The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-24

the murderer-the velvet coated man Of
Pangbourne; but altho at least a couple
of thousand pounds worth Of jewels
were missing from the safe, there was
found upon the concrete bottom of the
moat into which he had dropped with
the blood Of Ladd fresh upon his hands.
In vain the police searched the girl
her name was Rachel Peters, she said
and her boxes; equally in vain the old
house was ransacked from top to bot
tom. The thing was black mystery;
beerhouses, but for the county. The
report of it spread even to America,
and to this moment it has remained
unsolved. .y .--..a st
The jewels being undiscoverable, and
Ladd having been murdered to my
h aho' by his nephew, the gi1l, Ra-
charged. She returned to the old
house for her boxes, and Immediately
disappeared from the knowledge Of the
county. Ten months later I saw her
dancing on the stage Of an operahouse
in Florida, and she was wearing five
of the seven emeralds which Ladd had
lost The spectacle seemed SO amaz-
ing to me that I sought her out between
and verve as a Partisan soubrette. Nor
did she disguise anything from me,
telling me everything over cigarette
with a relish and a sparkle which was
| astounding to see.
| "Yes,'' said she-but I give her
story in plain words, fol. her way Of
telling ka it is not to be Trit it e. down.
| I doubt if there was a worse man in
Europe; but was frightened of him,
and / entered old Ladd' IS service at his
wish to help. him to steal the Jewels.
We got at the emeralds first, because
they were in the small safe; but
we ,didn' t; know where the keys
Of the be-, other safe were, and we put
J keep the old boy quiet while we
worked. That night you came to the
house Vernon Ladd was already inside
concealed behind the old man IS bed;
and he watched. you open the great safe
too soon, and caught the boy by the
throat--you know what he got for that
for you saw it and you know how Yer
non mistook the door, and went down in
a hurry. Well, when. you'd gone fol-
the police, ran round to, the back Of
the bag Of Jewels stuck on 2 ledge just
dropped them as he fell, and there they
were lying SO plain that one could have
seen them mile off. I just ran up anc
reached them with my arm, but when
was in the stable again, and thinking Of
hiding them, I heard you driving VI
the road, and I slipped the bag in thu
first thing handy-it was your own fish
ing creel.
"No, you never found them, did you
just because they were hanging up their
plain for every one to see. When tn.
Judge discharged me at the court,
went again to the house to get my box
never thinking to see the stones, bu
you'd gone away without the creel, an
it was the first thing touched lying il
the straw Of the stable. You may b.
sure it didn It lie there long. I'd save
up enough money for q passage to tn
states, and when got here started a
an actress, as I was before, and [ sol
the things one by one. These emerald
} are all that's left--and if you're ;
brick, you I'll buy them'
, This was her story. She was cleve
woman, and having been discharged O!
, the accusation Of robbing the dea
, miser Ladd, could not be sent to he
trial again. Her invitation for me t
buy the emeralds was tempting. 7 ha
already purchased two from the un
happy lady Of Pangbourne, who wa
married to the velvet-coated Verno
Ladd, and is now living in seclusion i
Devonshire. The other five would hav
made the set of great value. Ladd ha
. no heirs; it was altogether nice point
, T debated it.