Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-06-03

y
in spite of the provocation he received.r
Detective Hunter smiled.
No" he said quietly. II wasn't quite
satisfied and made few inquiries on my
own account Let me relate them 70
you"
Once more he paused to recollect all
the complicated circumstances OF the
case Then he proceeded as before:
First | asked to zee the gun. The mo-
ment | saw ii | knew that held in my
hand a piece Of evidence which would
either confirm or refute the theory of
Sergeant Walters. Right round the
lower part of the gun was the imprint
of mans left hand clearly marked in
white paint, while similar patches were
TO be seen along the barrel and upon the
trigger | pointed this out to Sergeant
Walters
"'Oh,' he said. that's OF small impor,
lance and very easily accounted for. The
fence surrounding the wood was newly
painted white. and the work not being
finished until last evening the man who
held the gun ana got over the fence into
the wood probably got himself in nice
mess"
Yes, but don't you see said. You
have here the print of a mans handl'
oh, that would be we'll enough re-
torted the sergeant with a superior smile.
If there was a dearth of other and more
important evidence
But l protested, you can't have
too much evidence. And surprising this
should go to disprove the rest?'
AT that instant policeman dashed
in at the door
Beg pardon, NJ Walters he said
eXclUedly, but I've made another discov-
cry. Just inside the fence where the
paint been rubbed off | found what
was left of the wad the murderer used
It's bit of charred paper, but it isn't
all burnt. and there's some writing on it.
He held it out and we all looked at it
eagerly. AS the man had affirmed, sew
eral words could still be distinguished
There were but few, it is true but it
was clear the charred scrap of paper was
all that was left of a letter-an angry
letter-sent by Frederick Flint to George
Drake The latter surname was stiIl
traceable. and as the sergeant saw it he
glanced at me with a smile.
You're right, Mr. Hunter he said,
angrily, we can't have too much evi
dence'
The remark nettled me, and after TAX
ing careful Impression in wax of the
hand of the gun-bEtt / went off to look
at the scene of the tragedy. Arrived
there | found everything as the sergeant
had represented. After little difficulty
/ discovered the footprints where they
entered the wood, and, tracing them
back to their starting point, found N.Y.
self at George Brakes farmhouse The
household was in a state of confusion.
The young mans mother and sister were
almost PROSTATE with grief and horror
at what had befallen them, and it was
with difficulty | could persuade them
into giving me a coherent explanation of
the tragedy. They were firm in the
belief that George was the victim of cir
and net the murderer of old
Miser Flint, but they admitted the gun
to be the property of George, and also
declared that his light coat was missing
from the hall where it had hung, though
he was wearing another al the time of
his arrest.
Next i went to see Miss Flint. hut
could gain NO greater information in that |
quarter than that her dead father had
made another enemy in the person of
poacher in the nei2hborhood, whom he |
had threatened with the law, and who |
had in turn threatened him with some |
thing worse. Finally / returned to Ser |
geant Walters and demanded a private
interview with the suspected man. |
found him in a dark, narrow cell, with |
his head buried in his hands. He rose |
as ! entered and looked me full and fear. !
lessly in the face. Quite as searchinglv |
eyed him, but he never once finched. |
II George Drake was a murderer. de- |
clded he certainly did not look like one.
Well | said, briskly, i suppose you
do not know me. / am Detective Hunter. |
of New Scotland Yard, and / want you
to answer few questions He bowed |
and l continued: Are you, first of all. |
in the habit of wearing boots with large
nails in the soes p
No. was the reply. i do not do the
hard work on my farm, and my boots
are, therefore, of a lighter make I
Did you wear your light tweed coat |
last evening? | asked
No. he said. 1 left it in the hall /
and feeling out of sorts, went for 4
long walk across country. | did not oct /
back till 10 o'clock, and met no one ON
the way whom | knew. l did not know
the light coat was missing from its
usual place until 1 was arrested this
afternoon
Thanks said. Now, let me look
at your left hand
He held it out to me without hesita
ton. and, taking it, compared it with
the impression | had made. 1t was dis
similar in every way. Presently | looked
up into his face
=" Don't let this worry YOU I said.
There's another side to this business
which Sergeant Walters doesn't see
He shot me quick glance of graft
tude, and left him TO return once more
to the sorrow stricken farmhouse. Ar
rived there. | made a careful and svs.
tematic search of the ground in front of
the house. 1t was a long and trouble
some task. for it was rapidly growing
dark. but 1t last l found what | wanted,
There We're other prints of the nailed