Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-03
C0pyRGT L2Y

the landlord Sruf1y, put You ii get nc
more help ont Of me unless | know
what it is you are after. The right
kind Of q mystery doesn't hurt the no.
tel business, but there's things thai
do, and il you want any help from me-
young man, I've got to know what's
going on"
81 wish knew myself" said men,
tally, adding aloud: when I an,
ready to speak you will hear many
things that will astound you. Mean
while, tell you that have every Iea-
son to believe that that man who fed
from here is great criminal and that
II you do not aid in his apprehension
you will be doing serious wrong to
the community. I'll tell you this
tsponsible for this woman's death and
for other deaths"
Maybe he is and maybe he aint,H
said the landlord. ~ saw the lady
myself, and nobody can persuade mo
1T was anything but suicide. Why,
cut her down."
IT am not denying that she commit.
ted suicide" l replied with some as
pcrity, "hut am morally certain that
If she killed herself she was driven to
it by the man who has just fed. I
insist on being allowed TO examine his
baggage"
Look here, young man." said Mr..
Williams, 81 have told you once and
for all that the baggage OF no guest in
this house Is going TO be examined
without due process of law. And
want TO say right here that It's evident
that you yourself know lot moro
about this case than you arc telling.
If you arc an officer and can show mo
a warrant l am ready to glvo you all
the aid and assistance can, but until
you do, I'd advise you to keep your
nose out Of things that amt your busl-
ness and to stay out Of places you
amt got right to be In
The suspicion crossed my mind that
it might be he who had discovered mo
in the post Office the night before.
decided quickly that II could not have
been, for he was In tho hotel when l
arrived. felt sure 1t must have been
either Crandall Or the postmaster.
Plainly, though, there was nothing
further to be gained by argument With
the obtuse Mr.. Williams. After all.
there ought not to be much difficulty
in tracing Crandall by the vehicle In
which he had driven away. That could
wait until Davis arrived. Meanwhile ]
Dondered OH what ] could do to throw
light on the case. l had Il. ! would
visit the post office again and SEQ what
| could learn about the holder OF tho
lock box from which Davis believed
the yellow letters camn.
Abruptly leaving the landlord. :
strollcd out into the street, determined
to go boldly 70 the post office anu
make inquiries. AS approached the
building | saw q little group o. VII
layers gathered in front Of Il tho
faces Of some of whom | had noted at
the inquest. They seemed TO DO OK
citedly discussing some happening. 1t
was not without some Irep!Gation that
/ came closer. II my visit to the post
Office had been discovered and there
was anyone in the crowd who could
identity me, an awkward situation
might develop. I put on bold front,
however, and approached closer.
whats the matter?' I asked, try
ing to make my inquiry seem casual.
The postmaster's disappeared"
some one explained.
"Where?"
Don't know" said my informant
ale didn't come to the Office at all to-
day. When the people como for their
mail after the New York train got in
he wasn't here. Hank Rollins always
brings it up on the stage. and as he's
passing, throws it off on the board
walk and the postmaster comes out
and gets It. Nobody over goes for
their mail for a few minutes after
that, to give him chance to get 1t
sorted. The first persons who got hero
today found tho mnil-sack lying 1ust
where tho driver had flung It"
YES, sir" broke in an old man
whom l heard them call Dad" Hutch
inson. Yes, sir, was the first TO no.
tice 1t. l was going to the Office to
see If maybe there was letter for mo
from my daughter Mary, who lives up
Boston way, and / noticed the sack
lying right over there. went into
the office to toll tho postmaster about
it and kind OF have little fun with
him, and bless my soul If there was
hide or hair Of him TO be seen any
where. Looking through the boxes,
could see that the back door was
standing open, and / went around
there and looked, and | couldn't sec
anything OF him, either. 1t didn't seem
right for the mail to DO lying out there
on the sidewalk. twas like taking un-
due liberty with government property,
SO dragged the sack around and flung
it in the door and went looking for the
constable. Then heard about the sui
-o;do ,pd +bo ipOuSSt down 10 rhs hotel.