The National tribune., 1901-11-14


| Gluck gave the details of the tragedy that
| had just taken place.
Il never knew much of Col Withers
or his business" he began, "for | only saw
! him now and then as he passed, going to
and from Pine Hall. He usually came
! here to the inn to take the stage for the
railroad station, and sometimes he would
remain over night. in order to take the
| early stage that leaves here at Z in the
| morning. It was almost dark when he
came last night. A negro servant brought
him over from Pine Hall in a light spring
wagon, and after leaving the Colonel and
his baggage he drove back. Withers said
he wanted to take the early stage, and
ordered me 10 have his breakfast at 6.
He had his baggage carried up to his
room, and after he had eaten his supper
he ordered some brandy, saying that he
expected to be up till late, examining some
papers he had brought with him.
About an hour after the arrival of
Col. Withers a young man, who gave his
name as Leslie Rush, came to the Blue
Stag. He was well-dressed, and could not
have been much over q years old. He
merely asked for lodgings for the night,
and went to his room Immediately. He
came on horseback, and his horse was
placed in my stable, where it still re-
mains. About . o'clock, | think it vas,
young Rush came into the Office and asked
if there was a drugstore in the place.
L told him that there was q store across
the street, kept by Brown & Price, where
a few drugs were kept, along with a
stock of general merchandise, and he
thanked me and went out. In a short
time he returned, and went directly to his
own room.
Il have since learned that he procured
a bottle Of brandy at the store, and the
bottle in the murdered mans room has
been identified as the one in which the
liquor was given to him."
There can hardly be any doubt as to
his guilt, then" said Gilbert, unless some
new developments should explain the mat
ter"
THAT is the way it looks to me. But
there is another point: 1t is not customary
for criminals to leave such a plain trail
as this. 1t is nothing short of madness
for one to commit a crime and then leave
every evidence of his guilt behind-just
as if he had had that object in view
THAT is q fact; yet that is just what is
done il many ESPECIALLY where the
crime is committed by some novice ut the
work"
You are right; still, cannot see why
any one having an ounce of brains would
commit such folly in the way of leaving
discriminating evidence behind as has been
done, apparently, in the present case
But what appears to have been the
motive of the crime?'
That is just what we have not been
able to find out"
There was no robbery committed,
| theni"
Not that we know Of; though, of
course, it would be impossible for any
one to be positive on this point, unless he
knew all that the Colonel had with him.
| But one thing we do know, and that is a
| valuable watch, which was in the muir
| dered mans vest pocket, was left, as well
as his pocketboOk, containing quite n sum
| Of money, and which is now in the posses
/ sion of the Constable"
| And this young Rush, you say, is now
| missingE asked Gilbert
Yes; he left some time during the night
and nothing has been heard of him since"
AT what time was the murder discov-
ercd!"
| AT about half past ;. l went to call
the Colonel, as he had directed, and get
/ ting no response, and becoming alarmed
/ we forced the door, TO tud him murdered
| There was no one else stopping at the
/ inn to whom suspicion could attacfy'
No; in fact, the two were the only
guests in the inn"
Did you hear any suspicious noises
during the night!'
We'll, my old woman thinks she did
! She is quite sure she heard voices in the
/ ColOncis room after we had retired. You
see. his room is situated directly over the
one occupied by myself and wife, and any
sound of voices, above an ordinary pitch,
might be easily heard
AT what time was that?"
About II o'clock, as near as | can re-
member"
Did you hear any other sounds-any-
thing that sounded as if a scuffle was GO
ing on?"
No; | can't say that I did. My wife
heard, or thought she heard, decidedly
strange cry about midnight; but l think
! IL must have beeu her imnniuntiou She
woke me up, and we both listened, but
it was not repeated. She said it sounded
| like Il human cry-a cry of pain or dis
tress, and she was sure it came from the
room overhead"
You didn't discover the origin of the
sound?"
mo; l didn't think anything more of
! it till this morning, and then it was too
late"