Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-11-25

OF much dersion and many decided cat
calls, not to mention few dcfunct
quadrupeds and doubtful eggs. MI.
Burlelgh was given sample of the
running qualities of the fast mail down
the winding gorge of the Red Water
and spent the night in blasphemy and
bitterness OF spirit Mt GunniSon. Not
even farmers blackboard could he
find to take him back. He wired for
the trainloads of substitutes across the
Big Muddy, and they were dtched ten
miles from any town and had to build
bontires out Of the wreck until that
was used up and then kept warm with
few miles of snow fence that unac-
countahly went up in flames. The Sc
attic sent 60 Pinkertons on special
and thereby precipitated sympathetic
strike across the Missouri and the spe-
cial into the shadows near the eastern
shore we'll up to the Pinkertons' mid
die. When finally rescued, these ANA
teurs were roosting on car roofs, cold,
wet and bedraggled, an object Of char
lty to the countryside. Then came the
order for troops, long withheld, and
before it was issued the Brentwood RI
fees 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
fee. 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 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
ont the division superintendent. who
told queer tale. When the doctors
heard it, they looked oddly at each 9TH
CT and agreed that 1t 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 at the
rear. the only way they could have
gone. The superintendent said he had
met Mr.. Cressweu 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 he noticed
that the colonel had been drinking a
little, and at such times, as was well
known, the Kentuckian was apt to be
O bit dictatorial and to take ofAense
rather easily. Setts said he knew the
colonel had been at the bar of the
Brentwood that evening, and after
waiting a 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,
/
| soto voce, 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 brutality assault his
friend and benefactor.
Now, Cresswell had taken three or
| fO11r pi11S of bjS 70 20 ~, +l,, +
! 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 influ-
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 infu-
ence of one Of two forces, Bourbon or
| blow. II 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.
1 Men who knew Langdon swore he was
4 incapable of assaulting Cresswell.
| What could possibly be his motive?
The safe stood securely locked. Desk
and drawers were intact. There were
no reasons why Langdon should go eX-
cept the threats, which he held IN con-
tempt, and every reason why he should
stay. The railway lawyer limited at re-
newal of proceedings by Perrigos bank
tosrecoyer 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
tuckian and his friend the mayor. No;
nothing but threats against Langdon's
life could be heard Of as cause
of Langdon's disappearance, nothing
whatever until the second day of the
,ft,il-