Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-04-03
The Argus Daily Short Story
A Singular Case-By Orville Grant.
Copyrighted. 1911. by Associated Literary Press.

reply, he opened the door, went into
the room and found that the bed had
not been slept in. Bloodstains were
found on the towels.
Subsequently the porter told how he
had been paid a large fee by the oc-
cupant of No. % to carry down his
trunk. and the landlord remembered
that No. % had no luggage. Then
came the milkman and told of having
seen a man in a buff suit carrying a
trunk out of the inn early in the morn
ing. Lastly the landlord remembered
that he had a hundred sovereigns of
Mr.. Perkins money in his strongbox.
The case excited a great deal of at
tention in the country roundabout.
Peculiar circumstances connected with
1t contributed to fire the public curl
osity. Did Mr.. Brough go to the no
tel purposely to murder Mr.. Perkins?
Who was Perkins, and who was
Brough? Did Brough get a sufficient
amount to pay him for killing a man
and forever after being hunted by the
police and haunted by his conscience?
The favortte theory was that Brough
knew that Perkins had a hundred SOW
lowed him to the inn, taken room
communicating with Perkins room,
entered the latter during the night,
murdered Perkins, packed the body
I'm Perkins trunk and carried il away
the next morning. But Brough was
probably unaware that Perkins had
deposited the money with the land
lord and probably after all missed
what he was after.
Since no one knew where Mr..
Brough had gone-and there were no
trained detectives in those days-thera
was nothing to do but wait for in
formation to come of itself. 1t was
learned in a few days that a gentle
man carrying his own trunk outside
the city had stopped the coach going
northward and been taken on. The
man wore n buff suit and had a red
beard. He was believed to be Brough.
but after tracing him through several
towns the trail was lost.
If there was anything wanting in
the matter of circumstantial proof that
Perkins had been murdered it was
supplied by the fact that his hundred
sovereigns remained with the land
lOlus 1C dC4lhCA NDlACt AOA IL MI NAA
any one present an order for it. And
yet there were persons who believed
that If he had been murdered his fam
lily would make the fact known that
he was missing. No person in the
country roundabout nor indeed in
Ireland was reported missing, but
communication in those days was
very slow, and news Travelled neither
fast nor far. Since no further knowl
edge was gained as to the identity Of
either Brough or Perkins, after awhile
interest in the case died down, and it
was at last forgotten.
About the time this curious case |
was the talk in and around London |
derry, Ireland, a mysterious robbery |
occurred in London, England. Edith, |
daughter Of Edward Trelawney, was |
about to be married. and her father |
had drawn from his bankers 5000 for |
her dowry that he might have it ready |
for the settlements which were to be |
made the next day. Not having a safe |
in the house, he placed it under his 1
pillow. In the morning it was gone.
He expected 70 find that some one |
of his servants had disappeared during !
the night, but on going downstairs he |
found the butte setting the table for !