Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-03-11

y 'the queerest 1 ever
worked on was justifi-
able crime-and there are such things
and the guilty man was forced not
only to murder but to confession of the
deed by motives that none of us could
be ashamed Of
1T must have been about 9 o'clock
in the night that Grinnel street sta
tion was called up by telephone and q
mans voice announced that there We're
burglars in house at No. 7G3. | was
finishing report about an incendiary
fire, but as the available men at that
hour were scarce, l jumped into the
patrol wagon with the others. and
went to the house mentioned. The
family We're all in the hallway. or in
Inc front parlor, waiting for us, and
Ihey said that the burglar or burglars
had been locked in the middle bed
room on the second floor.
The daughter of the housc-their
name was Taulhy and The girls name
has Janice-had found man under
her bed, and without making any COM
motion till she was in the hall, had
locked the door on the outside and
awakened her mother and brother.
who slept in the front and back rooms
respectively on the same floor. That's
as far as we got before running up
stairs and opening the door. There
were three of us policemen, besides
the driver, and Toole held the light.
Griffin the door, and l, always fool
hardy, went in with my gun ready. l
had n pistol in my right hand ready
for business, but as there was not
sound nor a stir when | entered the
half lighted room, made bold to strike
Il match with my left hand and lighted
the gas. The drawers of the dresser
were opened and tossed, the closet
door was open and the contents We're
scattered. but there was no sound nor
sign of life.
Il looked under the bed, Toole turn
Ing on the lantern, and saw a man
lying at full length. | ordered him to
come out and Griffin began to pull off
the mattress and bedding for safer
command of the situation. The intru-
der never stirred. We took off the
mattress, lifted out the wire spring
frame, and saw that the robbers eyes
We're shut and his face CHASTITY The
minute l touched him l knew he was
dead. We dragged him out then and
saw that his skull was dented as by
the mighty stroke of narrow, dull
edged weapon. We called the Coro-
rer, and he said il was a murder, or
that the robhor had been caught in the
act of searching the room and had
been killed by one of the inmates of
the house. AS the latter supposition
seemed preposterous, / searched the
building for an open window, a door
that had been left open. or any kind of
aperture that might have given cgress
to the dead mans confederate and
slayer There was mono. The win
dows and doors We're al locked or
latched on the inside. In the yard I
found blackjack, or Chilly" which
seemed to give color to the Coroner's
theory, but only added 10 the mystery.
Mrs. Taulby, the mother. was
widow, gentle, aristocratic, wealthy
and inordinately fond of her two chill
dren Miss Janice, | soon discovered,
was the flower Of all girlish tenderness
and virtue She hadn't even sweet
heart to whom thread of investiga.
tion might be reasonably attached.
Randall Taulby. the son. was, | discov-
cred, lawyer by profession. but not
by practice. In fact, he was only re-
Gently from college, and was living in
81 tXr -
n care and even menace to his moth
or. submissive only TO his sister Janice.
whom he loved, and-very much in
debt. Upon the slim prospect OF con-
meeting him with the killing | had the
nerve to search his room. his clothing
and all his belongings before left the
house that night. l found nothing in
Criminatins.
Miss Janice explained that she had
been awakened by scream, she
thought. but in terror had lain quietly
for many minutes before rising. Then
she struck a match. aud. seeing moth
ing, with feminine instinct stopped
and looked under the bed. She saw n
band move and face stare, and, drop
pans 'hV fiiht'il' lObh oul htl upOi hti,
ran into the hall, locked the door be-
hind her and gave the alarm. 1t was
Randh who had called the police. His
conduct was very calm and deliberate.
lie had seen on one, heard nothing.
ill his sisters cries aroused him. Then
he had run down stairs and tele-
phoned, The mother, prostrated with