The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1894-07-28

nearest seat. For Few moments tuere
was a deep and ominous silence, and then
one Of the officers said, slowly anu Win
pointed emphasis:
| Landlord, this is very STRANGE
"fhe strangest thing ever knew fairly
| gasped the innkeeper, glancing around him
In frightened bewilderment. Where can
I the man have gone to-
| And this blood too" sternly chimed III
the other officer. What does this mean
| il not some foul play"
"Oh, gentlemen" said the host in a low
/ tremulous tone, Il hope you don't suspect
me, for I'm rs innocent AS child unborn.
| And now l remember. too, when went to
the door to let you in found il wasn't
fastened. and I'm right sure fastened il
myself before went to bed"
| I'VE certainly do suspect you, sir, said
| the other officer; for how can We help It
| since the man is gone and YOU, rs YOU have
| confessed, have his money in your posses
sions"
But he gave me the money to keep for
him." cried the frightened host, land I've
got il yet"
Undoubtedly YOU have, but that, you
see. so far from proving you know nothing
OF the affair, only tends To make matters
the worse for you.
"Perhsps he's about here yet some
where suggested the innkeeper. IF he's
oahk roboer and heard your knocks, he u
he quite likely To hide himself, or run away.
should think"
The idea was worthy OF attention, and a
search for the missing man was forthwith
begun. On looking under the bed blood
was discovered ON the foor, and the trail
OF this WAS found to lead out Of the room,
down the stairs and out Of the front door
showing that the object Of search, either
living or dead. had gone out Of the house.
Beyond the building there were no traces,
for the storm had obliterated them. The
hostler was called, the only other man
about the house. but he appeared to be-
Kind OF stupid fellow, and evidently knew
nothing OF tue matter, and look in the
barn showed the strangers horse still
there.
About an hour later the neighbor men
toned came over Go the inn In great agita-
ton and alarm, said there was the body OF
murdered man lying by the roadside. and
also stated what he had heard during the
night.
All hurried to the scene of the tragedy.
and there beheld the body Of a coars.
featured man OF forty. which the officers
believed from its general appearance To b.
that OF the villain they were seeking; bat
whether that Of the stranger who had
lodged at the cabin no one could tell The
body was covered with blood. and the man
had evitently died from, knife wound, in
the breast
Throughout that thnly p.opl-d section
the news spread rapidly. and b-ior, night
large number Of excited spectators. in
Guiding the sheriff, coroner and two mag.
istrates, had collected at tn. inn An
inquest was held and a verdict rendered
in accordance with the facts. and. though
there was no direct evidence against III.
landlord vet .usnirior n,i,t,J =, ,~,,,,r.
10 him "a the murderer that he Vas taken
into custody and committed for trial
In due time the trial came on, but the
jury could not agree and were finally dis,
charged y second trial resulted like the
hrst, and the lnnke-pcr, whose name wa,
Williams, was kept in prison over a wear
How the affair would have eventually
terminated had the mystery not been
cleared up in an unr xpected manner il Is,
Impossible To SAY. but ere the tim. hx-d
Tor the third trial arrived stranger ap
pearet before the magistrate. Of the coun.
ty ami deposed that he himself wa. the IN
dividnaI who had lodged at the inn on the
night OF the ulurtrr, and for taking who's,
HE the landlord was still In prison.
In the course Of his evidence he stated
that be had been merchant in Philadel.
phia, VINO finding himself on the eve Of
failure hui collected large amount OF
money ami run away, and that all trace Of
himself might be lost and his death tx
pected ne had adopted the plan OF putting
small part OF the money Ia the hands Of
the innkr~p-r, oStrnsibly for safe Keeping.
anu secretly departing in the night on foot.
not suppoSlng anything very serious would
result To the landlord from this cours. OF
action.
On getting up somewhere about mil
night his nose had set to bleeding which
would explain the traces u blood he had
left behind him. He made his way 10 Bal
.imore and thence sailed to Havan, b.r.
he had been 80 fortunate in his .n.,uI,
lions as 10 find himself In condition to
return AMI settle houorably with nil h..
;reditors. On coming home and giving an |
account Of his adventure. to A friend n. /
lad for the first time learned with horror /
u the almost fatal consequences to tn. inn.
per Of his uniustihabi. dg..,,.a
md had FASTENED to max. What r.ra.
ion lay in his power. Hi. TESTIMONY va.
VI bseqnently corroboratsd on all imp,r
ant points, and the innkeep.r was homer
ibiy discharged, to the great relief and