Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1902-01-03
CHAPTER XI.


CHAPTER XI.
Twenty minutes after Hannah had tax
EN- her departure from the detectives Of
flee Sellars entered the door of the Caro-
lima Hotel.
1t was nearing eleven o'clock, and he
found but two men present in the office
McLain, the night clerk Of the hotel, and
Dolby Browning, one of the conductors
Of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad.
The detective passed through the office
into the barroom, where he purchased a
cigar, lighted it and sauntered back into
the Office.
Good evening, gentlemen" he remark
ed, as he strode forward to the counter on
which the register was lying.
Good evening, Mr.. Sellars," responded
the two men.
mot much transient custom nowadays,
l suppose, Mack?"
Every little" replied the clerk, "nor do
l suppose we can look for more before
fall"
Il should judge not" said Sellars, as he
bent over the open register.
"One, two, five, seven, nine. Why, you
had fifteen arrivals to-day"
Yes, but half Of them are drummers,"
said the clerk; ''they get half rates, you
know. There is not much money in
them"
"Well, they will bring you other custom
later"
True enough, Mr.. Selars; that is the
inducement for giving them half rates."
Yesterday you had even greater num-
ber, twenty-four. declare, l see few
names here that have not some knowl-
edge Of the parties"
of the register.
The 18th, twenty-one guests. All, here
is the name of my old friend, 10 Anson of
Tarboro. Why, here's Norment Of Lum-
berton and Caldwell of Duplin. Yes, and
Sam Grady and Col. Hoyt of Charleston.
Next comes Stephens-C. A. Stephens of
Baltimore. It's time for me to stop now,
for l have no recollection of that name.
TO be sure, there are plenty of Stephenses
Virginia, for instance, is full of them;
then there are the Stephenses of Cumber-
land, the Stephenses of Wake and Cra-
ven. l wonder if G. A. Stephens is one
of thoseY
II think not" said the clerk. "I have
no recollection Of having seen this Ste
phens before. He was only here a short
time. Arrived on the morning of the 18th
and left on the night of the 18th. He NAV
have been drummer, but think not, as
he did not ask for drummer's rates and
had no baggage with him."
He was not q drummer then" said
Seilars, with a laugh "but he may have
been an employer Of drummers."
He made a trip down with me-" OBJ
served Browning. II have no recollection
of having seen him before. He is not a
drummer, and if he left on the night of
the 18th he must have gone out with Bor-
den. He had the night run that trip"
He looked rather like n sporting char
acter," observed the clerk, "but presume
he was Baltimore business man. Cra-
ven, the cashier of the Cape Fear Bank
seemed to know him; at least | noticed
them talking earnestly together on the
night of the 18th. BY the way, that was
sad affair Of Mr.. DeRosette's taking
off,"
Terrible, Mack! Terrible! It was n
shock to the entire community"
"And to think that Robert Campbell
should have committed the murder Why.
he is the last man l would have suspected
and / heard Sheriff Cobb say there was
no doubt of his guilt"
Sheriff Cobb is n very shrewd mana
very shrewd man." said the detective.
II understand that the prisoner had the
audacity to call you into the case 1t re-
minded me of your call in the Mulberry
case"
"very like! Very like" said Lang.
"Cobb got the start Of me this time.'
II am sorry for Campbell's mother and
sister," observed the night clerk.
"Yes, and l." said Lang. "well, good
night" he added, II must be going"
Good night Mr.. Selars."
$50 much for Mr.. g. A. Stephens"
thought Lang as he left the Office. "He
arrived in Wilmington on the morning of
the 18th. Mack observed him in close
conversation with Herman Craven that
night, and the same night Adam drives
the two past the bankers house. You
may be straighter than a string, g. A.
Stephens, but must know more about
you. You left the hotel on the night of
the murder-presumably left the city the