davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-01-19
CHAPTER V

After taking look at the body and
having Hendricks point out the tracks
in the sand and the spot where he had
found the revolver the coroner and his
men went into the house. Ralph had
decided, as it would be necessary to
hear the testimony of the ladies of the
household, to have the inquest held in
the library.
DR.. Lampkin saw Hendricks eying
the different members of the household
covertly as they came in and took seats
after Mr.. Meynell had announced his
readiness to proceed with the inquest.
Arthur Montcastle and Miss Benton
were the last to arrive. They sat on
sofa little removed from the others of
their party.
Charles Stanwood was the first wit
ness called. He testified that he was
walked about half past O'Clock by Miss
Hastings, who informed him she had
heard the report Of a revolver in the
garden from the direction of the north
walk. He had dressed hastily and gone
down stairs with Miss Hastings, who
objected to being left up stairs alone.
They had found Mr.. Montcastle below
with Miss Benton, and Ralph Benton
soon afterward joined them.
At this juncture Hendricks, who was
sitting beside Mr.. Meynell, looked
sharply at the pair ON the sofa and
whispered something into the coroner q
ear. The officer nodded and put cues.
ton to the witness
do you happen to know which room
10 usually occupied by Miss Bentona"
1T Is directly across the hall from
this one, replied Stanwood.
Miss Benton threw a startled glance
at Hendricks. and, then her eyes met
Montcastle g. steady, calm gaze. II
seemed to Lampkin that il held warn
ing. for the girl nervously balled her
handkerchief in her hand and stared a,
the floor.
And which room was occupied bv
Mr.. Montcastles'' was the coroner's next
question.
Miss Benton raised her eyes in a fur.
ried way. but Montcastle leaned for.
ward, touched her hand and whispered
something to her.
"Mr. Montcastle's room is ADJOINING
Miss Benton's," answered Stanwood.
You were the first to approach the
dead man, think, Mr.. Stanwood. wer,
you not?" continued Mr.. Meynell.
II was" replied the witness.
- Again Hendricks suggested n oues
The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-01-19


.'what? don't understand
"The blamed things end right there, "
0octor, eaid the detective, with a grim
smile Of defeat 1T is as il the wearer
Of the boots had suddenly taken wings.
/ cannot imagine any possible way for
him to have ceased walking at that
point. / say, Mr.. Benton" raising his
voice, would you mind sending for
the gardener? presume you have one. /"
"Oh, yes" replied Benton. "Fll
bring him myself.
"Thank you very MUCH" replied
Hendricks And when the young man
had left he went back to the dead man
and carefully retraced his steps, singing
out each track the supposed murderer
had made till they ended at the point
mentioned.
Lampkin had an idea and drew near
his friend.
II see the imprint Of a wheel on the
opposite side," he said. Gould he
have jumped to the grass and escaped
in some sort of vehicle?"
II thought of the jump because his
toes do turn toward the grass over
there" replied the detective, "but
there is so sign of his having made a
landing. AS to the wheel, my friend,
don't tell me you don't know how that
was made.
but DON'T" confessed Lampkin.
1T will dawn on you," Hendricks
returned, nervously chewing his mus
tache and pulling his beard.
The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-01-19

Hendricks took q folded ruler from his
pocket and got dolDn on his knees
walk. There are the footprints Of
man and woman going from the gate
toward the house. Hendricks took
folded ruler from his pocket and got
down on his knees. He first measured
the tracks leading to where the dead
man lay and then compared the meas
urement with those going toward the
house.
Impossible to be accurate in this
dry, gravelly sand," he said 1.-The
masculine tracks are very nearly the
same size, and that's as near as can
come to it. shall find out what this
means, however, if l work on it the
rest of my born days.
Il saw you pick up something beside
the body and put it into your pocket,
but could not see what it was" said
the doctor is it secret from me?''
The detective laughed good humored-
ly and put his fingers into his vest
pocket.
''Shan't keep thing from you, old
man, " he replied I'D trust you with
my head. Do you zee this tiny thing?"
1t looks like the burned end of a
match, returned the doctor, allowing
Hendricks to drop it into his palm.
Does 1t look like an ordinary burned
end OF match?" asked Hendricks,
warming up to a revelation and smil-
ing boyishly
/ believe so, except that perhaps it
is very short
Short? should think go when less
than a quarter Of an inch of it has been
left unburned. Now imagine it blazing
and let me see you hold it between your
fingers. "
| Lampkin made the attempt, holding
the bit OF wood as near TO the end az
possible. ut is all could have done. .
he said. And il would have burned
my fingers, am sure. The fellow tina,
struck it must have had a tough cigs,
to light " I
And been anxious to smoke" addet
Hendricks tentatively. Then he laughed
softly.
oh, see now," began the doctoi
eagerly, and then he stopped suddenly
but, no; Stanwood said he did no
strike match, and Ralph Benton sale
his father did not smoke. !"
The murderer does, though, ant
paused to light cigar after he ha,
J hred revolver within 900 yards of :.
house full of men and women" sal,
J hendricks. with a dry laugh "A
least, that's about all the explanation
can get out Of the end OF the mattel,
The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-01-19
CHAPTER "

