Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-05-25

I'M III was Interested ana u1e
- fashiOna bic world dis
HGMlM,MNv mayed by the murder Of
xSONeA the Hon. Ronald Adalr
under most unusual and
ineXplicable circumstances. The public
has already learned those particulars Of
the crime which came out in the police
investigation. but good deal was SLID.
pressed upon that occasion. since the
case for the prosecution was 40 over
whcmingly strong that it was not nee.
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 I'm 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 IA I think of it and feel
ing once more that sudden flood of 10y,
nmazement 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 very remark
able man, that they are not to blame
me if have not shared my knowledge
with them. for l should have consider
ed IL my first duty to have done so had
] not been barred by a positive proh-
bition from his own lips, which was
only withdrawn upon the Sd Of last
month
1t can he imagined that my close in
timacy with Sherlock Holmes had in
terested me deeply in crime and that
after his disappearance l 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 Adar Az
read the evidence at the inquest. which
led M to n verdict Of willful murder
against some person or persons I'M
known. ! realized more clearly than I
had evew done the loss which the COM
munity bad sustained by the death Of
Sherlock Holmes
There were points about this strange
business which would, was sure, have
specially appealed to him. and the Of
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 l 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
I will recapitulate 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.
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 off 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 n narrow and convention
nj circle, for his habits were quiet and
his nature Unconditional. Yet 1t was mp
on this easy going young aristocrat that
death came In most strange and uneX-
pected form between the hours of ~
and 1920 on the night of March 80
1894.
Ronald Adair was fond Of cards. play.
ing continually. but never for such
stakes as would hurt him. He was n
member OF the Baldwin. the Cavendish
and the Bagatelle card clubs. 1t was
shown that after dinner on the day of
his death he had played rubber OF
whist at the latter club. He had also
played there in the afternoon. The
evidence Of those who had played with
him-Mr. Murray, Sir John Hardy and
NVioitl hoTuu-SuOWPu tIlht tll' Silit
was whist and that there was n fairly
equal fall OF the cards. Adair might
have lost C.. but not more. His for
tune was a considerable one. and such
loss could not in any way affect him.
He had played nearly every day Mt one
club or other but he was a cautious
player and usually rose winner II
came ont IN evidence that in partner
ship with Colonel Moran he had actu-
ally won ms much IA f42O In sitting
some weeks before from Godfrey Mil
ner and Lord Balmora, So much for
his recent history as 1t came out ut the
inquest.
On the evening OF the crime ne re-
turned from the club exactly at 10.
His mother and sister We're out spend
Ing the evening with a relative. The
servant deposed that she heard him en-
ter the front room ON the second moor.
generally used as his sitting room.
She had lit fire. and as 1t smoked she
had opened the window. No sound was
heard from the room until ll;2O, the
hour of the return Of Lady Maynooth
and her daughter. Desiring to say
good night. she attempted to enter her
sons room. The door was locked on
the inside. and no answer could be got
to their cries and knocking. Help was
orA tho ANo, @o,,ol r,l. . 49,.