Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-05-20
MYSTERY or THE
Is AYOU WOODS
copyright, 1905, by A. N, Kellogg Newspaper Co.
By WALKER REMEDY.

same real estate company, and tho
latter judge from some Imperfect
memoranda left by your husband was
sold to some mining company organ-
lied under the laws of Colorado.
Everything that your husband then
owned was sold"
But what could have become of
the money!"
That is the question asked my
self. The answer got from the old
records in part. You are, of course,
aware of the fact that your husband
many years ago was tried on tho
charge of killing Baxter, his foreman.
By referring to the records 1 discov-
cred that his property was trans
ferred just after that event and be-
fore his trial took place. The prop
erty was sold at an enormous sacrl-
flee, only 100000 being realized so fur
as l can make OUT
"What became of that?"
Il called upon Col. Franklin, who
was one of your husbands lawyers
at that trial, and asked If he could
give me any idea as to the disposition
that had been made of the cash. He
smiled rather significantly and said
he could. DO you know he said
what it cost to clear John T.
Wright?' of course not answered
1T cost cold $4,000, and he had tc
have the money ready. OF course,
he went on, smiling, I cannot say
anything about where it went, MOI
need l account for the fact that Ger.
tain officers, by dealing very gingerly
with the law and the facts. made II
comparatively easy to bring in Q
verdict of acquittal.' I need hardly
tell you, madam, what 1 think OF
such an admission coming from g
member of my profession. Franklin's
explanation, in short, is that Mr.
Wright had to sell off his property
to raise ready money for the pur
pose of buying an acquittal. But
there are some aspects to this case
which will render further investiga
ton on my part necessary"
IF my husband did not own this
place and the plantations to which
he was constantly making visits
why did he show SO much activity If
improving and supervising them?"
You have struck, madam, hare
question to answer. 1t may be he
was in the employ of the company
that bought him out; but what
cannot account for is the fact that
he should have spent nearly all thf
profits of his business in improving
and clearing up these plantations il
Arkansas and Mississippi. l intent
ascertaining if there is any law fol
claiming the value of these improve
ments, and in this way shall prob
ably make the real estate company
show its hand. During my partial in
vestigation of your husbands papers
L came across n memorandum upor
which You can perhaps throw some
light
What is it?"
This paper, as you will observe
is a map or plot of piece of land
The lawyer here handed Mrs. Wrigh,
a paper, evidently of secret design
with drawing upon it.
"On the back Of this paper" said
he, you will observe the memoran
dun which I cannot understand"
Mrs. Wright turned the paper ovel
and read the following:
"See schedules in agreement with
Franklin
Can you tell me what agreement
1t is that is referred to in this memo.
randum?" asked TIE lawyer.
II have no idea whatever" said
Mrs. Wright.
"That is strange. In the examina-
ton of your husbands papers have
come across several references to pa.
pers which I cannot find, hints OF
something hidden in his business
Papers which 1 am satisfied are i'm.
portant are missing"
"You may not remember it, but nv
husband was robbed by one of his
clerks a few months ago. The thief,
who has never been caught, took
several hundred dollars in money
and he may have accidentally disar'
ranged or carried off some of the pa.
pers."
Cor he may have done SO purpose.
~. Among Mr.. Wright's last CORE.
spondence find an unaddressed and
unfinished letter. 1t is dated a few
days before he was killed. Let me
read it to you"
Erona@4 %1,o- Al, fx,11o,,,:.z
fragment:
"Dec. 1S.-.
Il have misplaced my copy of the
agreement. All danger is now past
and it is time that we should carry
out the terms of the contract; and
would like for you to appoint u
day for consultation. Recent ad-
vices have satisfied me that the Colo.
RADIO
"This fragment as you will see re-
fers to contract or an agreement
The memorandum also refers to an
agreement with Franklin which con.
tanned schedule. 1t seems reason
ably certain that this letter was in
tended for Franklin, and that there
was some kind of an agreement in
writing between them. For some
reason Mr.. Wright did not send the
letter, and without knowing anything
about the provisions of the agree
ment, should commend his prudence
in not sending it. If he had lost his
copy of the contract he was practi-
cally at the mercy of the other party
to 1t, and to notify that party of the
fact would have been very poor judg-
ment. | have not gone through Mr..
Wright's correspondence yet, and !
hope it will throw some light on the
dark places. I half suspect that
there is something of most impor-
tant character behind the surface,
and I hope shall be able to get
at It,"
Mrs. Wright remembered that
shortly after the killing of Baxter
she had signed some sort of real
estate transfer, which she did not UNI
derstand, but which her husband had
told her was mere matter of form