Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-05-24

XII was interested and the
 fashionable world dis
 dRH0hv mayed by the murder of
 AoWG6l the Hon. Ronald Adair
 under most unusual and bnexplicable circumstances. The public has already learned those particulars of the crime which came out in the police Investigation. but . good deal was sup pressed upon that occasion, since the case for the prosecution was 50 over whelmingly strong that it was not nec- essary to bring forward all the facts. Only now, at the end of nearly ten years, am allowed to supply those missing links which make up the whole of that remarkable chain. The crime was of in- terest in itself. but that interest was as nothing to me compared to the in- conceivable 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 I think of 1t 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 I have occasionally given them of the thoughts and actions of very remark able man. that they are not to blame me if have not shared my knowledge with them. for should have consider cd 1t my first duty to have done 50 had l not been barred by positive prohi- bition from his own lips. which was only withdrawn upont the 3d of last month.
 It can be imagined that my close in- itimacy with Sherlock Holmes had in- terested me deeply in crime and that after his disappearance I never failed to read with care the various problems which came before the public. And even attempted more than once for my own private satisfaction to employ his methods in their solution. though with indifferent success. There was none. however. which appealed to me like this tragedy of Ronald Adair. As I read the evidence at the inquest, which led up to a verdict 0fswilh6f murder against some person or persons un- l Known, l realized more clearly than r ! had ever done the loss which the com munity had sustained by the death of Sherlock Holmes
 There were points about this strange business which would. I 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 I turned over the case in my mind and found no explanation which appeared to me to be adequate. At the risk of telling twice told tale will recapitulnte the facts as they were known to the 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 Adair's mother had returned from Australia to undergo the operation for cataract. and she. her son Ronald and her daughter Hilda were living together at 427 Park lane. The youth moved In the best society-had. 60 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 ofY by mutual consent some months before. and there was no sign that it 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 unconditional. Yet 1t was up- on this easy going young sristocrat 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 3ng continually. hut never for such etakes as would hurt him. He was a member of the Baldwin. the cavendish and the Baeatelle card clubs. If 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 cs those who had played with him-Mr. Murray. Sir John Hardy and Colonel Moran-showed that the game wss whist and that there was a fairly equal fall of the cards. Adair might have lost f5. hut not more. His for tune was a considerable one. and such . loes could not in any way affect him. He had played nearly every day af one club or other. but he wss . cautious player and ususIly rose . winner. It came out in evidence that in partner ship with Colonel Moran he had scfu- ally won as much as f420 in . sitting some weeks before from Godfrey Mil uer and Lord Balmoral % much fcT his recent history ss it came out at the inquest
 O the evening of the crime De re- turned from the club exacfly at 10 His mother and sister were out spend fng the evening with . relative. Tbe servant ceposed fhat she beard him en- fer the froet room on the eecond ooof. osneraIIy used as his sitting room 0Be had Iif q fire. and e If smoksd dhe bad spened fbe riDdcw- y@ Uwd vas h-ea exnn. sx~ vw.A s-esf~{1 <Dn Ska