Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-07-29

had better come and see you myself,
and save time. You have read the
notes and papers which sent you"
Sir James Alwyn, big bronze faced
man. In a rough shooting suit, looked at
the vigilant anxiously; the famous de-
tectlye nodded, and fingered the pieces
on the chess board.
'The circumstances Of the case are
strange, and my own position is bit
peculiar" continued Sir James. sHere
am 1, a ]. P. and all that, bound to try
this man; all the evidence is dead
against him. II he is sent to the as
sizes he'll hang as sure as eggs; and
yet, though Pm not betting man, I'd
lay thousand guineas to penny piece
the fellow is innocent"
you had better run over the details
of the story, Sir James," said the Wig
liant rather testify.
Every good. Middlewell moor is
biggish stretch OF very dreary heath.
land, fifteen miles long by ten across.
and affords fine cover for birds. Ny
own estate Joins the shoot erected BY
MT. Halifax. Three nights ago his
head keeper was found murdered. He
had been hit over the head. from be-
hind with heavy bludgeon, and his
skull smashed in; Marine was the poor
chaps name. and he was one Of the best
men with the birds have ever seen.
Apparently he had been going his night
rounds, met this gypsy poacher fellow,
and been bowled over he was found in
dying condition by the under keeper
at II: 80. Help was summoned from
Halifax house, but the man was dead
before 1t arrived.
Now, 1t can be proved that this
gypsy, Pedres, was In the Inn at La
mas, a small village at the far end OF
the moor, on the afternoon Of the muir
der.
Shortly after 9 the next morning
the alarm having then been given, he
was arrested carrying some birds in q
sack at Holyoak, another small village
on the other side of the moor, fifteen
miles from Lamas. A sort Of track con.
meets the two, and the keeper Marine
was found not twenty yards from this
track, near a spot known as Middle.
we'll hole-a small house once an outly.
inp farm. and now rented nv mn eccen.
trio old gentleman named Cunningham
"Pedres when arrested was in dis
heveled condition-he was found sleep
Ing hidden under the shelter Of a peal
stack. He had big bludgeon witt
him; his cheek was badly cut, and had
been bleeding recently. and there were
bloodstains on his clothes. The birds
+ had been killed within few hours
and, moreover, his footprints, easily
traceable In parts Of the track by rea.
son of the nails in the right sole form.
ing cross, have been found not hun.
dred yards away from the scene Of the
murder; possibly they could have been
traced to the exact point where he lief,
the track for the heather, but the res.
cue party and sightseers had obliter.
ated the marks before they could be
prevented. In addition, he confesses to
hive come along the track TINT night,
You see. the case is as black as black
can be, but can not believe him gull
IT,"
'eThis Mr.. Cunningham, what Of
him?"
Sir James laughed.
..IIe Is quite out Of the question. t5e
10 an eccentric old chap Of over 10. =
bookworm he chose the place for ifs
solitude. Thompson, the under keeper
who lives at Marne's house. half mile
away, looks after him 1t has been mr.
arrangement of some three years