Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-05-03
TTasksT's Private uaTk.


When I was quite a young man ]
counted among my close friends 0
private detective. The two of us were
enjoying quiet smoke and chat in
his coy little Office one day when
the door opened and his boy ushered
in lady client. She was apparently
under 20, and was quite fashionably
! attired. Her form was tall and slen.
der and her face exceedingly attrac-
tive, but bore traces Of some sudden
and overwhelming affection, for hei
eyes were red with weeping.
"Mr. Banks, the detective, I pre-.
sume?" she queried, turning, after
quick glance at me to my more
mature companion.
"At your service, madame. Pray
be seated"
II am in sore trouble, SIR" she
said, in tremulous tones, applying
her handkerchief to her eyes. Death
has suddenly robbed me of father
and the prison, il nothing worse,
threatens to take dear cousin from
me-"
"That is very sad" my friend said,
alphabetically. " But compose
yourself, my dear young lady; we
may yet avert the latter part of your
trouble"
"Oh, sir! God grant that you may,
for my cousin, whom they suspect Of
the murder Of my poor father, was to
be my husband, she said, the seri-
BUSINESS of the case overcoming her
natural modesty. "But he is inno-
cent, know it, feel it, in spite Of
the evidence against him. Oh, be-
lieve me, sir, Harry is as innocent Of
this dreadful deed as / am"
my dear young lady" said
Banks, encouragingly, "before hear
ing the first detail of your case am
convinced that he is. My belief in
feminine intuitions is based upon the
solid foundation of experience. Be
calm, therefore, and let me have the
story from the beginning"
The circumstances she related
were as follows: Her father, Thomas
Kempton, was the proprietor of a
large furniture factory. He was a
man who paid strict attention to
business, and was in the habit Of
remaining in his Office after the
factory had closed for the night and
the men had departed. in order to
finish up his large correspondence.
One Of the clerks in his employ
was a nephew, fine young fellow,
strong Of body and generous of heart,
but not free from the follies of youth.
Harry Stanton was graduate of
college and thorough athlete, and,
being yet scarce 20, he had not out
grown his youthful enthusiasm for
sports, clubs and semi-incidentally
late suppers with the boys.
Now, the old are not always so
tolerant of the ways of the young as
recollection should make them, and
so it happened that. the frequent
transgressions of the uncle's office
rules by the nephew caused between
the two considerable friction. On the
evening of the tragedy there had
been quite o serious quarrel, and he
left the presence of his employer in
hot-headed haste and with angry
words.
One hour later and half an hour
after the factory had closed Mr..
Kempton had been found murdered
in his private Office. He was seated
in his chair, his head falling forward
on the desk before him. A pocket
knife had been used to accomplish
the dastardly deed. and this lay on
the floor in O pool of blood at the
murdered mans feet. On being
cleansed and examined the fatal
weapon was instantly recognized by
the clerks as young Stanton's.
There was no indication of strug-
gle, the blow had evidently been
struck from behind, and with uner-
ing aim had pierced the heart. The
safe had been rified of its valuable
contents, and there was evidence
that the assassin in making his exit
through the general Office had stop
ped to open Stanton's desk, and re-
move such things as young fellow
In making permanent departure
would be likely to take.
So much In substance had by inter-
tO6oOoAy PtoihpOihBS uccii uruWu irou
the girl, when Banks said:
"And now tell me what steps have
been taken"
Poor papa's head clerk has en-
ployed q detectives Mr.. Gregg
who, after looking into the case,
started on in hot pursuit of my cousin,
whom he firmly believes to be the as
sassin."
''Ump came from Banks, as he
gazed musingly into the fire. ''Then
young Stanton has disappearedf" /.
Eyes, tbs all strange combine
ton Of circumstances, but / trust,
sir, you still believe him innocent"
my dear young lady, profess
sional opinion based on the merits OF
the case would be rather premature.
For the present you must draw what
comfort you may from my faith in
your intuitions. IL you desire 1t
shall proceed at once to the factory
In order to secure some further
data"
Kindly do 70 in my behalf, Mr..
n~vxI~ 20 II <ho -. 81 49,