The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-01-09

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ON THE FLOOR LAY THE BODY OF JoHs
WHITE.
The body lay 10 feet away, almost at the
head OF the bed and close to the window.
The legs were drawn up, the hands
clinched, and there was look of agony
on the face The man HAD paid for his
lodgings in advance, displaying large
roll of money, and the landlord was sure
he had watch. Watch and morey
were missing. On the back of the head
was badbruise, with cut in the CEN
ter of it.
I'm 10 cases out of 20-yea, in 40 cases
ont Of 50--a coroner's inquest is farce
to comply with the law. The average
coroner is either honest enough to be
fool or sharp enough to return verdict
ito benefit his own pockets. The average
Juror called in an inquest is guided by
the views of the coroner. He is there
for the fee, and the sooner verdict is
reached the sooner he will be at liberty
TO stand up to the bar of some saloon.
The coroner has his friends among the
medical fraternity. Whenever it is pos
eible. he orders postmortem examina-
tion. That meass from $oj TO $40 for
his medical friend, who may have no
standing at all in the medical world, but
can show diploma.
In the case Of John White a postmor-
tenn was ordered. That meant an ad-
journment Of the inquest and larger
ices all around. The doctor began at
the head to search for the cause Of death.
and when he came to the br,nse and
the cut the cause was apparent. 1t was
y fracture of the skull, he said. Some
one had killed and robbed the man. In
his opinion John White had been
struck with jagged piece of iron. The
verdict of the jnry was in accordance,
and then tho detectives came into play.
John White of Syracuse turned oct TO be
Captain James Taylor. stationed at Fort
Monroe, but then on 60 days leave max
ing arrangements TO be married within
10 days to young woman in Richmond.
As was in the hotel when the murder
was discovered had fine opportunity
t. pick up pointers. Before giving away
my clews and deductions let me tell YOU
hcw the regular" went to work and the
conclusions he arrived at. When John
White registered, he had a mustache and
goatee; when he was found dead, he had
only mnstache. In one of the drawers
of the bureau we found the false beard.
Tho detective reasoned that the man
wanted one more spree before marriage.
lie didn't want 10 be known 10 the hotel
people and so put on the false goatee.
While he was drinking at the table. with
his back to the window, some one climb
Cd Up the Aoping roof, softly raised the
sash and entered the room and struck
him before he was aware of the intrud-
er's presence. White had sprung up.
reelcd around and fallen where we found
him. Tic murderer had got upon the
roof by means of wall at the rear. Op
posite that portion Of the hotel where
the murder had taken place was a saloon,
with gambling rooms above.
1t was reasoned that some one looked
across and saw White drinking. his cur.
tain being up. and then and there con-
ceived and carried out the idea Of rob
berry. Ii was 10 ~the saloon that the
regular" therefore. gave his attention.
lie sinelled of the wineglass and re-
placed IL ON the table and made no
search of the room. Ii is considered
"bad form for an amateur to offer ad-
vice on suggestions TO regular" but
could not restrain myself from pointing
out the fact that the murdered man still
wore diamond ring and pin with "a
combined value of at least 5000. II rob-
berry had been the motive, why hadn't
the robber taken these thingss
In too much OF hurry Of course"
g-owled tho regular"
I couldn't agree with him on that
point. Had II been a case of highway
robbery the reasoning would have held
good. The robber had entered unseen.
He bad created no alarm. He had coolly
Hi6cd all the dead mans pockets, bat had