Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-07-13

1894 that all London was in
terested, and the fashionable
world dismayed, by the muir
49, der OF the Hon. Ronald
Adair under most unusual
n inexplicable circumstances. The
public has already learned those
particulars of the crime which came
out in the police investigation, but a
good deal vas suppressed upon that
occasion. since the case for the prose
cution was so overwhelmingly strong
that it was not necessary to bring Tor
ward all h facts. Only now, at the
n of nearly 10 years, am l allowed
to supply those missing links which
make up the whole OF that remarkable
chain. The crime was OF interest in
ing to me compared to the inconceiv-
able sequel. which afforded me tho
greatest shock and surprise of any
event in my adventurous life. Even
now. after this long interval, 1 n
myself thrilling as l think of it, and
OF joy. amaze1nent, and in%credulity
which utterly submerged my mind.
Let me say to that public. which has
shown some interest in those glimpses
which l ave occasionally given them
OF the thoughts and actions Of a very
remarkable man, that they are not to
blame me IL l have not shared my
knowledge with them. for / should have
considered it my first duty to have
done SO, had I not been barred by a
positive prohibition from his own lips,
which vas only withdrawn Upon the
third of last month
The Hon. Ronald Adair was the
second son of the Earl of Maynooth.
at that tim governor OF one of the
Australian colonies. Adair's mother
had returned from Australia to UNDER
go the operation for cataract. and she,
her son Ronald and her daughter Hilda
We're living together at 427 Park lane.
The youth moved in the best society
had, so far as was known, no one
mics. and no particular vices. He had
been engaged to Miss Edith Woodley,
of Carstairs, but the engagement had
been broken of by mutual consent
some months before. and there was no
sign that it had left any. very pro-
found feeling behind it. For the rest
the mans life moved in a narrow and
conventional circle. for his habits were
quiet n his nature Unconditional. Yet
1t was upon this easy going young aris-
tocrat that death came, in most strange
n unexpected form, between the
hours of 10 and 1920 on the night of
March 30. 1894.
Ronald Adair was fond of cards
playing continually, h,1, never for such
stakes as would hurt him. He was a
member of the Baldwin. the Caven-
NAS AAN IAC SdlO ClOOS. Il I
was shown that. after dinner on he
day of his death. he had played a rub
ber of Whist at the latter club. He had
also played there in the afternoon. The
evidence of those who had played with
him-Mr. Murray, Sir John Hardy and
Colonel Moran-showed that the game
was whist. and that there was a fairly
equal fall of the cards. Adair might
have lost five pounds, but not more.
His fortune was a considerable one.
and such a loss could not in any a
affect him. He had played nearly every
day at one club or other, but he was
a cautious player, and usually rose a
winner. 1t came out in evidence that,
in partnership with Colonel Moran,
he had actually Won as much as ago
from Godfrey Miner and Lord Bal
moral. So much for his recent history
as it came out at the inquest
On the evening of the crime, he
returned from the club exactly at 10.
His mother and sister were out spend
servant deposed that She heard him
enter the front room on the second
floor. generally used as his sitting
room. She had lit a fire there, and as
it smoked she had opened the window.
No sound was heard from the room
until 11:2o. the hour of the return of
Lady Maynooth n her daughter. De-
string to say good night, she attempted
to enter her sons room. The door was
locked on the inside, and no answer
could be got to their cries and knock
Ing. Help was obtained and the door
forced. The unfortunate young man
was found lying near the table. His
head had been horribly mutilated by
an expanding revolver bullet, but no
weapon of any sort was to be found
in the room. On the table lay two
bank notes for 10 pounds each and
II pounds. 10 in silver and gold. the
money arranged in little piles of vary
Ing amount. There were some figures
also upon a sheet Of paper, with the
names of some club friends opposite
to them. from which it was conject-
ured that before his death he had been
endeavoring to make out his losses or
winnings at cards.
Why on Inside?
A mute examination Of the cir
cumstances served OILY to make the
case more complex. In The first place
no reason could be given why the
young man should have fastened the
door upon the inside. There was the
possibility that the murderer had done
this, and had afterward escaped bv
the window. The drop was at least 20
feet. however, n a bed of crocuses
in full loo lay beneath. Neither the
flowers nor the earth showed any sign
Of having been disturbed, nor were
there any marks upon the narrow strip
of grass which separated the house
it was. the young man himself who had
fastened the door. But how did he
come by his death? No one could have
Climbed I'm to thu window v,f<ho,,4