The Press., 1898-04-14
MRS. PINKHAM'S STANDING
 INVITATION.

of this generous offer of assistance, mills, store and several Louses aud had money to lend. He was a widuwer, but lived with his son and daughter in- law. His room was on the ground floor while all the others slept up stairs. He had no safe, but kept his money ill a tin box on a shelf in a closet He had a bank account over at Medina, ten miles away, but often had $l ,O00 dollars or more Ill the house. One evening when the others were ready to go to bed he announced that he had some business to attend to and was seated at his desk in the sitting room when the others re- tired. About midnight the daughter -in- law heard fall and groan down stairs. and when her husband went down to investigate the squire was found dead on the floor, having been stabbed no less than five times ill the body.
 House and grounds were searched, but the murderer had escaped, and he had also taken with him the cash box, which contained about $7OO. The mur- der had taken place in the bedroom. Having finished his work, the squire had retired to bed and had perhaps fallen asleep. Some noise made by the murderer as he hunted for the cash box had aroused him, and he had sprung out of bed and grappIed with the unknown. Any one of the stabs would have dis abled him, but it appeared that the midnight intruder had held on to him and used the knife again and again, as if he thirsted for blood. When I heard Of ,ip, %l -o1 eyes and thin lips of the man with the wooden leg was the next thought. Boy that 1 was, he seemed to be 8 man who would do just that thing, and l found myself wondering if he was not the guilty party in all thsae instances. Gordan seemed to take lively inter- est ill the murder, which he promptly declared to be the work of strangers again. When something was said about getting detective, heopposed the prof ect on various grounds, in which he was backed by the local officers No outside help would have been called in, and the murderer might have gone his way but for the arrival of another stranger. He was, as it happened. first class detective, who was just then employed i'll tracing a missing man. The crime was ;I day old when he reach ed BIissfield. He heard all the particu- lars from the loungers at the inn and then volunteered to look the ground | over.
 This was a courtesy on his part which the sheriff could not refuse, and after supper he was taken to the house. 1 did not see much of his work, but it was talked about for long months after ward. The murderer had got ill by parlor window, which was six feet from the ground. He had used a chisel to force up the sash. He had lighted three or four matches in making his way into the sitting room. He had gone out by the same window, crossed a newly made garden and climbed a fence. He had used a regular dagger instead of knife in his work. He had secured the box be- | fore the old man was aroused and had also taken a small sum of money from the trousers hanging on the chair
 The tracks in the garden were still fresh when the detective took hold of | the work, and in three minutes he had made up his mind to something He had little to say to any of the men, explain ing that he had not yet complete d his investigations, but as he left the house to return to the inn, while followed at 8 respectful distance, he turned down a quiet lane, beckoned me to follow, and when we were alone he lighted his pipe and asked:
 Boy, do you know any man in town who is lame in the left leg?''
 did not Then he asked if any straD- ger who was lame had been seen in town during the last two or three days. l answered ill the negative, but added that there was a man with a wooden leg at the inn. He at once began to question me about this man, not yet having seen him himself, and l told him all knew and all had heard. Of course be told me nothing in return, though I heard him chuckling to him. self, and his face betrayed the fact that he was pleased about something. acted as his guide to the jail, and when in the presence of the sheriff he said:
 "I want you to go with me to over- haul the man with the wooden leg at the tavern
 But he can't have done it, protest ed the officer. 1.-The tracks you found showed that the murderer had two feet. |"
 Just so. and he was lame in the left leg"
 "But this man Gordan has lost his left leg at the knee.
 'I want to see if he has,
 The sheriff, detective and constable, with two or three citizens, proceeded to the inn and to Gordan's room He sat smoking and reading and had his supper brought up to him that night, claiming to be suffering with neuralgia. He was cool and quiet and offered cigars all around, but those who were watching him saw him grow pale as the sheriff began by begging his pardon and hoped no offense would be taken, but would he let them look at his wooden leg?
 Gordan faltered and bluffed and was reaching for pistol under his pillow when the detective seized him. He fought like demon and it took the five or six men to overcome him. When they had him securely bound, they un- strapped his wooden leg, and, To, his left foot was there as right as any mans. His leg was 8 supple one, and he had bent the lower portion back and strapped it thus and then put his knee in the crotch of the wooden leg. Of all those who had taken a look at his leg not one had suspected the cheat. Yes, he was the man who had robbed the merchant and the postmaster, and he was also the murderer of Souire