Woodruff County news. [volume] (McCrory, Ark.) 1901-1910, 1909-01-28

ueNeu InaC ne and the aSSallant OF
Williamson we're one, search was
made for a person answering this de-
scription.
Weeks passed and the mysterious
robberies and holdups seemed no near
er solution. Every clue and sus-
picion was followed up. Strangers were
arrested and obliged to prove their in
nocence. Everybody became a detec-
tive
Some weeks after the last robbery.
stranger came to the express office
with a trunk which he wished trans
ported to New York. Something in the
manner of the man, an unnatural,
half-disguised appearance, excited the
suspicion of the alert, sharp-eyed ex-
press agent, and while he proceeded
to make out the receipt he secretly
sent message to the constable Upon
his arrival that official instantly began
to question the stranger, demanding
to know the contents of the trunk.
His INQUIRIES were frankly answered
with proper explanation, and the key
produced that the captain might verify
the same by examination The limo
cent frankness of the stranger dis
armed the constable, and, half apollo
giving for not accepting his statements
as sufficient, the captain stopped to-un-
Lock the trunk, when suddenly the
stranger leaped by him and out
through the door, barring it after him
by thrusting a stout cane through
the iron handle Throwing himself
against the door the captain soon
broke the improvised bolt and rushed
off in pursuit, following the fugitive
down through Dock square, Marshall
and Hanover streets. into a narrow
court leading from the last street.
where the man had disappeared. But
/ though there was no outlet other than
that by which he had entered. a thor
ough search of this place a few mo-
mentS after failed to discover the flu
gltiVe, or the way of his escape After
the houses opening ON the court were
searched without discovering any
trace of the probable thief the pro-
prietors of the stores fronting Han
Owe. street on each side and having
rear entrances, were sent for Among
these was Mr. Williamson, but as it
was ascertained at his residence that
he was absent from the city, entrance
was gained to his store by a side Win
Cow. Here, however, as in the other
stores, no person or sign of one was
found. The burglar, for such an eX-
animation of the trunk at the express
office proved him to be, was never cap
tured, nor was trace of him discov-
cred, although diligent search of that
neighborhood was maGe by the whole
police force.
Not long after, the city was again
startled, this time by the announce
ment in the morning papers of the
mysterious disappearance and prob
able murder of Mr.. Williamson. He
was known to carry large sums of
money upon his person, and as there
was no good explanation of his alb
sence 1t was thought most probable
that he had been robbed and muir
dered
information was sought by adver-
tisement in the newspapers with
promise of liberal reward. but all in
vestigation proved unavailing
After some weeks of vain inquiry
and search, the general suspicion that
he had been murdered and his body
thrown over the Charlestown bridge
became a settled conviction: but his
faithful, trusting wife refused to be-
lieve him dead and her father finally
proceeded to New York to see what
information, ii any, could be gained
from those with whom his son-in-law
had dealings in that city
What he ascertained there | 90
not know, but Immediately on his re-
turn he came to my employer for a
workman to go to the store and open
in his presence the safe containing
the stock stored therein. After some
drilling the bolt was sprung and the
door swung open, disclosing a sight
at which | started back affrighted and
amazed, and which SO Mortified the
troubled and anxious father that he
fell like a dead man on the floor.
There within the safe lay the dead
body of Mr.. Williamson, the trusted
and respected jewelry merchant!
An examination of the safe dis
closed a hardly discernible aperture
drilled through the back near the top,
from which, on the inside, hung a flex-
ibe tube by which respiration was
made possible for person enclosed,
and through which noise from without
could reach the inmate.
ION the inside OF the door hole
had been cut so that the key could be
inserted and the bolt thrown The
handle of this key had broken off.
leaving the key in the lock. There
were indications that food and water
had been stored in the safe, but none
remained; even the shoes bore marks
of the teeth, as if gnawed for sus.
tenance A black wig and blue glass
spectacles lay on the floor of the safe.
Seeing all this. we soon conjectured
for what purpose this safe was made
and used-a temporary place of quick
10 Al