Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-06-17

a struggle had taken place in the old
mans room, and the blood stains found
on the bedclothes and upon the floor led
to the conviction that terrible crime
had been committed.
But where was the victim? The mi
nutest search of the entire premises
failed to disclose any trace Of the I'M
fortunate lodger.
Upon close inspection of the door of |
the room occupied by the old man
marks on the facings plainly showed
that the door had been broken open by
the aid of an iron bar which had been
used from the outside.
A faint odor of chloroform led to the
inference that the victim might have
been rendered insensible by that pow
erful drug and carried from his room,
but the signs of struggle and the
blood marks seemed to upset this theory.
The same awful stains were found in
the hall leading toward the room occu-
pied by Boyd Springer, but the door
was found to be locked, Springer hay-
ing carried the key away with him.
Had the occupant of No. 0 committed
the terrible deed, then concealed the
body in his room? Suspicion pointed
strongly toward him.
When the landlord told the constable
of Bentley's story, as related to him IN
the early part of the preceding night,
that official declared Springer to be the
guilty one Then the door was forced
open, but nothing was discovered to
confirm the suspicious.
In Bentley's room only q large yalise
was found, containing few changes
| of clothing, with nothing to give any
clew as to the owners occupation or
| the place he had come from. The
| whole affair was full of mystery.
| From the facts In hand 1t was thought
best by the citizens of Burrville to
place Boyd Springer under arrest, and
a warrant was issued.
Inquiry revealed the fact that he had
hired horse and buggy to drive into
the country. The constable and the
deputy Immediately started In pursuit.
] They overlook Springer about five
| miles from the village and, putting him
under arrest, brought him back to
Burrville, where he was lodged in Jail
to await preliminary examination.
The prisoner seemed utterly amazed
ut the serious charges made against
him. He denied all knowledge Of the
affair and telegraphed at once for a
prominent attorney in Baltimore.
Meanwhile the village was all agoe
with excitement over the mysterious
and sensational event. Nothing like II
had ever happened in peaceful Burr.
vile, and 1t became the all absorbing
theme for discussion.
After long search in the vicinity OF
the inn something was discovered that
seemed to afford clew to the mystery.
Tracks were found on the margin OF
the river, deeply sunken into the soil
as If made by some one carrying O
heavy burden, and near by were traces
of blood on some shingles, and broker
cuff button, believed to have belonged
to the unfortunate ledger. was picked
up.
AT this juncture excitement III Burr
vile rose to its highest pitch, and at {
meeting of the mayor and council Il
was decided to offer a liberal reward
for any information that would lead tt
the discovery Of the old man Bentle.
dead or alive.
This offer resulted in bringing sew
eral detectives to the village. Anon,
these was Amos Peel, the shrewdes
detective in Baltimore. He went t
, work in careful and systematic man
ner, but whatever his theories were re
. garding the strange affair he kept then
to himself.
About this time there arrived fror
Baltimore Victor Laney. He was
cousin of Boyd Springer. the prisoner
and about his age.
The situation cannot be explaine
any better than by giving an extrac
from an article which appeared in til
Burrville Herald a few days later:
At present suspicion points strongly I
Boyd Springer the prisoner. as being til
guilty party, yet, as far as has been ascei
tanned. he Is man whose character
above reproach 1t is stated that he can
to Baltimore from Colorado less than
year ago and opened a law office. wheI
he has since practiced his profession
making many friends among the Leg
fraternity.
1t has been learned that his business
Burrville was in connection with the tit
to some land in this locality claimed /
one of his clients.
Mr. Springer is man of considerab
means and the owner Of valuable pro-
erty In the city. He is well respected /
those who know him, and, taking ever,
yet appeared the faintest shadow Of ar
motive he might have had for committir
the crime with which he Is charged
And now come the questions: Who W,
n the old man answering to the name
Mark Bentley? What was his business
: Burrville? The most careful inquiry h,
l failed to elicit an answer to these question
i 1t Is true that the remarkable stat
ment made by Bentley to Martin Fine
keeper Of the Blue Dragon, on the vel
!. night of his mysterious disappearance
t coupled with subsequent events, furnish
the strongest circumstantial evidence
the guilt of Boyd Springer. and yet Il
absence of all tangible motive and Il
d very mystery which surrounds the ide
tity of the supposed victim, as well as Il
circumstance of his strange disappea
ance, give the whole affair an aspect
4 SO singular u character as to furnish
8 basis for conclusion except that found
!, on conjecture
n Many of the citizens confidently e
pcStcu tlHil lHc pouy VI lue lulSsll
, ledger would be found in the river, b
n careful dragging of the stream fail,
4 to fulfill these expectations.
). Meantime handsome Victor Lane
was using every effort to solve the my
a terry and had, in his own name, offer,
q large reward for information of Il
= whereabouts of Mark Bentley, but 1
=, to no avail
= When the day set for the prelimina,
examination of the accused arrived, t
little courthouse was crowded to Its I
l. most capacity by an eager throng an
If ious to catch every detail Of the my
"A terious case.
n Several witnesses were called and e
n amined, but the evidence failed
bring forth anything that was not {
n ready familiar to the public.
"a However, when Detective Peel ask
T.. u =