Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-05-06
CHAPTER Y.


The news that the captured conspira-
tor had turned inforner and diyulged
the name and identity of Captain Shan
non created, as may be supposed, the
widest excitement Contrary to general
expectation the authorities seemed will
ing to accord information instead of
withholding it, though whether this
was not as much, due to qualification at
finding themselves in the novel position
Of having any information to accord as
to their desire to allay public anxiety
may be questioned
The editor Of the Dublin News had,
it seemed, been speaking at a public
dinner and was returning between l2
and o'clock from the gathering. As it
was close night and the room had been
hot, he mentioned to a friend that be
thought he should walk home instead
of driving. This he had apparently
done, for police constable who was
standing in the shadow of a doorway
near the editors residence saw him
turn the corner Of the street, closely fol-
lowed by another man. who was presum-
ably begging. The editor stopped and
put his hand in his pocket as if to
search for coin and as he did so the
supposed beggar struck at him, appar-
entity with q knife. The unfortunate
gentleman fell without cry, and the
assassin then stopped over him to repeat
the blow, after which he started to run
at full speed in the direction of the
constable, who drew back within the
doorway until the runner was almost
upon him, when he promptly tripped
his man up and held him down until
assistance arrived When taken to the
station, the prisoner at first denied,
with much bluster, all knowledge Of
the crime, but when he learned, with
|evident dismay, that the murder had
been witnessed and saw the damning
evidence of guilt in the shape of blood
scattering upon his right sleeve, his
bluster gave place to the most grovel-
ing terror, and though he refused to
give any account of himself he was re-
moved to cell in state of complete
collapse.
The next morning his condition was
even more abject. The result of his self
communings had apparently been to
convince him that the hangman's hand
was already upon him and that his only
chance Of saving his neck lay in turn.
ing informer and throwing himself
upon the mercy Of the authorities. The
wretched creature implored the police
to believe that he was no assassin by
his own choice and that the murder
would never have been committed had
he not gone in fear Of his life from the
spies and agents Of Captain Shannon,
whose instructions he dared not DISC
bey. He expressed his readiness to re.
veal all he knew of the conspiracy and
declared that he was not only aware
who Captain Shannon was, but actually
had portrait of the archconspirator
which he was prepared to hand over to
the police. He then went on to say that
the murder of the editor of the Dublin
News was to be oompanioned in London
by the murder Of the editor of The
Daily Record.
On hearing this last startling piece Of
news the Dublin police wired immedi-
ately to New Scotland Yard and to the
London Office of The Daily Record, but
the warning arrived at the latter place
a few minutes too late, for when the
telegram was taken 10 the EDITORS room
he was found lying stabbed through the
heart.
An alarm was raised, as already de-
scribed, the doors locked and every one
within the building subjected to the Sc
verest examination, but all that could
be discovered was that we'll groomed
and young looking man, dressed and
speaking like gentleman, had called
some ten minutes before, saying that he
had an appointment with the editor. He
had sent up the name of Mr.. Hyram B.
Todd of Boston, and the EDITORS reply
had been, "Show the gentleman in."
Why this unknown stranger was allow
nd access to an editor who is generally
supposed to be entirely inaccessible to
outsiders there was not particle Of
evidence to show. All that was known
was that minute or two before the
murder had been discovered the sup
posed Mr.. Todd came out from the edi-
tors room, turning back to nod GOOD
morning, and thank you very much" at
the door, after closing which he left the
building.
No cry or noise Of scuffiing had been
heard, but from the fact that the editor
was lying face downward over table
upon which papers were generally kept
1t was supposed that he had risen from
bis chair and walked across the room to
this table to look fer a manuscript or
memorandum. To do so he must have
turned his back upon the visitor, who
had apparently seized the opportunity
to stab his victim to the heart and had
then left the Office just in time to escape
detection.
The Importance Of the arrest which
bad been made was fully realized wher,
swo days after its occurrence, the name,
personal description and portrait of
Captain Shannon were posted up on
svery police station in the kingdom,
with the announcement that the govern.
nent would pay reward of e5. 900 for
information which should lead to his
arrest.
He was, it seemed, the fourth man on
The Daily Records list. his name being
James Mullen, an Irish-American and
was described as between 40 and 80
years Of age, short and slightly lame.
In complexion he was stated to be dark,
with brown hair and bushy beard, but
his most distinguishable feature was
said to be his eyes, which were describ.
ed as particularly full and fine, with
heavy lids.
Then came the portrait, which, the
Instant I looked at it, startled me
strangely. The face as l saw it there
was unknnwp IN mo hut that soyoa.