The gardener was coming with Ben
ton. The old man was pale and trem-
bling with excitement.
Don't be frightened, said the de-
tective kindly. LIT is not you I'm after,
but want you to help me run the vii
lain down. What's your name?'
Wilson, sir; John Wilson. I've been
gardener here, sir, for
Ibid you put this sand here yester.
dayp" interrupted Hendricks.
"Yes, sir. The master told me as
long as it was going on the drive in
front that l might as well put it in the
walks to kill the crab grass. The sand
gets very hard, sir, when it has rained
on it, and it becomes almost the same
as cement.
'What time did you do it?"
about 4 o'clock, sir. haven't yot
finished the whole walk. The other
end'-
You used a wheelbarrow to bring
the sand from that pile up there and
you scattered it on with hoe?"
"Yes, sir, " replied the old man won
deringly. "My shovel was carried off
in one of the carts. Master would not
allow the heavy cart wheels to cut the
turf here, and had to use my barrow :"
lyon stood on the sides and smoothed
the sand with q rake?"
Eyes, sir, but didn't know you was
here. p
Hendricks glanced at Lampkin and
smiled. "There's bang up compliment
for you," he said. Then he pointed to
where the tracks ended so abruptly and
said to Wilson:
Have you been sweeping or raking
in this sand here since the body was
found?"
why, no, sir. / haven't been down
here at all They told us in the kitchen
that the policemen would not allow any
Of us to see the master. 1"
THAT certainly is very remarkable, :"
broke in Ralph Benton, looking at the
tracks. "Mr. Hendricks, where do you
think the murderer stood when he fired
at my father"
Hendricks seemed not to have heard
the question. He was looking toward
the house.
see some men coming" he said
All, it is the chief and the coronerl'
He went forward to meet them, and
Lampkin saw him shaking hands with
the men and bowling.
"The jury for the inquest are gather
ing, said Ralph to Lampkin. III &c
to the house and see about where twill
be held. Will you go up, doctor?"
No, thanks" replied Lampkin.
"I'll wait for Hendricks. / see he il
coming "
The chief and the coroner stopped tc
speak to Ralph, and Hendricks cam,
back to DR.. Lampkin.
Il have just thought of something,
he said. pointing to the tracks near tn,
dead man. lyon see, they look as i
they came from the side gate.
''Yes Then you don't think tn
crime was committed by any membe
Of the householder replied the doctor.
81 can't see what that's got to d
with it," said Hendricks, stroking hi
chin thoughtfully. "Ah, I'm glad tn
sun is shiningr' he said, stopping t.
ward the grass and sighting across tn
level ground at the gate which opene
from side street Mature often lend
me helping hand. There is no artif
ciality about her, and she won't b
tempered with.
81 don't follow you, said Lampkil
mystified.
1T is the dew again." explaine
Hendricks ION the front lawn awhi
ago, before the sun rose, we had onl
the frosty appearance to guide us. b,
now in the sunlight the whole surfa'
Of the grass is carpet Of green
The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-01-19
Hot Milk an Excellent st,mu,.,,

when overcome by bodily fatigue or OK.
hausted by brain labor, no stimnIant 90
called, serves 30 well the purpose Of 70.
. .1snment and rest, both bodily and men.
tally, as milk. When heated as hot 90 ono
can readily take 1t, 1t may be slipped slow.
ron lumber, and as 1t Is easily di.
ssceo ono feels very soon its beneficial
speoSs Row parsons realize the stimulat.
ns qualities OK this simp' verasa.-Ds.
esnber Ladies' Home Jou..
The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-01-19

