and on entering the
sitting-room drops Of blood were seen
along 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 committed.
The table by the window had been pushed
out of its place; the only two chairs in
the room were lying on the floor.
rLa haA NH trl, koA oIo fvr
was deluged with blood, and in the mid
die of 1t was deep indentation as II q
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.
90 much the inspector saw at Q glance
as he entered. He took the pocketbook
and looked carefully through it.
1t was empty; but lying near it, and be-
hind the door, was piece OF neatly folded
paper. Il had, evidently, fallen from the
pocketbook while the murderer was
emptying the contents.
IT was half sheet of note paper folded
in three, and written on it were the
numbers and value Of the bank notes, the
total of which amounted to 2270.
OF to Balston with the paper to inquire
of the bank manager whether those were
the numbers of the notes which had been
paid to the captain the day before, and il
SO, to take measures to stop them.
He also received orders to telegraph i'm
mediately to Scotland Yard an account Of
the murder, and any fact he might as
certain at Balston.
After locking the bedroom door, the
inspector proceeded to the garden.
Outside the door, on the grass, were the
footprints Of a man, the toes pointing
toward the house, and the heels deeply
indented in the soft earth.
The rest Of the footprints were partially
obliterated, as II something heavy had
been dragged over them.
The murderer must have gone out Of
the sitting-roo backwards, dragging
the body of his victim after him.
Across the small grass plot and half way
through the belt of trees the footsteps
continued. There they ceased.
On the soft mud and leaves was an i'm
preston as IL a heavy body had been left
there. Near the impression, lying on the
ground, was q spade, and at distance of
a few feet the ground had been dug up as
IL it had been intended to bury the body
there.
On the river bank the footprints were
again found. This time they pointed for
ward and not backward, and the impress
sion was clear and sharp.
The body must have been carried. The
river at this point was deep and sluggish; |;
there would be no little difficulty in drag
ging 1t.
Drags were sent for and the inspector
went home to breakfast, leaving police
man in charge of the premises, with orders
TO admit no one except on business.
The inspector had hardly finished his
breakfast when Policeman Jones returned
from Balston.
He had been eminently successful. The
bank manager had identified the num-
bers on the paper as those OF the bank
notes paid the day before to the captain.
The money, 1t appeared, had been paid
to him in pursuance Of an order con-
tanned in letter received that Saturday
morning from their London correspond
ent, Cowic, Nabob & Co., the Great China
and Indian bankers.
The drags had now been at work some
time, but without success. The river had
been DRAGGED up and down and sidewavs