Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-03-12

| longer SLOW IN MS actions. stepping
across big pool of blood which stained
the carpet, he stood at the side of the
bed. He recognized the features of the
woman who had claimed that she had
been robbed of her diamonds. She SEEM
ed sleeping, save that there was an ex-
preston of pain on the features, a con-
traction Of the skin between the eye
brows, and one corner of the mouth
drawn aside, the whole kept in this po-
sition by the rigidity of death. The
manner Of her death was as simple as
it was cruel. Her throat had been cut as
she slept. This seemed indicated by the
fact that she was clad in her nightdress
One thing that puzzled Mr.. Barnes at
once was the pool of blood near the door.
It was fully six feet from the head of
the bed, and while there was another
just by the bedstead, formed by blood
which had trickled from the wound,
running down the sheets and SO drop
ping to the floor, the two pools did not
communicate.
"Well," thought Mr.. Barnes, "I am
first on the scene this time, and no busy
bodies shall tumble things about till
have studied their significance.
This room had not been designed for
sleeping apartment, but rather as a
dining room, which upon occasion could
be opened into the parlor, converting the
two into one. There was one window
upon an airshaft, and in an angle was
handsome carved oak mantel, with fire.
place below. Mr.. Barnes raised the cur.
tain over the window, letting in more
light. Looking around, he noticed almost
Immediately two things-frst. that a
basin stood on washstand half filled
with water, the color of which plainly
indicated that the murderer had washed
off telltale marks before taking his de-
parture; second, that in the fireplace
was pile Of ashes.
"The scoundrel has burned evidence
against him and deliberately washed
the blood from his person before going
away. Let me see, what was it that
Mitchell said, L should have stopped to
wash the stain from the carpet while
fresh, and also from the dogs mouth.
That is what he told his friend he would
do if bitten while committing a crime.
In this instance the stain on the carpet
was too much for him, but he washed it
from himself. Can it be that man
lives who, contemplating deed of this
character, would make wager that he
would not be detected? BAIL It is i'm
possible p" Thus thought Mr.. Barnes as
he studied the evidence before him. He
next turned to the woman's clothing
which lay on a chair. He rummaged
through the pocket, but found nothing.
In handling the petticoat he noticed that
piece had been cut from the band.
Examining the other garments, he soon
saw that the same had been done to them
all. Like flash, an idea struck him.
Going over to the bed, he searched for
some mark on the garments which were
on the corpse. He could find none until
he lifted the body up and turned it over,
when he found that piece had been cut
from the nightdress.
"That accounts for the blood by the
door, thought Mr.. Barnes. "He took
her out of the bed to get her nearer to
the light, SO that he could find the in,
itials marked on the clothing. While she
lay by the door the blood flowed and &C.
cumulated Then he put her back in
bed, SO that he would not need to step
over her in walking. about the room.
What calculating villain There is one
significant fact here. Her name cannot
have been Rose Mitchell, or there would
have been no reason for destroying these
marks, since she had given that name
to several !"
Mr. Barnes next brushed the charred |
ashes from the CRATE upon a newspaper |
and carried them to the window in the |
front room. His examination satisfied |
him Of two things-the murderer had
burned the bits of cloth cut from the
various garments and also number of
letters. That the fellow was studiously
careful was plain from the fact that the
burning had been thoroughly DONE
Nothing had escaped the flame save two
buttons with bit of cloth attached and
various corners Of envelopes. With dis
gust Mr.. Barnes threw the ashes back |
where he had found them.
Next he paid his attention to the cab
met desk, which stood open. He pulled
out all the drawers and peered into ev-
cry nook and Granny, but his search was
fruitless He found nothing but blank
paper and envelopes, and these Of COM
mon kind.
Once more returning to the room
where the corpse lay he noticed a trunk /,
from which protruded part of gar
ment. Raising the lid he found every
thing within in promiscuous pile. Evi-
IDENTIFY it had been hastily searched and ;
carelessly repacked. Mr.. Barnes took |
each article out and examined it closely.
Everything upon which name might
have been written showed a place where
piece had been cut out "There must |
be some good reason for hiding this wo-
mans identity, or the seoundrel would |
not have been SO thorough in his work"
thought Mr.. Barnes Just then, in re.
placing the clothing, he heard a crink-
ling sound which indicated that bit Of |
paper was in the pocket of the garment.
Hastily he withdrew it, and was de-
lighted to observe writing. "a clew at
last" he murmured, hurrying to the
front room window to read it. This was
what he found:
LIST OF JEWELS.
Ono diamond 1hl/ carata AK mn