However, there Is one thing You nave
not yet thought Of as IN explanation
for the match having burned down so
short
"What is shatl'
81 wonder il did not occur to you
that it might have continued to burn on
the ground after it fell from the hand
of the man who struck It, p"
~ have always said l was an ass, !"
said Lampkin. "A 6-year-old child
could have thought of that"
"Then the 5-year-old child would
have been far from the TRUTH" said the
detective. enjoying the game he was
playing. He held the piece Of match
between the nail of his thumb and fore
finger and extended it toward the doc
tor. "You see. he began, that the
match has burned evenly all round; no
farther on one side than another.
That's plain, replied Lampkin.
Hendricks returned the tiny bit Of
wood TO his pocket and took match
from his case and struck it.
Watch this" he said, and when
the match was half consumed he laid il
still burning on the ground. The flame
was instantly diminished, for only the
top of the match continued to burn.
Presently il went out, and Hendricks
picked it up "See," he said, with a
gratified smile 1.-The unburned part,
owing to the moisture of the earth, is
longer where it lay against the sand
When l picked up the match near the
body Of the dead man. it was lying
fat on the sand as this one was just
now"
$50 you know it was held unusually
long in somebody's fingers?" said Lamp
kin.
II have still another proof of it. 4"
"What is that?''
Hendricks took out his lens and held
it over the piece Of match he had found
near the corpse.
"If you will look closely" he said,
you'll see slight indentations at the
very edge Of the fire line on two sides
Of it."
81 see," exclaimed Lampkin. "They
were made by finger nails.
Exactly" returned the detective.
"and nails which were pressed down
firmly for some reason or other"
"You are simply wonderful" said
DR.. Lampkin admiripgly. but what
became Of the burned, charred part Of
the match?"
"Goodi You are progressingp' cried
Hendricks, slapping his companion on
the shoulder II looked for it. 1t must
have chung little while to the cloth
ing of the murderer. for / found it on
the walk half way between the body
and the spot where the tracks ended. !
did not pick it up because it could be
Of no uae to me. F"
Lampkin's brow was contracted
thoughtfully.
"What do you deduce from the whole
match idea?" he asked.
Absolutely nothing so far, >" replied
the detective. Later ! may see some
reason for a person desiring to see the
face Of a man he has shot down in the
uarkness anu running the FISK Oh peluR
captured in order to do So"
THAT much is certainly interesting,
replied Lampkin. ut looks little as
if he were in doubt as to whom he had
shot, doesn't it?''
Hendricks stepped from behind the
trunk of big tree to get view of the
spot where the body lay.
II see quite crowd over there" he
said. 1T is Meynell, the coroner, and his
men. Let's join them. The inquest. /
understand from the chief, was delayed
so that might be present We got here
quicker than was expected, as if I'd
wait to take bath and eat hot break
fast while such matter as this was in
the wind"
The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-01-19

ton TO the coroner.
WAS Mr.. Benton quite dead when
Won discovered him in the garden?"
asked Mr.. Meynell
Eyes, and quite cold, was the re-
NV miss Hastings said she had heard
the report about an hour before she
walked me- She did not attach much
importance TO it at first. but as she had
heard Mr.. Jacob Benton leave his room
and he had not returned she finally be-
came uneasy about him.
MAY ask the witness some quos'
tions?" asked the detective.
Certainly, az many as you like,
answered the court
Ibid you touch the bodyG" asked
Hendricks.
II opened his shirt and laid my hand
on his heart to see il life were wholly
extinct, was the answer.
"When you and Miss Hastings came
down stairs, you say you found Mr..
Montcastle and Miss Benton up'"
Yes"
Where were they?" asked the detect
i've.
"They were in the back yard, or
rather they were coming in from the
side veranda.
II think that will do for the present,
Mr. Stanwood," said Hendricks. He
turned to the coroner. Il believe, Mr.
Meynell. should next call Mr. Mont
castle
Montcastle did not rise, but simply
signifed his readiness to testify by
nod of the head.
.'Please tell us, Mr.. Montcastle, F"
said Hendricks, strange sparkle of ex-
pectation in his eyes, "if you heard the
report of revolver in the garden last
night.
"l-I did not" said Montcastle,
stammering.
"Then you were not walked by it?"
"No, was not"
Hendricks brows came together in
thoughtful pucker, and then he aston
ished DIR. Lampkin by saying, THAT
will do, Mr.. Montcastle, and then to
the coroner, please call Miss Benton
next"
The young woman started to rise, but
Montcastle whispered something to her,
and she sank back on the sofa, looking
pale, fatigued and excited. li4-1
Ibid you hear the report OF a revolver
in the garden last night9' asked the de-
tective.
II don't think-no, / did not" was
the reply.
lyon, could not have been awake
when it was fred, then?' said Hen
bricks interrogatively.
81 don't know, sir. l presume
The girls eyes met Montcastle's. and
she did not finish. Hendricks bit his
lip and pulled his beard. Then he sur
prised Lampkin by asking question
in an indifferent tone, which seemed
quite irrelevant to the subject
''Do you know, Miss Benton, who
informed the police Of the murder"
my brother, think" replied the
young lady.
"Thank you. That will do, said the
detective. He leaned back in his chair
and seemed to have his mind on some
thlng Thousand miles away.
The coroner next called for the testi-
mony of Miss Hastings.
"You were walked by the report, l
believe, Miss Hastings?" he began.
81 was not. l was already awake"
said Miss Hastings
Hendricks seemed to pull himself to-
gether suddenly. He bent forward and
whispered to Mr.. Meynell.
"Were you walked by something else,
or had you not gone to sleep?" ques-
toned Mr.. Meynell.
A look of hesitation crossed the face
of the witness. She glanced hurriedly
at Ralph Benton, who stood leaning
against the mantelpiece, and started to
speak, but seemed unable to formulate
reply.
H.
The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-01-19
The North Walk Mystery.
By WILL N. HARDEN.
CONTINUED

