The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-05-16
Who Rang the Bell?
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only completed when | went to the
hotel as clerk. The old was decaying
frame, the new of brick. We did not
use the old part except when crowded.
Indeed, 1t was a diapdated structure,
and all Its best furniture had been re-
moved.
One night when there was something
going on I'm the town to give us
crowd-a county fair, I believe-a man
and a woman came to the house regis
tering as Harvey Benham and wife.
/ told him that we were full. but when
the man begged me to make room for
him told him that there were few
rooms vacant in the old part of the
house, but they were poorly furnished
and not very attractive. He seemed
quite willing TO take one of them, and
/ wrote No. 81 on the register next his
name and sent the couple up In care Of
bell boy. Later In the evening n
chambermaId brought a small packet
to me to be placed In the safe. saying
that Mrs. Benham had sent 1t. tossed
It in the safe.
The next morning the couple had dis
appeared. How they got out without
| being seen could not understand.
but they did. Their departure was not
noticed till 10 O'Clock. when a cham.
bermaid knocked to be permitted to fix
up the room and. receiving no answer,
let herself in with pass key. The
bed had not been occupied, but all the
water in the room had been used. The
towels had disappeared.
There was no great loss to the hotel.
and we were not especially irrltated
over the beat" though | confess |
was somewhat puzzled TO account for
1t all Strangely enough forgot all
about the package the woman had sent
| for snfekeeping till one day found 1t
in the safe. Opening 1t, saw that 1t
contained some $1,000. Then | began
TO wonder.
Several weeks passed. during which
no one claimed the money. Not caring
| to keep 1t In the safe. deposited II In
| the bank. Then one evening about
| six weeks after 1t had been left with
me man came into the house and
register. He paused at the names of
| Mr.. and Mrs. Benham and asked me
where they were from. as no residence
had been given. | told him about the
case and asked him II he knew them
He said thar he did not His reason
for asking about them was because
he didn't know that we permitted such
entries | explained that II was an
oversight. The man asked me some
questions about any attempts | might
have made to find the owner of the
| stored property. then lelsurely turned
| and left the house.
| Two or three days later who should
come into the hotel but Mr. Benham
He looked as If he had been keehaul.
ed, explaining his appearance by say.
ing that he had had n lit of sickness
He was certainly very nervous and
seemed afraid of his shadow He pre-.
sented an order for the money that
had been left with me by his wife
asked him why they bad left as they
had and he said that his wife was
| subject TO certain attacks. during
which she must have the attention OF
her own doctor. She had felt one OF
these attacks coming on after mid.
night and had begged him to hurry
her away.
| While the man was making his ex.
| planation there was ring. ! turned
to the annunclator and saw that there
| was a call from room in the old part
Of the house, No. 90 There had not
been n guest In that part since the
Benhams were there. and | would not
think of putting any one IN ~. for
II was off by itself. and there was ne
furniture I'm 1t. That's strange"
remarked and throwing back the shut
ter, turned to Mr.. Benham. He was
! holding on to the counter, white ns
ashes. a look OF terror I'm his face and
his eyes starting out of their sockets
IL must get air." he gasped and, turn
ing. staggered out to the street
was about to follow him when
there was another ring. and. turning.
saw the same number, 90 exposed.
was so astonlshed that a sort of pnral
ysis or indecision came over me for a
few minutes; then. jumping over the
counter. ran after the man. He was
not to be distinguished from others
who were passing.
Re-entering the hotel told front
to go TO 90 and see what the ring
meant He came back. reporting that
the room was empty. Resolved to find
out how the bell could have been rung
| went to the room myself Opening a
j closet. a dreadful stencil warned me
that something was wrong closed the
door and sent for the police. and they
! found the body of Mrs. Benham. She
had been murdered. The body had
been shut up in this vacant room.
They never solved the mystery. The
man BeDham was never seen again
and the 81 600 is still lying In bank
without an owner. Bcnham had doubt
| less sent the man who had conversed
with me about them to find out if the
1 n