Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-30
past middle age, neatly but plainly

bent over the PROSTATE form, the re-
porter shot keen glance in the direc-
ton of the cabman, who stood staring
at the body with look of CHASTITY ter
ror in his bullying eyes.
Presently the physician started to
his feet with a low exclamation of sur
prise.
SIS he dead. doctor?" asked the DO
liceman.
Gle has been dead for some time"
replied the physician, impressively;
"the body is almost cold"
"Been dead for some time?" echoed
the policeman.
eyes; this man was shot. See there!"
AS he spoke he pointed to red streak
which, starting from the left side of
the dead mans coat, extended down
ward and marked the course of the tiny
stream in which the life blood had
flowed to little pool on the floor of the
cab.
Shot" exclaimed the policeman,
who turned Immediately to one of his
brother officers. Keep your eye on the
cabman, Jim. Well have to take him
in. And look out for the other man,
quick!"
Then, addressing the cabman, upon
each of whose shoulders policeman
hand was Immediately placed, he asked
roughly:
"Who is this man?"
The cabman was completely sober
now. He stood, pale and trembling, be.
tween his two captors, as he replied sol
emily:
Before God. don't know, boss. ]
never saw him BEFORE"
The policeman looked at the man in
blank amazement for an instant. Then
he turned away contemporary.
"All right, young feller," he said
you don't have to confess to me. But
guess you'll have chanceto tell that
story to a judge andjury."
Then he proceeded to examine the
dead mans pockets. They were empty
Looks like robbery he murmured
what is it, Jim? Haven't you got the
other man?"
Jim had not found the other man;
for the pale young fellow in the seal
skin cap had disappeared.
The reporter was STOPPING over the
body, while DIR. Thurston cut through
the clothing and laid bare small
round wound.
Here is another bullet wound" SAID
Sturgis, turning over the body slightly
and pointing out second round hole
in the back Of the dead man.
He seemed to take great interest il
this discovery. He whipped out I
| steel tape and rapidly but carefully
| took number of measurements, as il
to locate the positions of the two
wounds. Then he stepped into the cal
and, striking match after match, he
spent several minutes apparently in
eager search for something which be
could not find.
THAT is strange" he muttered tc
himself, as he came out at last.
What is it?" inquired Thurston
who alone caught the words.
But the reporter either did not hea,
or did not care to answer. He at once
renewed his search on the brilliantly
lighted pavement in the immediate vi
cinity of the cab; examining every
stone, Investigating every joint and
every rut, prodding with his cane every
lump of frozen mud, turning every
stray scrap of paper.
well, DOCTOR" he said, when a,
length he rejoined his companion, s'i1
you have done all that you can we may
as well go. 1t is one of the prettiest
problems I have met; but there is
nothing more for me to learn here fol-
the present. By the way, as I was say
ing when interrupted myself little
while ago, are you sure the cabman is
drunk? Iwish you would take another
good look at him. The question may be
more important than it seemed at
first"
A few minutes later the physician
and the reporter were hurrying along
to make up for the time they had lost;
the cab and the cabman had disap.
peared In the custody of the police,
and the claimants grewsome fare was
jolting through Twenty-sixth street
in the direction of small building
which stands near the East river, and
in which the stranded waits of the new
world metropolis can find rest at last
| upon stone slab, in the beginning OF
their eternal sleep.
Broadway had resumed its holiday
aspect; the wizened bag at the corner
still patiently ground out her plaintive
discords; the fearful newsboy, with
his slowly diminishing armtul of news
papers, continued to SILVER in the cold
wind, as he offered his stock to the
hurrying pedestrians; the big police
man again piloted his fair charges
through the mass of moving vehicles,
and the changing cable cars started
once more on their rumbling course,
as if the swapping of a thread in the
fabric of city's life Were. thing of
constant occurrence and of no mo-
ment.
A few tiny dark red stains upon the
pavement were all that remained to tell
the story of the scene which had SO
recently been enacted in the busy
thoroughfare. Presently even these
az 2,