The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1911-11-05
A STORY WRITTEN BY THE LATE RAY WHITE
Manuscript Found in Mr. Whites Desk After His Death
A Tale of Mystery for Which Singular So
luton is Offered

tant developed no abnormal or unh cal
thy condition OF any Of the organs
which might have resulted in deatl.;
and that the case should be examined
most thoroughly by an expert pathol-
Ogist to determine, If possible, the
cause of death, etc
"CuriOus--wasn't it. Now it so hap
pens that was that gentleman so
kindly represented as an expert path
olosist' by my friend, the coroner, and
the case forthwith fnll to me-
THE coroner, aS you may know, is
a very busy man and while in ordinary
cases OF sudden death from apoplcxy,
etc, he can get at the cause as we'll AS
anybody. he hasn't the time to give 20
the more obscure cases. He hastily
dcnce is plainly discernable, he reach
cS quick conclusion.
'But sometimes the mere accident
of examination by artificial light, in.
stead Of daylight, makes a difference
in the conclusions reached.
soo "HeIl l was Cdlleu Ill, IdIIlcI
expected to find it a case of too hur-
ried examination, and that a very care
full overhauling of the body would
disclose the real cause
II was somewhat surprised when
found the whole of the body not only
normal in every particular, but finely
healthy to boot. However, just at the
hn ff ha I inv
clot OF blood SO tiny, indeed, that eX.
ccpt for the very best of light, | should
not have noticed it myself. But as it
was. of itself. too minute to have
caused any serious disability, it was
necessary to make a fuller and more
extended examination.
II will spare you the details, but a
large clot was found, beginning at the
large blood clot was found, beginning
at the base OF the brain, and it had
been caused by some sharp instru
ment, such as very fine dagger or a
very large hat pin, which had been
thrust into the brain through the nos
tril
"The girl had been murdered!
"Cut off in her youth and strength
But by whom and for what reason!
"The last person known to have
touched her or to have been near en-
ough to her to commit such deed
was her 'rescuer.' But was he her
rescuer? Instead Of clutching at her
clothing to keep her from falling, was
he in reality throwing her overheard
or assisting her to fall?
did he jump overboard-not for the
purpose of saving her life or attempt.
| Ing to assist her but that he might
surely cause her death? Did he, down
there under the water--he, an expert
swimmer and diver-there, where she
helpless and voiceless, unable to pro-
tect herself and call for help, did he
treacherously stab her in this unusual
manner, leave his instrument on the
bottom of the. river, bring her, to the
surface insensible, swim with her tc
the head of the slip and turn her over
to the authorities-then quietly dis
appear-knowing that not one expert
in many would discover the minute in
cision which caused death?
Did he do this?
"It would seem so.
But why and how?
Down there under the water, fol
instance, just at the end of the slip
where the water would be clouded by
the mud stirred up by the ferry
screw-how was it possible to find the
maid and commit this heinous crime
without leaving any external evidence
of his work? How would he know the
possibilities of such a wound escap
ing detection? How would he know
Of it's fatal termination surely and be
yond all doubt? So certainly that he
| would risk having her submitted to the
ministrations of one of the profession
in the absolute certainty that deatf
would ensue before the cause could be
determined. and even determine ed
that nothing whatever could be done
to save this life?
| How came he to know these things