Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-08-07

die. When finally rescued, these ANA
tours were roosting on car roofs, cold,
wet and bedraggled, an object of char
ity to the countryside. Then came the
order for troops, long withheld, and
before it was issued the Brentwood ri
tles knew there would be no first SER
geant to call the roll. Somewhere
about midnight of the 9th, dazed and
bleeding, Colonel Cresswell had stag
gered into the street in front of his Of
flee, feebly calling for help. The po-
lice found pool of blood at the foot of
the cellar stairs and splashes all along
from near the top, but not a sign of
struggle elsewhere and not trace of
Eric Langdon. Along toward morning
Cresswell managed to tell his story,
and then the police went and routed
out the division superintendent, who
told queer tale. When the doctors
heard 1t, they looked oddly at each 9TH
err and agreed that it were best that
Cresswell shouldn't hear it until he
was stronger. 1t might unduly excite
him now. Cresswell said he left the
superintendent, Mr.. Belts, ON guard at
the cellar stairway in the back yard,
revolver in hand, and that he should
have seen his (Cresswell's) assailants
when they made their escape ut the
rear, the only way they could, have
gone. The superintendent said he had
met Mr.. Cresswell casually on the
street, inquired for Mr.. Langdon and
went with Cresswell to the office to
find him. They knocked until they be-
lieved that Langdon couldn't be there,
and he (the superintendent desired to
search elsewhere, but Cresswell was
somewhat persistent that Belts should
wait while he went round and tried
the back way. Belts went just to
oblige the colonel; didn't like to Of
fend him." The fact was lie noticed
that the colonel had been drinking a
little, and at such times, as was well
known, the Kentuckian was apt to be
a bit dictatorial and to take ofsense
rather easily. Belts said he knew the
colonel had been at the bar of the
Brentwood that evening, and after
waiting q few minutes just to assure
himself the colonel was safely within
he hurried away about his own bust
ness. Had he heard no sound of fall
or struggle? was asked. Not sound
of that kind. He had heard some one
moving about in the hall and thought,
of course, 1t was the colonel. In fact,
soto yoce, he added he thought so still
and that under the circumstances the
colonel might later have missed his
footing and fallen headlong. 1t could
not be conceived possible that Mr.
Langdon would brutally assault his
friend and benefactor.
Now, Cresswell had taken three or
four nips of his favorite beverage that
evening, but Boniface swore he was
perfectly himself when he left the
Brentwood. That might be, said the
shrewd and somewhat envious lawyer
employed by the Big Horn as counsel,
and yet might he be "under alien infiu-
ences." One of two theories, said the
railroad lawyer, could be derived from
the facts, and only two. Mr.. Cresswell
had fallen down stairs under the influ-
cree of one Of two forces, Bourbon or
n blow. If blow, who gave it but
Eric Langdon? No one else was known
to have entered those doors that night.
In all the tense, pent UP excitement at
tending the inevitable strike this incl
dent was discussed with bated breath
Men who knew Cresswell and saw him
that night knew he was not so far gone
in liquor as to fall down stairs and
therefore believed the story of assault
Men who knew Langdon swore he was
incapable of assaulting Cresswell
What could possibly be his motive?
The safe stood securely locked. Desk
and drawers were intact. There were
10 reasons why Langdon should so ex-
cept the threats, which he held in con-
tempt, and every reason why lie should
stay. The railway lawyer limited Mt re-
newal Of proceedings by Perrigo's bank
to recover certain sums with interest.
The bank, however, being questioned,
reluctantly testified that that incident
was closed, satisfactory settlement hav-
ing been made, and so it had in Lang
don's behalf by the big hearted Ken
tucliian and his friend the mayor. No;
nothing but threats against Langdons
life could be heard of as cause
of Langdon's disappearance, nothing
whatever until the second day of the
strike, when two people appeared who
said that if guaranteed protection they
would tell something. The something
proved to be that an open two horse
wagon drove into the alley just before
10 O'Clock and drove out again about
10:40, when it had two more men in it
who were bending over something in
the bottom. These two jumped out
when it reached the street. They went
one way, the wagon the other. Then
uprose the solid men of Brentwood
save the few whose souls were mort
gagged to the Seattle or whose notes
were falling due at Perrigo's, and at
meeting held just after dark the first
check was given to the widespreading
sympathy felt for the strikers through
out the community. Up to this mo-
ment they had practically carried all
before them. Property had been care
fully guarded by the details from their
own number. People had been treated
with civility even if denied means of
transportation. They We're determined,
they said, to do nothing to forfeit the
good will of friends and fellow citi-
zens. Their grievance was Brent
woods and their oppressors the rival
railways. Violence of any kind, said
the strike leaders, would be tolerated
only us a last resort. Yet here was ev-
idence that even before beginning the
strike assault, abduction, possibly muir
der, could be laid at the strikers doors.
Cresswell still lay in grievous plight,
and Eric Langdon could not be found.
Then evidence began to accumulate. A
two horse farm wagon, such rs de-
scribed, was seen by other citizens
driving westward toward the open
prairie. A farmer came in and said
that such wagon stopped at the ford
close to his place about midnight. His
wife woke him, saying there was some
thing wrong down at the barn-the
horses were stamping and snorting.
IJa hnrriaI tbithor onI fnun1 a,or,.