copyright, 1897. by will N. Harben.l
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-07-29
wsboy-What kind of a paper dc
y
Bridget O'Toole-Oi pfwant a society
paper, av coorse.-Golden Ways.
NEW UNIFORM FOR ARMY.
blue Being Replaced at Tampa, Fla.
by Gray for Tropical
Campaigning.

The time-honored blue uniform of the
army is being replaced at Tampa, Fla.
by the more somber gray. The cloth
used is light twilled linen, of gray
brown Color selected after much con-
sideration by the authorities at Wash
ington as most appropriate for tropical
campaigning.
The former heavy oblong shoulder
strap is abandoned, being replaced by
triangular strip of white duck, with in
sigma of metal. The collar, cuffs and
facings are also white duck, which, with
a broad plait in the back and four out
side pockets, gives more elaborate eff
feet than any field uniform previously
IN use in our army.
This uniform is not original in this
country, as many foreign armies have
one similar, both in color, design and
material. Small advance consignments
OF these uniforms, which will be issued
to enlisted men, have arrived at the
quartermaster's office at Tampa. OFF,
GERS there hope that the entire army
may be outftted with lighter clothing
before the commencement of actual
field operations.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-07-29
FEEDING AN ARMY.
Big Contract Let to ST. Louis Firm for
Bacon - Large Shipments
of Provisions.

Capt. Duval, commissary of subsist-
ence, q. S. A, has left contract for
$4,000 pounds of bacon to be furnished
by st. Louis firm, which underbid Chi
cago and Kansas City companies.
Ever since the orders came to buy pro-
visions at st. Louis for the army, Capt.
Duval has shipped an immense amount
of supplies south. The largest and
latest shipment consisted of two car
loads of bacon, 10000 pounds to the car,
seven Or eight carloads of -four, 40O, 900
pounds in all; ten cars of bacon, 100000
pounds; four cars of soap, 100000
pounds; 10000 pounds of miscellaneous
supplies, consisting of groceries and
fancy goods. and $4,000 pounds of plug
tobacco. This shipment was about
equally divided between Mobile, Ala,
and Tampa, Fla.
In addition to this, there are two car
loads of what is known as issue stuff.
consisting of flour, bacon, etc., con-
signed to the volunteer troops in. camp
at Austin and San Antonio, Tex.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-07-29
How to Make Strawberry Jam.

