The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1912-05-24
The Hanpden
Murder

MIN lying SO SHdStly anu SrlIH
The best detectives in the city had
examined the house, and failed to find
clue. l could hardly hope to do
better than they had done, but / made
the circuit of the apartment three
times, l examined the doors, then the
windows, and finally, without the
least idea of finding anything, glanced
behind the screen that half concealed
the fireplace; for John Hampden, hav-
ing a fondness for old-time ways,
chung to the broad stone hearths and
wide chimneys of ancient days.
For a moment I was startled at
what I saw, but recovering myself L
stopped down and examined it.
There, firmly stamped in the half
baked ashes, was the imprint of a
foot, a singularly made affair, looking
as though the foot that wore it was
deformed.
I went out of the house and passed
round to the eastern side.
A horse had been tethered in a
cluster of trees not far away, and
there, hidden in the rotten end of a
decaying log, I found the boot itself,
stiff with human gore.
The name of the manufacturer was
stamped on the inside, and taking the
down train the next morning, called
at his office.
I described the article, and asked
him the name of his customer.
"His name is Hughes" replied the
bootmaker, land l am now making
him another pair. He will call for
them in less than an hour"
please detain him until return,
if 1 should not be in when he comes, "
I said.
"By what right do you command
such thing?"
"This."
I opened my coat and showed the
glittering badge that shone brightly
as the sunshine rested on it.
A shadow fell for a moment on the
door-sill and a half-suppressed impre-
cation reached by ears. l looked up,
and standing before me, his eyes
riveted on the glimmering badge of
my office, was a man whom instinct
lively felt to be the one for whom ]
was seeking.
He suspected my object, for as I ad-
vanced toward him he turned and fled
down the street.
"That was the very mani" cried
the dealer.
ct thought So" I replied, and hast
lily leaving the shop, l hurried to the
chief of police. Like a swift flash
the wires of the telegraph had carried
a minute description of the assassin
to all points in the city, and the out
lets of escape were effectually guard
ed.
But like a fox under cover, he KEPT
US at bay, and it was two weeks and
over ere, in the densely populated
city, found him.
One evening a lady and two gen
tlemen stopped at the hotel where
boarded, and engaged rooms. One Of
the gentlemen was very i'll, and muf
fled completely in shawls and comfort
ers.
I often sent up fruit and little deli
cacies to tempt his appetite, and once
went to his door; but he declined to
see me, stating that he was really toe
i'll and dispirited to see any one.
The next thing I heard was his
death, and his wife, young and ele
gant-looking lady, wrote me a note
asking me to send an undertaken tC
them.
I watched the hearse drive up to
the door the next morning to convey
the corpse to the train, for 1t lad
been his request to have his body
buried in his native state. Yielding
to an uncomfortable impulse, I fol
lowed the body, and seated myself
near the coffin after it had been de-
posted in the baggage car.
His wife wept profusely, and would
not leave the corpse, so the officials
made her as comfortable as possible
where she was.
The lady seemed very nervous, and
after while asked me if it would not
be pleasanter for me to sit with the
other passengers. But l preferred to
remain where I was. My eyes could
not and would not leave that dismal
coffin, and looked at it so long and
attentively that it seemed as If every
nail and curve would be branded on
my memory forever
At last I walked up to 1t, and was
about to turn back the reversible lid
that covered the glass over the face
when she sprang at me with wild
cry.
What before had been in my mind
only a vague something shaped Itself
suddenly into a strong suspicion. and
throwing back the lid, 1 pushed hel
OFF and looked in.
There, with his mouth and nose
pressed closely to a small aperture In
the side of the coffin, his eyes staring
blindly into mine, and his livid face
covered with great drops Of sweat
was the man for whom I was seek
ing-the murderer of John Hampden
He was not yet recovered from the
effects of the drug he had taken, and
/ secured him easily.