Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-03-31
Bv CLARENCE BoUTELLE.

such a course on his part, for early
winter was not the usual harvest time
for those Boomvillians who took
boarders for a living. But to those
who inquired he explained very fully;
he was worn out with business; his
nervous system had been severely
shocked by the results of the trial; he
must have rest and quiet and place
where he could have fresh air-plain
food-and opportunity to-to-(he al
ways finished by eXpressively touching
| his forehead)-so l presume Ito
think" is the proper conclusion. The
somewhat prevalent idea that detec-
tives do nothing but hunt desperate
criminals, revolver hand, much as
they would hunt wild animals, is either
incorrect or else Mr.. Prier was an eX-
ception to the usual sort OF men in
that profession.
Mr.. Prier did not tell the gentlemen
by whom he was employed in Boston
that ne was going on a pleasure trip,
however. nor did he ask for vaca-
in the office-"Boomville," which
meant his postoffice address, and Bus
iness." which meant business. AS he
continued TO draw his salary regular
ly. and as he didn't hesitate to render
his expense account quite frequently,
there is good reason for thinking that
he told the truth in Boston, but used
fire" against. the unpleasant individual
afore- mentioned, when once in Boom
Vile. The Detective Agency was sat-
isfied: Prier was one of their best
men; he had earned them much more
money than his salary and. expenses
had ever amounted to; the men at its
head sent other men-Prier usually
simply went: if the men in control
took time to think of the probable
character of Prier's work and the pos
sible results which might come from
it, their thoughts went out to GER
tain ten thousand dollars reward which
had been privately offered for the con-
viction of the murderer Of Mrs. Con-
stance Craig; they would recall Prier
of course, if other business elsewhere
required the attention Of more than an
ordinary man; as have already said,
the Detective Agency was satisfied; we
ought TO be.
Dear reader, what would you have
done if you had received such letter
as Prier did? Some men would have
refused to act on such impertinent ad-
vice at all. Would you? Prier didn't
refuse.
Some men would have gone to Miss
Webb. Mr. Aldrich and the nearest
clergyman, and have bluntly put the
questions suggested. Would that have
been your plan? 1t wasn't Priers.
think he did ask the gentleman in his
mirror some very prompt and direct
questions, but he was on remarkably
familiar terms with him. AS for the
rest he took the work In hand with
leisure care Poor Prier! How he
chafed and fretted under the enforced
slowneSs of his work! And yet-Con-
stance Craig had been in her grave for
ten years; it was time for him to have
learned patience.
Prler's first hard work after he had
established himself in the hotel at
Boomville had been the making of his
presence there seem natural: that took
time: he devoted some weeks to It;
he called here, conversed there, attended
church regularly, developed a deep in
tereSt in social affairs, kept the early
hours which his character as worn
out man in search of rest made fitting,
and was. in short, as mild a hammered
man" as had ever agreed to incur his
own blame If he failed TO hang some
body.
The second hard job which the de-
tective undertook was the study "f
his letter. He wished to know moro
than appeared on the surface; he
wished to read between the lines"
he desired to penetrate the writer's
motive. to ascertain what the writer
knew or suspected. and to find out who
had written and sent the letter. He
resolved to make an analysis of the
letter. a careful and critical study Of
| it. So, one morning. he sat down in
his we'll warmed room at the hotel,
drew paper and pen and ink across the
table to him, and wrote as follows:
Analysis of Certain Letter, Received
at Boston, Mass, November 26th,
1870. Saturday.
Il Copy of the letter:
| Deer Sur: l want you to ask a
questions which We're suggested to me
| by the trial at boomville. Pleese ask
some good preecher if he ever knew a
man To help another out Of awful
scrape because he was himself a wick
ed Sinner with Remorse. ask mister
aldrich where he spent the sunday be-
fore the Murder. ask miss web how
| long she was away from Home. ask
the man you see in your mirror wheth-
| er he ever saw a Crate Detective who
was Crate Fool
II. When was the letter written? (NO
date: postmark illegible)
The trial of Gilbert Sem for the
murder of Constance Craig took place
on Thursday. November oath. l reach
ed Boston on Friday. l received the
letter on Saturday morning.
II. The letter was not written ear
lier than Thursday evening.
-. II was not written later than Sat
urday morning.
"3. If it was written Thursday
evening. it was written in Boomville.
II. If it was written Saturday morn
| ing. it was written in Boston.
-. The exact time depends upon the
place.
iii. Where was the letter written?
| CPOStmark illegible.)
u. 1t was written where the result
of the trial was known.
"2. The telegraph carried the news
everywhere. Bat
"3. 1t was written by some one who
know the details of the evidence.
a. There is no daily paper publish
ed in Boomville.
-. The details of the trial were
known. outside of BOOmVille, only
through the information carried by
some one from BOOmville.
''6. The letter was probably written