First get some strawberries, and
then place them in a refrigerator.
Then lock the refrigerator. In this
altitude this will preserve them
against the ravages of the hired girl
Then, when ready, put the berries in
vessel and smash them. The vessel
does not necessarily have to be IRON
clad. Some people run them through
a clio othes-wringer, but this is wrong
We once saw large paper bag of
strawberries run through printing
press. The printers devil had sur
reptitiously hidden them, and when
the press started up the berries came
out on the fly, or, rather, the syrup
did. 1t was the most syruptltious act
we ever knew this boy to do.
1t does not injure a clotheswringer
to run strawberries through 1t, but it
is apt to put a rich blood-red tint on a
family shirt-bosom. There are better
places than shirt bosom for straw
berry mark. Squash them with a
squasher A potato squasher will do,
although a dumb-bell is better. We
knew lady once who used her hus-
bands Indian clubs for potato mash
ers, until her husband found it out
and made kick about it. Some men
are so particular,
Then bring it to boil. We don't
know just how to bring boil to-,
though in our young days we were
considered we'll up on boils. Stir for
Two hours, until you get red in the
face and wonder if it is as hot down
there as common rumor, or the minis
ter who speaks by hearsay, really says
it is. Do not use your hand in stir
ring, unless you have a wooden arm.
Fingers are made to eat with. Allow
thJee-fourths OF pound of sus ar for
every pound of berries. This sugar
and the berries, the time you have
consumed and the vitality you have
expended, together with the stove-wood
YOU have burned, will make every
pound of your jam cost you six bits.
You can buy it at store for half that
price. But it won't be as good as your
Jam. Your jam will be the jammest
Jam that any one ever jammed down
his jam throat.-Bozeman (Mont.)
Chronicle.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-07-29
The Forestry Reserve Order.

A special to the Ledger states that
the Washington forestry reserve, en-
bracing the north central part of the
stare, has been enlarged to take in all
the forests south of the Great Northern
track. AS they have heretofore taken
nearly ali the territory north of that
railway to the boundary line, the
''zone of influence" of the Eastern col
lege professors who fear the drying up
OF our streams is rapidly covering the
most valuable portions OF Western
Washington. The other reserve west
of the Sound could not be enlarged
very materially without encroaching
upon the Sound and straits, for they
have left only a shoe string in Jeffer-
son and Clallam counties for occupa-
ton by settlers.
This is the most damnable piece of
folly that was ever perpetrated upon
an innocent public. The original Or
der, made by President Cleveland, was
suspended by President Mckinley and
an attempt was made in Congress to
secure it's repeal. In favor of repeal
Senator Wilson and other Western
representatives used their most earnest
endeavors, but the Eastern congress
men, who were unfamiliar with the
situation. were too strong for them,
and the attempt failed.
Senator Wilson has done good work
in the direction of securing an appro-
priation for the purpose of surveying
and investigating the territory lnclud-
ed within these reserves. When these
Investigations are made it will be
found that there are other agricultur-
al sections besides those in the Quin-
ault Valley which should be excepted
they should be excepted before that
time: for settlers have already been
driven from their homes, and others
will be if the reserves continue to In
clude them within their boundaries.
The people of Western Washington,
whose interests are crippled by this
withdrawal of vast tracts of rich min
eral and agricultural land from devei-
opment, should bring pressure to bear
for the absolute repeal of the order so
far as applies to these two sections of
Western Washington.-Ledger.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-07-29
Judge Root a Candidate.

1t is now we'll understood in King
county, his present home, as well as IN
Thurston county, his former home,
that Milo A. Root is a candidate for
the republican nomination for associ-
ate justice OF the supreme court OF
this state. If the republican party
selects Judge Root as its candidate,
and the people of the state are so for
tunate as to elect him to seat on the
supreme bench, the state will have
secured an able lawyer for the place
and one who will acquit himself as an
able iurist before he shall have finish
ed his term of service.
Although still young man, Judge
Root may be accounted an old settler
in so new state as Washington. He
has lived here nearly fifteen years,
during the greater part of which time
his home was in Thurston county.
Here he held positions OF trust In the
line of his profession, and served the
public with ability and fidelity. His
friends in ThurstOn county will give a
cordial support to King county's can
didate if it puts forward Judge Root.
He is well known throughout the
state, is a strong campaigner, and
would be source of strength to the
ticket this fali.-Olympian.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-07-29

The value of timber lands on the
Pacific coast is rapidly coming up.
That the amount is not unlimited has
at last dawned upon the minds of in
vestors of that class OF property.
Again, large bodies of timber, as in
this region, have fallen into the hands
of mill owners, and are not for sale.
At present prices, but very little can
be bought. There is no better invest
ment in the world than the timber
lands of the extreme west cOast.-Ab-
erdeen Bulletin.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-07-29

EVERYTHING indicates Republican
victories all along the line this fall.
In 1896 the people endorsed it as the
party o. sound money. In 1898 they
will do the same because of its mani
fest sound sense in the prosecution Of
a great war.-Montesano Vidette.