San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-07-28

8. He doesn't think we need be uneasy
about him. At any. rate he is locked in
securely, and l have ascertained that if
we don't lift our voices unduly not
whisper can reach to his room. 1 had
pretty thorough search of the house
early today, from garrett to basement.
THAT'S the lot-the whole human
family here?"
YES; with the exception of the lady
of the house, who is lying stone dead in
her room on the first landing. Her body
will be removed tomorrow for the post
mortem at Clayfelds hospital"
Next the Vestry hall?"
THE same"
"No servant in the house?'
"No; there hasn't been one sleeping
in the house for some time. The Young
Lady and the dead woman managed the
house with the assistance of girl who
went home every night. Then I have
an officer outside-youns 260Y-to keep
any stray visitors-curiosity mongers
the ike-off the premises. A"
Very well, then, let us proceed. /
will give you my statement of the case,
and if l get astray you will pick me up
Mrs. Davorn, widow, aged 45 or there
abouts, is discovered dead in her bed
this morning at O'Clock. Person who
discovers her dead is Miss Ethel Rod
ney, niece Of Mrs. Davorn. Person to
whom she imparts this discovery is Po-
lice Officer Metcalf, 204Y division, who
has been for some minutes previously
conversing with Albert Steinworth, a
ledger in the house in front bedroom.
Steinworth has challenged 204Y and
has declared he is locked into his room,
and asks police constable to rouse the
house, as he wants to get away in order
to catch an early train at Paddington.
204Y, as soon as the hall door is opened
for him by Miss Rodney and when he
learns from her that the lady of the
house is dead or dying, dispatches Miss
Rodney for the nearest doctor. 204Y
then goes to room on first landing.
Finds Mrs. Davorn dead in her bed. No
signs of violence or Of struggle. The
only thing exceptional that catches his
eye is a broken desk ON the floor, dis
covery which he gave no attention to at
the time. 204Y next proceeds to first
floor landing. Finds door of front bed
room locked, as stated previously by Al
bert Steinworth. Key is in lock outside.
204Y hberates Steinworth and then
finds that Bernard James Vickery, whose
room is on the same floor, is also locked
into his room. Key in lock outside.
Great difficulty in arousing Vickery.
DR.. Percival arrives. Pronounces Mrs.
Davorn to be dead. Considers she has
been dead for some hours Doctor dis
covers under Mrs. Davorn's bed a
sponge, which he declares to contain
distinct traces of chloroform.
Loose conduct on the part of chloro-
formist to leave such witness in the
room"
Apparently. But remember there
may have been a motive. To resume:
204Y learns subsequently from Miss
Rodney that there was a sum of money
in the room of deceased woman the pre-
vious night. Thirteen hundred pounds
in notes, according to Miss Rodney.
And 1 must say" observed Detective
Goringe, "that the young lady was re-
markably free in her admissions, and
that 2O4Y certainly did not err on the
side of bashfulness.
HE is a very jealous officer"
$50 you have already informed me.
But, to pick up the thread of my state
WANT aAoin +l,;, ,,,ona1, hoe ~ &c aScar-
tanned, disappeared The desk in which
the notes were slowed away has been
broken open. Miss Rodney states that
only she and one other person-that
other person being as yet unnamed by
her-knew the money was in the house
Later on DR.. Maurice Leclerc calls here,
and insists upon seeing Miss Rodney
After his interview with her he asks to
see the inspector, who has just arrived
You, the inspector, receive from him a
statement-a very reckless statement, l
must admit-that he is engaged to Miss
Rodney, and was to have married her
today against the consent of her aunt,
now deceased. He also states that he
was in the house late last night, after
Steinworth and Vickery had retired to
their rooms for the night; that he had a
stormy interview with Mrs. Davorn, in
the course of which interview frequent
references were made to the 81, 800 then
lying in Mrs. Davorn's room. In the
bedroom of Bernard James Vickery is
found large bottle of chloroform with
some of the drug in the bottle. Also
found several empty vials, labeled
and ether. Vickery declares
he used these things, these drugs, in
the course of some experiments he is
pursuing, but as to how or upon whom
he used them he has so far offered no
He admits that he did not
go to bed last night until very late--in
fact, that he did not retire to rest until
the small hours of the morning. He was
agitated when he learned that
had been administered to
the deceased and was probably the cause
Of her death. This statement or sug-