The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-15
II @ SEEN BY SHORTY.
ABE CRONKTTE GETS A CEUE TO
A MURDER MYSTERY.

VI u WI j" v
widow-The Quarrel Of Two Brothers
What do you think Of that horrible murder
Abe?" asked Judge Marcellus ono morning
on arriving At his Office.
(Which one, sir?- asked Abe Cronkite.
All, you touch me there replied the Ole
lawyer. Il was speaking in the habit OF the
olden DAYS when there was less population
but more humanity 10 town. and such a murder
a that of James Naxon. last evening. would
have closed half the stores. What do you
think Of IL. ] say
From the accounts, sir, u was carefully
planned and skilfully executed all the elements
OF the FIRST degree, ] should say.
God save us all. " reflected the Judge. when
s,An IKE James Naxon can be- done to death
On his own doorstep, without the slightest
clue to his assailant. Wait here. Cronkite.
until my return. as there may be something
for you TO do. Immediately after Mr.. Naxon's
reoent marriage ! drew his will for him. under
which | am named "A executor. and Therefore
widow at once"
While he waited Abs Crcnkite read over the
account Of the tragedy in tho morning paper
The details were few and simple. james
Naxon. A wealthy merchant. elderly but still
0GIlVe III HHdus, Wits TIidttuh WA'h Tvs s'e'e
wife, about q o'clock in the evening, In the sit
ting room Of his home. received a note from
the hands Of Owens. tho butler. with the mes
sage thai the writer waited at the front door
On reading the mlssivs he orumpled It in his
pocket. and without a word Of explanation
went down the stairs and out on the stoop,
closing the door behind him. A half hour
passed. and his wife. becoming alarmed. called
A. Ma. a. lozl. - k,a tAasfar Thu hittlar
opened the door and Mr.. Naxon's body fell
into the hallway. A cash directly over the
heart showed that he had been stabbed with a
long. slender blade Of the stiletto sort. The
police were thu far at loss for a clue. The
storm doors, drawn together, had prevented
the observation OF any passerby. while Owens
was too badly scared to give any intelligent de-
ecrption Of the visitor.
The account closed with a brief. biographical
sketch Of the victim. ~praisinE him for his ex-
smplary life and many good works. II re-
ferred to his romantic marriage with Miss
Evelyn Fayette. In the very hour Of her great
histrionic triumph as juliet, which had been
the sensation Of the metropolis. a year before:
aud said that the only blood relatives sur
wing him were hts son. Polk Naxon. a proni-
nent member Of tho Turf Club, who had bach
clbT undT tIS oul az 'IuIlIlluHN 'luNf, INV u
brother residing in the Far West.
Where there's a will there's a way" mused
Abe Cronkite, and when | know his will. per-
haps | can see my way"
Judge Marcellus returned. excited. per-
tlrbed. "A most extraordinary thing" he
began at once. Il arrived AT he house only TO
fnd myself superseded By Eccles of Macron 4
Eccles, you know, who was In charge under
-l.. % a. iii IL. a-o L.-.
ago. OF course, I've no fault 10 find with him. no
lawyer would miss such a chance. and he's per-
fectly honest. though not the wisest man in the
world. but why. oh. why, should James Naxon
have deserted an old and tried friend for a
stranger; why, should he have hastily changed
the result OF his most deliberate Judgment"
The answer lies In the new will. | reckon"
suggested Abe Cronkite.
"Eccles was frank and opel with ms there"
said the Judge; no showed me an abstract Of
this will. By its terms there II a legacy Of $780,
000 to Rudolph Na1on, the only brother. re-
siding out in Montana. and then two-thirds
Of the estate goes absolutely to the widow
and one-third To the son. Now, under the will
I drew, there were specific leSscies. amounting
to a half million. to various charities. and the
rest OF the estate was divided equally between
the widow ana the son.
Then, considering the great size Of the es-
tate, the widow is the gamer by this changer"
Surely; for the residuary estate itself Is
increased by 100000, while her share is pro-
portionally one-sixth greater. But the whole
will Is incomprehensihls to me. There was
nl-blood between ths brothers. and they have
not seen each other Tor years. Admitting,
however, that Mr.. Naxon's heart might have
softened toward Rudolph. why did he con-
temptuously cancel all those charitable be-
quests: why did he break his word TO his SOM"
Did you see the widow this morning."
No." replied the Judge bitterly, she was
too unnsrved to see her husbands closest as
~sociate, though she had been In consultation
with this new lawyer for an hour. BY the
Lord Harry, it does seem that as soon as a man
establishes n reputation for sound and sober
judgment. some woman comes along and
demonstrates that he Is a bigger fool than his
fellows. Who would have believed that James
Nayon Of all
Here the door was kicked open, and a red
teced., athletic man. rather fashily dressed.
rushed In. all Impotence.
Look a here, Judge Mnrcellus," he shouted.
I must see you az once and alone.
tonhole and led him over to the window.
III YOU. want to talk over your fathers mys.
tcrious death and equally mysterious will,
my dear POLK, ne began, YOU had better let
my man remain. He's a close-mouthed, faith
full fellow. whom ] sometimes employ on secret
inquiries"
"Oh. you twig do you?" returned the other:
well, let him listen then with both ears. ou
don't for one moment suppose, do yoi, that
I'm going TO be- choused out Of a cold half mid
lion, lust because my father was infatuated
where, and with the reputation Of the Lord
knows whatP Never on your life: you know
what his intentions were. You know whether
he had any reasons to change them. don't
mind about poor Uncle Rudolph. Id have braced
him myself on account OF his name; hut first
to make such an idiotic will, and then To be
stuck Ike a pig In his own doorway! There's
some connection thore, Marccllus' Seek tho
woman. you know: look out for the one benp-
ated Why. III spend half my fortune to bring
her 10 Justice"
Then YOU suspect
OF course, suspect my stepmother and be
damned TO her. Who else knew about this
change IN her favor, You didn't, his cond-
dental friend: ! didn't, his only child, Who
put him up to \. drussed him W, 70 1t, | believe,
come TO his senses and right the great wrong?
Who did all this2 Why, the one with the strong
eat influence over lin; the one nearest to him;
the one with him on tha last night Of his life;
the one who tells how he met his death: for his
butler. mark You, Is but a creature Of h r. in
charge Of her establishment. a. she called il,
before she was married. Don't you see any
thilg strange, suspicious? Don't you think II
odd that the most curious Of women should have
permitted her husband TO meet a stranger at
what the man wanted? Don't YOU think it I'M
usual for "A stif. proud man. like my father. to
10 SO submissive 10 such a summons do,
and so does the District ATTORNEY. and 40 does
the Coroner, and they begin their Investigations
tomorrow, But we should investigate on our
own side indeDendpntly tn head Them of in