The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-06-21

H'sstJ)
(coyrrlf, 1893, D. ai,ciars, PiHHsr e CO.
FS'F- 1T was in the spring Of the
tl year 1894 that an London
Hc#n was interested and the
- fashionable world dis
Ff3{m9i mayed by the nurcer OF
oVs- the Lion Ronald Adair
under most unusual and
inovulicablc circumstances. THO public
las already learned those paficaial ol
the crime which came out ia The police
Investigation, but good deal was scp-
pressed upon that occasion. since the
case for the prosecution was SO over
whelmingy strong that It was not nee
essary TO bring forward all the facts
Onlynow, at the end OF nearly ten years,
am I allowed 20 supply those missing
links which make up the whole Cf that
remarkable chain. The crime was of in
terest ia itself. but that interest was
as nothing to me compared TO the in-
tconceivable sequel, which afforded me
the greatest shock and surprise Of any
event in my adventurous life Even
now. after this long interval. find my
self thrilling as / think OF II and feel
Ing once more that sudden flood Of joy
amazement and incredulity which ut
terly submerged my mind. Let me
say TO that public. which has shown
some interest in those glimpses which
] have occasionally given them OF the
thoughts and actions of a very remark
able man. that they are not to blame
me II have not shared my knowledge
with them, for ! should have consider
ed it my FIRST duty TO have done so had
] MOI been barred by a positive prohi-
bition from his own lips, which was
only withdrawn upon the Sd Of last
month
1t can be imagined that my close in
timacy with Sherlock Holmes had in
terested me deeply in crime and that
after his Disappearance ] never failed
to read with care the various problems
which came before the public. And 1
even attempted more than once for my
own private satisfaction to employ bis
methods in their solution. though with
Indifferent success. There was none,
however, which appealed TO me like
this tragedy of Ronald Adair As
read the evidence at the inquest which
led up 20 a verdict Of willful murder
against some person or persons un-
known, realized more clearly than
had ever done the loss which the com
munity had sustained by the death OF
eherlock Holmes.
There were points about this strange
business which would, l was sure. have
specially appealed to him, and the ef-
forts OF the police would have been
supplemented or more probably antici-
pated by the trained observation and
the alert mind Of the first criminal
agent In Europe All day as ] drove
upon my round ! turned over the case
IN my mind and found no explanation
which appeared to me TO be adequate.
At the risk of telling a twice told tale
I viii recapitulate the facts as they
were known to tbe public at the con
clusion Of the inquest.
The Hon. Ronald Adair was the sec
ond son Of the Earl OF Maynooth, at
that time governor Of one Of the Aus
tralian colonies Adairs mother had
returned from Australia TO undergo the
operation for cataract, and she, her son
Ronald and her daughter Hildn were
living together at 427 Park lane, The
youth moved in the best society-had,
so far as was known, no enemies and
no particular vices. He had been en-
gagged to Miss Edith Woodley OF Car
stairs, but the engagement had been
broken OF by mutual consent some
months before, and there was no sign
that 1t had left any very profound feel
ing behind it, For the rest the mans
life moved in a narrow and convention
al circle, for his habits were quiet and
his nature International. Yet it was mp
on this easy going young aristocrat that
death came in most strange and unex-
pected form between the hours Of 10
and 1920 on the night Of March 30,
1894.
Ronald Adair was fond Of cards, play
ting continually, but never for such
stakes as would hurt him. He was a
member Of the Baldwin. the Cavendish
and the Bagatelle card clubs II was
shown that after dinner on the day Of
his death he had played a rubber Of
whist at the latter club He had also
played there in the afternoon. The
evidence Of those who had played with
him-Alr Murray. Sir John Hardy and
Colonel Moran-shOwed that the game
was whist and that there was fairly
equal fan OF the cards, Adair might
have lost f5. but not more His for
tune was a considerable one and such
a loss could not in any way affect him
He had played nearly every day at one
club or other. but he was a cautious
player and usually rose n winner II
came out ia evidence that In partner
ship with Colonel Moran he had actu-
ally won as much as f420 ia a sitting
some weeks before from Godfrey Mil
ner and Lord Balmorat So much Tor
his recent history as Il came out at the
Inquest.
On the evening OF the crime be re-