The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-07-14
The
Lodging-House
Mystery

Mrs. Foster glanced out of her kitch-
en- window as she went to the sink for
water Up were thrown her hands,
down crashed the tea kettle on the
floor. with a screech of terror she
rushed from the room, and, gathering
her skirts above her knees, few up ths
stairs-three flights of them-with the
agility of an acrobat and banged with
her fists on the door Of the second
floor back
"Murderl" she screamed. Murder
in the next house-look-look out the
winder-"
thump of bare feet on the floor
within sounded and was followed by
startled voice:
Il see her-I see her." And the next
moment the door opened hastily and a
young man, clad only in undershirt and
trousers, shot out and down the stairs.
'Here-gracious! You amt going out
without your clothes?" she gasped
after him
But the young man never heard her.
His mind was absorbed by the terrible
spectacle he had seen. He dashed down
the front steps, along the sidewalk, and
into the police station just around the
corner.
Murder" he gasped. "Thirty-eight
Boise street-in the yard-hurry-he
doing it now
There were but two officers in the
room and they looked at each other.
The man at the desk nodded quickly to
the other, who, cOatlesS and hatless,
cried. Come on" to the young man,
and together they raced up the street
1t was raining torrents and therefore,
though ii was IL o'clock in the fore
noon, few people were abroad to Won
der at the singular sight of a police
man in his shirt sleeves and a man in
shirt and trousers running neck and
neck at the top of their speed. the Of
tice- clutching a revolver, the mans
suspenders flying, his bare feet bleed
ing from their rough scuffIing over the
bricks. But some saw, and as to see
was to follow, when the runners arrived
at the house six or seven men and boys
were close on their heels, despite the
soaking dOWnpOuT.
This the place." the officer painted.
Yes, in the back entry"
The gate is lOCked-Ill ring
The officer ran up the front steps and
sent peal after peal tumbling through
the house. But there came no answer,
50 he climbed over the high gate. I'M
locked j.. Letting the young man in, and
with him sped toward the back door.
NIlltH StUpU " iQt open
she was right here when I saw
her" said the young man as they
reached the step landing. "She was
covered With blood and screaming. She
staggered, seeming TO try to get out
into the yard, but a mans hand pulled
her back-I could see his coat sleeve
there" He pointed to a gruesOme
daub on the door 1t was the print in
blood of a human hand.
L
into the entry. There was a pool of
blood on the floor, and the wallis were
spattered. but nobody was in sight He
entered the kitchen. \ pot of potatoes
was boiling on the range. the fire was
blazing meTrily in the red hot stove.
Preparations for dinner had evidently
been interrupted suddenly in their very
midst. Vegetables strewed the floor
chairs and table were overturned
dishes lay broken and scattered about
A rack of freshly irOned towels were
the kitchen through the hall, where, at
the foot of the stairs leading to the up
per floor the carpet was saturated.
There's nobody down here" said the
policeman rapidly, that's certain. She
must be up there"
How is it there's no blood on the
stairs?" wondered the other. The
stains stop right here"
4 dunnO-cOme on" cried the officer,
and he ran up. two steps at leap.
Across the threshold Of the front
room lay the body of a woman.
She was breathing family and they
carried her to the bed.
They'll send help and a doctor from
the station right away" said the police
man. Wen leave her here and hunt
for the man."
The house seemed to be deserted. It
was a lodging house. the young man
explained, occupied by men alone, and
they were all away a work. What puz-
Zled him was that the woman victim
was not the one who ran the house,