The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-05-25
support it.

TO UUOl0 Detftg seen.
accounts for the glass globe on the
floor On the theory that the lightning
knocked it off The point where the
lightning did daG-age was in the corner
by -. Aorse's desk, fully ten feet from
the gas jet. If, in truth, the lightning
or the jar Of the thunder knocked the
globe from its bracket, it appears not
to have disturbed other objects around
it unless we are to assume that it over
turned the stool, which seems improb-
able"
s'How about the things from the
drawer-the curling tongs?" asked the
city editor.
81 am coming to those presently" re-
turned the professor. Meanwhile
will ask why the lightning should
knock the tongs from the drawer and
leave, let us say, the spools of thread.
How could it throw them from the
drawer to the floor anyway? And if
the drawer was closed when the light
ming struck spot ten feet away it is
scarcely possible it could have opened
it, selected a single object and thrown
it out.
'This gentleman-I don't know his
name
Stewart" said the broker.
"Alr Stewart thinks the lightning
may have discharged the pistol, but the
weapon shows no evidence of the light
ming having approached near enough
to explode one of its shells, and
agree with Mr.. Laurence that had it
done so it would probably have left
some marks upon it. Besides, the shelf
upon which it rested was at least 12
feet from the spot where the bolt pass
ed through the room, And, at all
events, the lightning could not have
lifted the pistol from its place on the
shelf and thrown 1t under the high
desk.
'.This young man"-it was the re-
porter he referred to-"thinks the man
who attempted to rob Miss Dodge
about year ago and was thwarted
returned to make another attempt. He
says Miss Dodge was probably work
ing at Mr.. Morse's desk and that this
man stole in behind the subpartition
unObserved. I agree with him that
she had been working at that desk, but
am unable to coincide with his belief
that the glass globe was probably
knocked from its place during a strug-
gle between Miss Dodge and her as.
sumed adversary, Any struggle that
might be made would scarcely bring
either of them in contact with the
globe. Moreover, after one disastrous
attempt to rob the cashier this man
should have learned wisdom and not
attempted it again, and l don't believe
he did.
"As for the theory that Mr. Morse
shot his cashier, there is not much to
be said in support of it. 1t is true, the
man seen ON the stairs might have been
he. He might have gone up that way
in order to avoid being seen by the ele-
vator man, who would have recognized
him. / do not regard this as probable,
however. The people where he boards
believe he was in his room during the
shower, and believe so also. There
are stories in circulation that he was
In love with the young woman, but I
have been unable to discover that he
took more than a friendly interest in
her. If that is true, jealousy could not
have prompted him to kill her AS for
the theory that he discovered she had
stolen money from the firm and in his
anger shot her, that may be dismissed
at once as foolish.
Having thus cited objections to 9th
er theories, let me give you my theory.
1t was the curling tongs and the little
mirror hanging over the high desk that
gave me the clew. am going to try to
follow, in imagination, the probable 'ac-
tions of Miss Dodge that afternoon. |
assume she was doing some necessary
work upon the cashbook. She habitual.
ly worked at the high desk near the
cashiers window. Here, however, she
had to use artificial light Any one
working on books prefers natural light.
AS has been stated it was the custom
of Mr.. Morse to leave his desk key in
the desk. Miss Dodge doubtless open
ed the desk and took her book over
there, where she would have good light
from the window.