Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-27

Nb44ANAA44S IL tIlt ulltlllHlN AlONA NOulQ
again bring that ghostly cry for help.
Il had privately replaced the naked cop
per wires against the edge of the tin tube,
exactly as I had found them. in order to
prove that my theory concerning the cross
ing Of the wires had beeen correct, for
reasoned that the call. if it came at all,
would reach Us over the central service
instrument.
ELEVEN o'clock found us both in the
station, and l could see by Capt. Roses
face that he was laboring under pow
erful mental strain. Ten, 20 minutes pass
ed, and then the half hour dragged slowly
by l was in state of perspiration, and
could scarcely contain myself, so intense
was the nervous pitch to which had been
wrought
II finally told the captain that 1 was
going outside for a moment, just to get a
breath of fresh air as it seemed terribly
oppressive in the Office. I passed through
the vestibule and down the stone steps in
front of the station.
"Pausing for a moment at the curb, I
glanced up and down the deserted side
walk and then I walked TO nearby cor
ner and fingered for moment inhaling
great drafts Of the cool night breeze which
famed my heated checks.
within five minutes l stood once more
in the station and listened TO the remark
able message which Capt. Rose read aloud.
and which he had received at the hands
of a messenger while I had been outside.
1t read:
LINCOLN. March 26. -.
To George Rose. Captain of Police, Clifford:
Your inquiry led TO a thorough investi-
cation. Philip Stott arrived here on the
evening of March 10. He went immediate
" to the Prescott House and to bed. He
remained there four days, when d dark
compleXoned stranger appeared, and the
two talked for an hour in the hotel office.
That evening Stott paid his bill and left
the house. Further trace of him was lost.
Puzzhug over your letter, 1 suddenly re-
called an incident night before last. An
operator in the central telephone exchange
received a call just before midnight, and,
as she listened, she family heard the cry
of u mans voice asking FOR help. Imme-
diately afterward communication seemed
10 be cut off.
She looked up the wire. and found that
the line over which the call had come was
from q house that was temporarily Va
can't Believing that she had been de-
ceived, she let the matter drop, and report
only reached my ears as your letter came
to hand.
Strangely enough. something seemed to
tell me that I ought to make immediate
investigation concerning the call from the
bprea 7 In Will
two officers I went there and found the
building closed and to all appearances de-
serted. We forced an entrance however
and We were successful in discovering the
dead body of the very man We sought. He
lay across a small table in the library
just beneath the telephone, with the re-
Ceiver Of the instrument firmly clutched
in his rigid left hand. while pen was just
slipping from his stiffened right fingers.
He had evidently been in the act of draw
ing up some kind of a legal document the
paper dated but unfinished. lay upon the
table beside his lifeless body. A bullet hole
from back to front had passed directey
through his skull and smashed the trans
mitter of the telephone Il was evident
that he had been in the act Of calling to
the central station for help when the bullet
from his assassin's weapon overlook him.
Stott came to his death by the hand of
some person unknown. just before the
stroke of y on the night OF March "a, and
if it was his voice th2j reached you upon
that night there is indeed a mystery yet
unsolved.
The captain suddenly paused, and We
both looked up at the clock. 1t wanted
but 60 seconds of midnight. \ single min
ute would tell the story and We stood eX-
-anXious-wonderlng l saw a ray
Of hope beaming for an instant upon Capt
Roses face. and then it burst into the fun
glow of intense satisfaction as he heaved
q prolonged sigh, and
The clock struck l2"'-Boston Globe.