Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1907-05-24
Sherlock Holmes "Skun To Death

WdIuS ltdIntu tHdJ tue pldllotlH ulu
not extend across the southwest end
as across the northeast end of the
depot, as had supposed: when sud-
denly | stumbled into a pile tf old
iron, by which l made considerable
noise; very quickly / retraced my
steps toward the east corner of the
platform, when thinking / heard a
heavy, but stealthy step inside, |
stopped short behind tn e darker
corner Of the building, which had
no sooner done than | heard slight
rubbing sound, as of some bulky
body trying 10 creep through a
narrow aptrture, and IN another in
slant :here stepped TO the edge Of
the platform, a man OF ungalnly,
awkward and heavy set appearances, ,
appearing to be dressed rather neatly
aud wearing slouch hat which bid
his features. I could not be sure,
but bis rnanner ard general bearing
impressed me with the idea that the
man WAS a negro.
Leap;ng hastily from the platform,
not even taking look back, Ap-
Larently, he took 10 his heels, lad
disappeared in an instant, but | could
hear his heavy footballs recedlng in a
north easterly direction. Creeping
noiselessly around the corner behind
which had been hiding and watching
found a sliding door at that, (norlh.
east, end of the depot wareroom
which was standing al a foot or
more, through whicn passed, and
pulled the door too alter me, but /
probably need hardly to have taken
any such precaution, for everything
was very quiet, it seeming that every
body was IN attendance at an en-
tertalnment of some sort in the town.
| made my way TO the entrance to
the wareroom on the north west
side, facing the tracks, where | sup
posed the freight l saw unloaded
that eyeLing would be taken into
the woreroom. This doorway | found
.ari' open, one end Of the bal
,hat seemed to have held the door:
to, resting on The floor and one door
standing inward far enough TO per-
NIT any person 10 readily pas:
through. Having once been en-
ployed in the Scotland Yard (British
dete ctlve) service, I was naturally
| curious. and | found on closer ex-
animation, and very much TO my sur
prise. the heavy wooden bar which
was intended 10 bold the doors 10
simply land in sockets without any
thing to prevent 1t being raised from
the outside by SIMPLY inserting th'
hand, or some smaller object betweeI
the doors. There was probably II
neglect on the part OF any person II
having closed The premises, tor there
was no apparent means at ban'
whereby the doorway could be bette
closed than by simply placing tn
wooden bar IN position. | also tonn
another doorway in the wester
corner Of the wareroom, and ap
parentIy l:tlle used, which was simpl
closed in The same way?
The man l saw leave so hastll
from the sliding door a. the end
the warehouse, through which ais
entered, had evidently enter
through this middle double doeI
; which | found open, but teare
probably on account Of the dang'
of discovery by the Shenando'
: Farmers Co, which Is locate d Ju
almost opposite the depot and aero
Tie tracks, to make his escape In
! way. Carefully closing the doub
doors on the northwest side, WIN
: found open, turned 10 make
= hurried exploration Of the depot i
| terror, being curious TO find out q
1 Object of the other fellows Wis
!, Casting my pocket fash-light arou
r cautiously, I discovered 4 large
n can noarly in the center OF the war
y room floor, and finding by It's weig
e that it was not empty, ] removed I
e lid aud perceived to my surprise
It dark looking liquid, which gave
g the unmlstakeable odor of whisk
: il being ne,rly full of what [ have
II doubt uas wbiskey. Car fully
t pl eng tie ld, noticed "a burr
10 poke lying nearby, into which, j tc
le IT,, the fellow was about TO place
K can OF wliskey Tor removal, when
N became alarmed by the noise Great
{ by my stumbling into the pile OF II
'e on the b ck platform, outside.
, then found things looking ratl
st top.y. turvy in The south corner
p Il war, room and decided The
~ OF whisky had probably been hide
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a large amount of nourish-