The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-16
The Man in the Linen buster

spinning old yarns. Jim had reference tt
my leaving the force, but could in al
/ honesty answer: mot as much as you
on the pay roll. l yet have my diversions
! And really some Of the most peculiar
cases ever happened upon have come to
me since resigning."
| .Such as the Spotted Bull Dog?" sug-
gested Kenton.
Well, yes" l responded. THAT was
| unique, but devoid of all ugliness; no
brutal features, you know. 1t was pref
ty enigma, and l wish all criminal prob
lens were resulting in as little harm"
DO you ever run across any cases as
complicated as those set down by Doyle
in his Sherlock: Holmes storics?" asked
Jim, refilling his pipe. Although l call
him Jim. like Kenton and myself he was
past the prime of life. Three old cronies
we were who had only the past to live in.
No. and yes" l answered. Il have
known of some extremely puz1ling auairs
| that baked all efforts of solution. affairs
| seemingly blind, yet made clear by a
| triile. But l have never believe ed in this
deduction theory. Doyle is brilliant
! course he works backward. If man
could possess the quick intuition of his
Holmes, he could make extremely clev-r
guesses, but in the long run would he ed
completely astray by his very acumen
II wouldn't do in real life to put down
every sun-burIed man as coming from
India or every worn sleeve as belonging
to a typewriter"
rs there any truth in this sporadic DR..
Jekyll-Mr. Hyde business?" enquired
Kenton.
"A little" said, running over In my
mind different crimes and their perpetra-
tors. Did | ever tell you about the old
man in the linen duster?'
NO." both replied. Let us have it."
1T began like this: Back in the days
when Jim Fisk was commodore of tue
Fall River steamboats, had occasion t.
go to Newport. Completing my bus ness
there, took passage for New York in .hs
same boat had come down ON. Early in
the morning l was up to see the sunrise,
1t being fad of mine when aficat AS
quite number of us we're chatting near
the rail on the port side there was con-
siderable of a splash in the water bel w,
and deckhand cried out Man over
board! We all sprang forward and
leaned over the rail, while not few
grabbed Eold Of ropes ready to throw to
the unfortunate. There he Isl! one man
cried, pointing excitedly. They were re-
versiaG the engines meanwhile. lie acts
queer muttered some one at my LIFT
Then We saw the reason for it, for as The
suns first shaft struck the water the man
relied over and assumed an almost up
right position, while ray Of light llashel
across his face. revealing n dark red Lis-
coloiati He's been shot through the
head cried deckhand below. who was
in better position to see. The rig It
arm OF the corpse was flung uprg.t.
probably by the action of the water from
the propeller, and seemed to poin; above
US. 1nstfnctively we all looked to the
upper deck. and there. hanging far cut.
with face wearing the most malignant
hate, or hellish glee, l ever saw, was an
old man whose long white hair and beard
marked him conspicuously.
We all rushed for the stairway, but
on gaining the upper deck he was gone
y steward Informed us that such a person
dashed by, him and that he wore a long
linen duster. He also said that the man
was muttering something to himself
wholly uninteiligible. By this time tn.
ship was in commotion. We informed h,
captain of what We had seen. and at once
orders were given to search the snip.
No passengers were found answering I'll,
description A second search was made Il
every passenger being scrutinized. Then
all hands were inspected. but with the |
same result. On reaching the West Street |
pier officers were stationed about the |
gangway. and as the passengers filed |
ashore ell were again subjected to close |
examination. But no old gentleman was |
found wearing white hair and beard. |
Then the boat was given a second over
hauling, with the former success.
1t created great deal of excitement |
at the time. and the papers were fall |
Of IL.
"A year passed, and had well nigh for |
gotten ii. Oh. / should remark that the |
body OF the man was secured day after |
the murder was committed. for it was |
murder. the hole in the head having been |
made by a revolver held at close range. |
AS | was saying ] had forgotten 1t when |
received orders to sail at once for Sa- |
vannah to look after q case there. On the |
first night out I had been playing whist |
in the smoking room and did not leave the |
table until quite late. AS | entered tine |
saloon heard cry at the farther end and |
thought l saw some one dart into the pas
sagcway. The saloon was deserted and |
diIniy lighted. | hurried forward, not OK
raeting to find anyone so was startled |
when stumbled upon young man sprawl
ing in pool of blood and moaning feebIy.
l called for help and tried to bolster him
up. My partner at the whist table now
and several servants. We found
he had been stabbed. or. rather, slashed,
across the neck. the cut extending down to
his right shoulder. 1t vas n wicked wound
and bled profusely. But as 1t mad missed
the tugular and there were two doctors
aboard besides the boat physician. We be-
lieved 1t was not fatal. Restoratives were
given, the flow OF blood checked. and the
victim placed in his berth
When questioned as to how 1t happen
ed. he could only tell us that. as he was
about to enter the passage leading to his
stateroom he experienced shock, a burn
ing sensation and realized that an old man
with white hair and beard. wrapped in
long. light garment. was pushing by him.
The knife with which the blow was given
was picked up few feet inside the pas
1t was common butcher knife
and bore boats mark. | took the cap
tain aside and related the murder on the
Fall River boat of year previous. He
1t and at once took steps for
, mist thorough searc... But, as in the
other case, no old man was found Ex-
'epting Judge OF the Supreme Court, one
Or two Congressman, and several we'll
A"""i me- |hahto Vi NE" lorh Slty, no
men OF advanced age were on board. The
,fficers OF the boat were anxious that the
Fall River mystery should not be coupled
With the affair. but in some manner 1t
got out. You never saw such a nervous
'rowd. Although the boat was now bril-
iantly lighted. no one would go about
lone. The servants were extremely agi-
ated, and moved to obey orders in pairs.
me next day saw no abatement in the
Tread of the old man who had vanished SO
completely. Once when Judge S. ap-
'roached two youngsters on the forward
eck hot IL