The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1899-02-02

The riciia's h.. ,l.ipis iadiesie. IL vss
ssm.ll hsun.ttx large f.ce. and the
I irsi bios wss i.,,l. l.s the dead msus
4 eourteuspos ~os,l us, ss,' the placid Ell
preston sisibis apop !, ff be ss's'sin
10 crtep bGsr Li0 s'er ssieer, without
vskiBs hin, "a. D.. specially essy
( By reason q bic ps IA - 'a"s -
A ters pause, lstui,.tt riq,ired;
WHO vill iaberi, bis r'fr ~
( For momA1i ihfre rnble si
leace. As II the sn.wrr 10 u question
would solve the my't 49, 60 zoe oor
/ ssid;
doroi think tse' ! ,al 10 al heir TO
this roper,y.
Nor /, remarked second person, % ]
hsve irequen,iy heard him cay that
pei,her be nor bic vile hsd sny living rsis
tive.
oacs heard him mention . 500 Who,
long ego. ran swsy from hons and might
be living. though probably vas not, -
all endeavors to dod hlm hsd failed. oh
served the Reverend Mr.. 5ssrles.
The clergy mans tone riveted oil eyes
uron him, so foil OF sn indese ribsble se
ony 1t. Aud every one felt the deep
eat sympathy for him, aware that be and
Mr.. Beckiord had been the warmest OF
friends, aud that the untimsIy death bad
nearly crszsd the minister.
Can yon tell me anything concerning
this sop9 be asked OF Mr. Besrles
Beckiord made reference 70 hin only
once end the subject was no evidently
painful to him that l never mentioned II
afterwards.
1t il not kuoRn that the deceased made
willS inquired the detective; . question
TO " hich there was no response.
ltissvery difficult case, the detective
said.
Not hopelessY observed one OF the town
officials.
No case is that, but shall not be sur
pri ed il sll endssvors to ferret out the
criminal or criminsls fsil. as there seems
not to be the isinteet clue.
II was decided to offsr reward OF $40,
600 for the apprehension Of the guilty
party or parties, or for information that
would lead to their or bis arrest; to re
tain the servIoes OF the detective until oil
probability OF solving the mystery had
ended, aud TO empawes hin to engage
such assistance al he deem cd necessary.
Searching among the papers In the de
ceased's safe. which. being locked with
com bins,ion that they could not learn.
had to be ioroibly opened, the selettmen
OF Wharton discovered this:
To whom 1t may concern:
1t is ny sincere wish tibet be who chs,
be appointed ~ my administrator spare
90 effort to fnd my son II living, aud DON
vey to bim my property. His Obristisp
name ia Alton; be was born June IL. ls 81
WAS l6 years oi sse when be ran away
from home, rather tall Tor bis age, snd
promised y still greater height; he'd =
light compile zion, blue eyes and auburn
hair. OF course be has materially chang
ed 10 bis personal appearance; and =
slight lisp. which he would not be likely
to outgrow. may aid 10 bis Identification.
sm certain that his stesltby departure
from home was due to the severity with
which treated bis boyisb freaks. and the
remorse that hss been mine cannot be ex
pressed 10 worls; to say nothing OF the
misery that has resulted TO me from the
belief that my dear wiie's death was hasten
ed by her constant grief st losing her only
child in such manner.
can think Of no way 10 which to even
partially atone for my unfathtrly treat
men, OF him. save to lesve him the proper
,y which should have enjoyed 80 much |
more had be daily shared it with zoe.
Tn followed oertsin directiops with re
specl to the disposition OF the property.
10 case the wsnderer could not be found
and the document was signed Thomas
Beckford but not dated.
The chiroe spby was tbst OF the decess
ed in q tremulous, scrswly style-snd
the paper was blotied In many places, ss
il by tears from the writer's eYes.
The duly appointed administrator, after
assuring himself by csrefuI inquiry 10 the
city whence Mr.. Beokford hsd come that
be did have runaway con though 20 one
distinctly rememb bered his personsl sp
pearsnce advertised for information re
speciing him 10 oil the prominent journ
sls 10 the couniry.
Every word thst your pastor hss uttered
10 true. Ooe's sins follow him like unre
ienting late, aud eventually ind him out.
These remarks. delivered 10 deep yet
incisive tone, drew every eye 10 the crowd
ed Wharton vestry TO the spesker, Daniel
Fink "a sbcrt. thick set mar, somewhst
psst tue middle sse. Judging from the
gray spriDkling bis hair sod foil beard
though scarcely . wrinkle wss visible up
on bis face who bad Ut odd iotervsls
been seen in Whsrton istsIJ.
L,t me illustrate by 90 iucidett OF
which | have . personsl knowledge. be
continued. Some three months since. 10
. village - qusiat ss ihi', 90 elderly men
Vas brutslly murdered, in 90 mysterious
q manner that those officially employed TO