Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-01-24
THE CRIMSON BOW.

II see," said my friend, the state in
spector, as he lazily stood ON the corner
and followed with his restless eyes the
two bank clerks who were carrying a
heavy load Of currency to the clearing
house, II sec that it's quite the fad
nowadays to fill up the papers and maya
zines with detective stories. suppose
this here Sherlock Holmes fellow is re-
sponsible for it"
l agreed that he had diagnosed the mat
ter about right and Immediately braced
myself against the sido of the nearby
building in sort of interrogative atti-
tude, knowing we'll that my friend, the
inspector, would have something more of
interest to say if it was only to express
an opinion.
"Well, he continued as the bank clerks
disappeared within tho entrance to the
clearing house, II have read some of these
stories, and think could tell n few my
self that would 60 them ono better.
have one in mind now that would interest
you, and a local one at that, but I've got
to meet my partner round on Milk street
in go minutes, and don't believe ought
to start on it now"
insisted that he should, however, and
he rather reluctantly, as thought, began
to tell the tale.
1.-The story am about to tell YOU"
said he impressively, concerns ono Of the
most interesting and mysterious cases
that ever came under my observation and
goes to prove among other things, that
cvcn first class college education will
sometimes fail to restrain mans crimi
nal propensitios. In fact, l sometimes
think it has a tendency to augment them.
but IN not talking to you about the
philosophy of crime. I'm going to tell
you about tho commission of It,
'Ono evening in the summer of 1882
shortly before 8 o'clock two men walking
through ono of the side streets of the west
end of Boston stumbled over the PROSTATE
form of a man. 1t was lying Oh the dark
sidewalk little distance from couple Of
small stores which furnished about the
only light to tho street, tho electric service
being only in its inception about that
time
"a hasty examination Oh the part Of
the two startled pedestrians discovered
that the body had been subjected to the
most horrible mutilation. A terrible cash
had been madc in the side of the head,
evidently with q sharp Ratchet One Of
the arms was chopped clean off, and va
rious other mutilations had been made by
the ficndish assailant.
'How such dreadful decd could have
been committed in thickly settled neigh
borhood within n stones throw of two
open stores without instant discovery was
something the two men could not under
stand
II was connected with tho Joy Street
station at that time-and, by the way, /
never could understand why they didn't
either change the name of that street or
movc the station house off OF it-and be-
ing special officer l was assigned to
work up the case.
II had mighty little to work on when
started, but when got through felt that
was farther along toward promotion
than was when l first began.
Even tho very victim of tho crime was
useless in the way of furnishing clew.
The body was neatly attired in new suit
of rather pronounced blue but there was
all utter absence of watch, cards, letters
or anything else upon which Identification
might be based
II wasted no time in trying to identify
the victim, but gave my first attention to
looking around for motive and an asaail-
ant. This may strike you as apparently
reversing the usual process OF unraveling
crime of this sort, but had my reasons
for doing it, as will appear lator.
"My first discovery was the ak with
which tho deed had been accomplished.
This really holpcd me very little, however,
for I was not long in finding that it had
been taken from in front of the farthcst
of the two little stores. The instrument
was what is known as 4 broudax and had
been taken from a case in front OF the
store where a lot of other tools were dis
played for sale.
1.-The other store, should have remark
cd, was one of those furnishing stores so
common in the west and north ends of
the city. Strange to say tho proprietor
of neither saw the theft of the AK nor
heard anything of what had happened SO
near them.
From the hardware dealer, however,
I did elicit the information that he had
heard, probably about ten minutes before
the two men had made their sensational
discovery, party Of young men pass the
door, evidently full Of enthusiasm or
something stronger. He knew they were
Young men by the tone Of their voices, al
though he had not taken enough interest
in them to turn round and look in their
direction.
"This news might prove of Importance,
50 / made mental note of the circum.
stance. You see, we detectives arc good
deal like you newspaper mon-wc have to
study the triflcs as we'll as tho manifestly
important things, for it is the sum total
of the trifes that usually counts in our
case.
II returned to the scene and studied
every square inch Of the ground, Or rath.
ar the brick sidewalk. Brick sidewalks
are good deal like dead men themselves,
howeyer-they tell few tales-and for a
time was totally without anything re-
scmbling q clew
II had almost given up my search In
despair when came across small bow
of bright crimson ribbon that was lying
in the gutter among a lot of rubbish not
far from the spot where the deed had been
committed.
1T was badly soiled, having evidently
been tramplOd underfoot In scuffle, and
while was unable to invest 1t with any