The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-04-29

and for property reasons his wife, who
lives In my house and passes for mine,
must appear to be living with her hus-
band. Mrs. Clark, who lives with her.
child on the top floor, is the widow of
my dearest friend, and the care OF her,
her child and her property is trust
which he reposed in me while on his
death bed. These poor women and
their affairs take up much of my time;
but you mustn't mind, darling"
Mrs. Seaton was SO deeply in love
that she was far past minding any
thing respectable that concerned her
new husband. So on their arrival all
was serene. Having learned about
Mrs, Seaton's'' property and the will
and about her suspicious and exacting
nature, wives, No. ] and No. , even
urged CIossman to humor herln every
way. And thus the new honeymoon
was not too rudely concluded.
But on the very day of their home.
coming Mrs. Seaton" objected
strongly to that strange odor from the
cellar, much more noticeable on the
first floor, where she was installed,
than on the others occupied by wives
No. and No. 2. CrosSman was Scri-
ousfy embarrassed. He could not
thinkgs.1ow to safely dispose of the
trunE dGd its dreadful secret.
In tlss presence of that odor his fas-
clnations lost their effect on wife No.
8. They had quarrel about it, and
wife No. 3 was in a fair way to join
the dead wife in the cellar when she
suddenly packed handbag and left,
saying she would return to her parents
and remain there until the cellar was
put In a respectable condition.
SUSPICIOUS OF THE ILL SMELL.
This episode called anew the attcn-
tion Of wives No. l and No. to the
Ill smelling trunk in the cellar. They
made Crossman take them down to
look at it. 1t was an old tin trunk
and stood in little dark closet.
Crossman tried to say that old cement
usually smelled that way but the wo-
men had flown to the upper regions.
And then the wife murderer would
go down into the cellar and tug at the
straps OF the trunk in which the body
or one OF his victims lay cncascd in ce-
ment, trying to shut in the odor that
was making his living wives suspi-
cious.
While Crossman was continually
planning to take away the trunk and
bury 1t in his mothers garden, in an
other part Of the suburbs, wife No. 3
finding that absence made the heart
grow fonder, returned. Crossman
promised to have the trunk taken
u n VT Il ,;tl
but several days elapsed With l1uttiti-
ing done. Crossman seemed much
preoccupicd, and when wife No. :;
hintcd her suspicious he looked at her
so strangely that cold shivers ran
down her back. Was he thinking
that it would be better to let her Join
the dead wife in the cellar?
AT last, on Saturday, CroSsman call
ed at the shop of Messrs. Ryden &
Sons, news agents, in Willcsden lane,
in whose window was notice to the
effect that light work was done with
pony and van. He wanted Il box
moved, he said.
Young Ryden, who is still under
twenty years of age and who does the
van work, was out and CroSsman re-
fused to leave his name and address,
saying he would call again.
He called again that same evening,
but Ryden was again not in. On Tues
day he sent Il telegram ordering the
van, but subsequently cancelled it.
Late the same evening he called at
the shop, again ordering the cart for
the next day and saying he would
come for it,
On Wednesday evening he went to
the shop for the last time and asked
Ryden to get the van ready III was
then about $50, and he said that The
job would probably take until about
8 o'clock.
Ryden suggested that he should take
carman named Wicks to help. but
Crossman insisted that he must 90
alone. Ryden was suspicious at this
and told Wicks to follow on foot. He
and CrOSSman then drove to Sunny
side, drive OF about eight or ten
minutes.
DISCOVERED, HE KILLS HIMSELF.
Before fetching the cart. however
Crossman had moved tile fatcrul box
from the cellar into garden. Ills ac-
tions were watched by Il suspicious
neighbol, who, while Crossman was
away after the van, reported the mat
ter at the nearby police station.
The police sergeant and an Uiiceri i'm
plain clothes met the murderer when
he arrived with the van CIR ssman
was completely taken by surprise. and
1T was not until the sergeant had
actually touched him That lie took 10
his heels and ran Wildly down tile
road. Luckily, the plain-clotheS man
was young and an excellent runner.
lie stuck close to Crossman's heels
down the length Of Ladysmith road
and INTO the main road leading to
kensal Rise station. Both pursued
and pursucr were winded by this time.
and the constable called out for assis-
tance in the chase.
Finding himself corner, d in Hanover
road, CroSSman suddenly stopped and
cut his throat with Il razor. So
thoroughly did he do his work that
the windpipc and blood vessels were
served to the backbone, and he died
at once.
Crossman being dead, then came
the mystery of the trunk. -Four police
men managed with great trouble to
lift the box into the van, Willie from
it oozed Il thick and evil-SmeeliDg
liquid. 1t was taken TO the yard Of
the police station in Salisbury road
and there it was broken open aud the
horrible discovery made.