Sunday Washington globe., 1901-12-22

searching for Stewart Fife who Is accused Of
having murdered Frank Richardson, of Sa
vannah, Mo. The young man is not an or
diuary criminal. He is the son of mil
lionaire and when he disappeared he is
supposed to have had plenty of money with
which TO pay all needful expenses and to
move about from place to place as the exi-
gencies Of his pursuit seemed to demand.
/ But whether or not he will succeed in es-
Gaping justice remains for the future to de-
termine. On his trail is Frank Grouard
who bears the reputation OF being one Of
the shrewdest and most untiring detectives
IN the United States He has had many
noted cases in charge, and has never bsen
known to give up the pursuit until his game
was driven to quarry. He is known through.
out the west as the human bloodhound
II was last Christmas eve that the tragedy
for which Fife is wanted occurred Rich
ardson was shot at the door of his wife s
room m their handsome home in the sub
urbs of Savannah and fell dead at her feet
No one save Mrs. Richardson was within
hearing of the shot, and she declares that
she saw no one. The wife was INDICTED for
the murder and her trial is set for January
I3 OF the coming year Not even her legal
accusers believe that she actually committed
the crime. Ranged upon her side is her
brotherin-law, John D. Richardson. IT,,
man of vast wealth and the Chicago man
ager of the American Biscuit trust.
The accusation against Stewart Fife. Mrs
Richardson's friend and the son of Richard
sons partner, came with startling sudden
ness a few days ago II adds another ele-
ment to the mystery which has baffled the
shrewdest detectives in America. Fife
quietly left Savannah six months ago His
father has a fortune reputed at 81 100000.
In addition to employing Grouard the au-
thorities have taken the usual course of
sending out description, pictures, and
amount of reward offered to the police of
every town and city in the country
Frank w. Richardson, the murdered man.
was wealthy merchant In addition to
his department store at Savannah, Mo he
owned large blocks of stock in the Ameri-
can Biscuit trust, his brothers. company,
and a good deal Of real estate in the neigh
borhood. He carried large life insurance.
Richardson was a man noted for his
many gallantries favorite with women
and most often seen in their company.
Among men he was less popular He had
many enemies who might have killed him
except for the fact that Richardson himself
was fearless man and a dead shot
Gossip for some time previous TO Richard
sons murder had been busy with the name
of Mrs. Richardson. Among her reputed
admirers were several neighboriug young
men and Stewart Fife, now charged with
Richardson's murder.
Fife's father, retired business man al
St. Joseph, Mo, had purchased an interest
in Richardson's store, with the intention of
turning over the partnership to his son.
Stewart Fife. But young Fife busted him
self chiefly in sowing wild oats, TO the scan
dal of Savannah and the country around
When not drinking too hard he put in
part of his time at the Richardson Fife
store. Rumor declared that he spent
good deal of his time in the Richardson
home.
Mrs Richardson is handsome dashing
woman, who was brought up to spend a
great deal of money, for her father was a
rich ranchman of the southwest She was
fond of all sorts of amusemeuts rode we'll,
drove team of spirited horses and man
aged her own affairs without much regard
to the criticisms Of her neighbors.
On Christmas eve, 1900, young George
Crowley, the wealthy farmer and reputed
admirer Of Mrs. Richardson, took dinner
with the Richardson family. After dinner
he drove home and Richardson walked
over TO the Richardson Fife store
During the interval between O'Clock
and about ten O'Clock that evening the
movements Of Mrs. Richardson are not
known except by her own account She
says that she remained at home waiting for
her husband to come back and take her to |
the theater Richardson stayed at the store
talking with the clerks and smoking his
cigar. "A little after o'clock the elder of /
his boys, John, came in.
Did your mother go TO the Christmas
tree at the church," he asked the boy sud |
denly.
Why no, mammals at home, " said tile
child.
Richardson grabbed his overcoat and
pulled his hat down over his eyes
Has it come to this" Richardson was
heard to shout hoarsely as he ran into the
house
From this time the story must be taken
up by Mrs Richardson, who was the only
known eyewitness TO what followed Mrs.
Richardson says she heard her husbands
angry exclamation, Has il come to thisp
and that Immediately afterward he pushed
into her room 1t seemed 10 her that she
heard the steps of a second man with Rich
ardson in the hall.
Il was sitting on lounge behind the
door, says Mrs Richardson, thinking to
jump out and say Boo, to Mr. Richardson
when he came in. Just as his foot was on
the threshold heard shot and my hus-
baud sank to the floor Then heard foot
steps going out by the back wayn"
Richardson had been shot through the
brain from behind and died instantly.
"Pm going down street to get some pres
ents-that I had forgotten about" he re-
marked TO one Of the clerks, and went out
hastily, slamming the door behind him.
He went directly home He walked around
to a side window
After Mrs. Richardson's indictment for
the murder Of her husband her brother.in.
law John d. Richardson Of Chicago hur.
ried to her assistance. He employed the
ablest lawyers in the state TO defend her and
succeeded last fall in having her released
on bail Of s2o,o 900.
on the night Of Richardson's murder
young Fife was seen walking from the
neighborhood Of the Richardson home
toward his club about 10 clock He forced