Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-02
COpXRlGHT 1911
.NE BQRRSlZERpZL G0ZRlI

"iThat is COCKS Duslness?~ 1 aske
the landlord hastily, anticipating ;
question saw forming on his lips.
Il don't know. He kind Of looked tt
me like trayeling.maG-or a lawyer
What was"
The return Of the constable from
telephoning saved my answering thu
question he was about to ask.
There amt no woman missins
from Bridgeport that the police know
anything about" he said sententi
ously.
did We tell them her manner" asked
the coroner.
Yep. They say there's only three
families of Teilars in the telephone
book and only four in tho directory
and they are going to look them ur
and telephone inside of an hour
Maybe her name wasn't Teller
suggested the hotelkeeper. Il recol
lect seeing her kind Of hesitate a,
She went to write in the register"
That's just what | was thinking
cried, glad to divert his attention
once more. Let us go and look at
the register ard then examine her
clothing. Maybe there are some
marks on It."
That's a good idea" said the coro.
ner. Wonder we didn't think Of that
before"
The hotel register showed us little
save the name Mary Jane Teller" In
the trcmulous old.fashioneG hand little
used to handling the pen. There was
perhaps a little more space between
the last two names than after the first
las if she hestated moment while
deciding what name to use or perhaps
with an honest woman's natural aver
sion to assuming any other name than
her own.
Lets look at the clothing" ] sug-
gested, eager for an opportunity to see
whether there were any indications
that would Point to anything other
than suicide.
The four Of us fastened to the room
again. To ny annoyance noted tina
the rope had been removed from tbs
rafters, though the woman's outHN
clothing still lay piled on the char
Thare seemed to be nothing about TIC
inexpensive black suit 10 identity tn5
owner, no mark OF any kind except ths
label Of the concern in New fcGR
from which it had been purchased.
"Where's the black bag she car
Tied?" asked the coroner.
"There was some money In it, Mr
Williams replied. 81 put 1t IN the
safe"
As we left the room to return to tht
hotel Office I gave hasty glance at
the corpse. From the condition Of The
face and throat it was all too plain that
death had been by strangulatlon, STILL
i reasoned, q powerful man might
have stranglod the woman first and
hanged her afterward to conceal mis-
crime I determined to put the theory
up to Davis as soon as he arrived.
Twirling the knob OF tho ancient
safe that stood in the corner, the no
tel-keeper reached In and drew out 4
well-worn handbag Of black leather
and unset the contents on the desk
There were three ore-dollar bills, neat
Nv folded. three dimes snd eight pen
nies-a meager amount that suggested
the boarding Of pennies for this trip
whatever its purpose. There was
half-ticket, the return stub OF ticke,
from Bridgeport and another one from
New York TO Ardway. and that was
all, save two neatly folded black-bor
dered handkerchiefs.
Looks like she came from Bridge
mort. after ALL" the constable Tolun
heered.
"Maybe she did," said the landlord
unfolding Que OF the handkerchief:
and holding II up to our gaze. MAYBE
she did come from Bridgeport, but heI
name wasn't Teiler--not Mary Jane
Teller by q long shot"
In the corner Of each handkerchie
was a neatly embroidered IS"
1t gave me quite shock as | looked
at that mute evidence Of her assumed
name, to her effort to mask he
identity.
Could her name have been Elser?
Was this the way in which she was
connected with the two suicides il
New York? But even so. suppose sh'
was the sister or relative. or even tn
unrecognized wife OF old Andred FL
ser, what possible connection coult
these two humble people have Wit
Katharine Parrish?
The mystery was growing deeper
How I wished that Inspector Davi
would come.