Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-08-12
ABILENE WEEKLY REFLECTOR ABILENE KANSAS AUGUST 49, STWEL PAGES


OF newsboy in the street.
Extra! Extra Morning News! New
developments in the Leighton avenue
murder case. Extra! Extra"
The colonel went to the door quickly,
and returned reading newspaper still
damp from the press. Under large, SEN
sational headlines he read detailed ac-
count OF circumstance that seemed
to bear strongly On the murder OF the
night before. No less than rs type
written notes had been picked up in
different parts OF the city carly that
morning: they had been found on the
sidewalks, under the doors of private
residences, in the yards Of unoccupied
houses, in the mail boxes by letter-car-
rers, behind the counters of shops, and
one in the coat pocket Of Mr.. William
Eoundtree, the mayor. who had de-
clared to a reporter that it must have
been put there while he was wearing
the coat.
The wording Of all the notes was ex-
actly the same, and ran as fellows:
Nobody will ever discover who murdered
Richard n Strong. 1t will be useless to
try The secret lies in the smile on the
dead mans face. Who put It there, and
how was It done? These questions will
remain unanswered till the end of time.
But this is not all. Before long others will
wear the dead, white smile.
"ONE WHO KNOWS HIS BUSINESS"
Col. Warrenton hurriedly read the
rest OF the sensational article, then
threw aside the paper, and went down
the street for two or three squares and
up to the Office of the mayor. He sent
in his card, and was admitted at once.
Mr.. Roundtree was writing at his desk.
but he rose and drew chair near him
for his friend TO sit down.
II just ran in TO see about that note
you got" said the lawyer. us it fact
that you found it in your pocket
The mayor thrust his right hand into
the pocket Of his sack coat. He put
it right there. colonel. could show il
to you. but ! sent it to the police, |
thought it was the only one till read
the extra Just now.
"Ilow could it have got into your
pocket" asked Warrenton. "llave yon
been in any crowds to-day"
Several rs it happened. At the post
office this morning there were great
many people waiting for the mail
stopped at the Imperial hotel in a
throng of politicians, and at the corner
Of Main and Broad streets was in
crowd around the driver of a cab who
had been thrown against lampposs
and considerably injured 1t could have
been put into my pocket at any one of
those places without my knowing it."
What do you think ought to be
1one?" asked the colonel.
II think the villain ought to be run
down at all COSTS was the reply. "
have just sent out circular to be post
ed, in which | offer in the name of the
city, $1,000 for his capture"
"A good idea" said Warrenton. DO
you know this detective Hendricks?'
"By reputation only. | understand
he is the sharpest fellow alive in his
particular line. am glad he happened
to be in town. You know he refused to
come here just after the McDougal
murders, he has so much to do in the
larger cities. But | think he's inter
ested in this case. They say he's like
a bloodhound; when he smells blood he
can't stop till he has run something
down. BY the way, he has bound us to
secrecy. lie says he will drop the case
the moment it gets into the papers that
he is here"
$50 Welsh said. would not have
mentioned it to you. but he told me you
had given your consent to Hendricks
being employed"