Sunday Washington globe., 1902-06-29

There is a mysterious individual exciting
considerable comment among those ac-
ouainted with the facts who rents the parlor
in a furnished house-on K near Seventeenth
street. This individual has a valet--iu fact
he has had three of them-to wait upon him.
The vaIet's duties are to wheel him about
in his chair, as he claims TO be paralyzed in
the lower extremities. The suspicious
part Of the narrative told by some Of the
paralvtic's acquaintances is that he has
been seen to cross his legs in the privacy
of his room when he thought nobody could
see his actions Another insolvable or
mysterious part Of this mans almost nightly
program Is that the valet wheels him in his
chair 10 a carriage at 9 p. m, helps him in
to the vehicle and the paralytic does not
return until a. m. Where he spends his time
in the interim and whether he leaves the
carriage or is being continuously driven
around for the Eve hours between Q p. NJ.
and a. IN, nobody so far has been able to
determine If he leaves the carriage he
does so without the assistance of the valet,
as that individual never accompanies him
in the carriage.
The only information vouchsafed by the
Mystery" himself is of a contradictory
character. At one time he represents him
self as a pensioner drawing a handsome in
come from the Government. Then again,
he states that he is gentleman of indie
pendent income. Those who have had him
under surveillance, however believe him to
be fugitive from justice in hiding, as he
never goes out in the day time, while others
think he is a criminal who prowls around
at night, after leaving his carriage some
distance from the house.
The past week, however, a clue developed,
or rather an incident occurred which has
monplussed the people engaged in praise
worthy effort to solve the Mystery" " as the
paralytic is named The fainiture house of
Grogan & Co., sold some ninety dollars
worth of household goods to a gentleman
who, gave the name and address of the
''Myste. r." The furniture was loaded up
in wagon provided by the Mystery" the
first deposit being paid, as it was purchased
on the iustallment plan. When the firm
sought to collect the second installment,
the collector was astonished by the lady of
the residence at which the furniture was
supposed to be delivered, who informed
him that no such goods were delivered In
vestigation was Immediately set on foot by
the firm. The negro driver of the wagon
in which the Mystery" carted of the fur
niture was found. He refused to state
where he delivered the goods unless he was
paid two dollars.
mThe sum was given him whereuDon he
led the agent of the firm to the sporting
house of Ruby Dale and there sure enough
were the household goods purchased by the
Mystery" Ruby gave up the furniture
but stated that she had purchased the ar
ticles from a gentleman who had brought
them to the house aud that she had paid
down sI4 and agreed to make a final pay.
ment of $40 more later on.
A reporter for the GLOBE called on the
Grogan firm for information. Here another
mystery occurred. Mr.. Grogan absolutely
denied all knowledge Of the transaction and
gave il as his opinion that il must be some
other furniture house. It was ascertainec
in other quarters, however, that the Mys
tery had been ordered to leave the residence
where he had been occupying the parloi
because of the annoyance given the land
lady over the furniture deal. And late
yesterday our informant discovered that
the Mystery" had moved back to his old
quarters. He was equally positive that the
house of Grogau sold the furniture but the
frm having been made good by the 'Mys
terry" they wanted no further notoriety in
the matter and hence their denial of any
knowledge of the transaction.
The whole affair summarized amounts to
these salient facts
There is such man as the Mystery.
He is not paralyzed but plays the paralytic
He sold the furniture 10 Ruby Dale and
she turned it over to Grogan or some other
furniture house.
The Mystery" himself Is back in his old
quarters and the gossips are wild with spec
ulative theories as to who he is?" How
he squared the furniture deal"
If he is a great criminal and rich why did
he resort to a petty swindlep What are his
sources of income2 Where Is his last valet
as he now has a new onep
And there we leave the subject to avoid a
trip to St. Elizabeth'sl