Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1913-11-15
A SILVER
MUG
BY BENJAMIN CARTER

tleuAn named 1OOtnaker was FOUND
dead in his bed. He had gone TO bed
the evening before in perfect health.
On the discovery of the body physi-
clan had been summoned and had de-
clined to make an investigation as to
the cause Of death without some one
being present to represent the police.
/ The doctor had on one occasion unin~
tendonally destroyed evidence in a
murder case, and this had made him
careful | was sent out on the case.
l. found the doctor awaiting me in
the library, and he told me all he knew
about the deceased He lived alone
with a niece. a girl of twenty, who, it
was supposed, would inherit the prop
erty. There were also servants in the
house | went with the doctor to the
death chamber without having seen
any one of the household The corpse
lay on the bed, beside which was a
small stand and on the stand an emp
t. bottle, the label of which indicated
that il had contained ale | noticed
that there was no glass or mug from
which the liquor had been drunk
Having concluded our observation OF
the room, we went downstairs. and
the doctor, leaving the matter In my
hands. departed. asked to see Miss
Alice Toothaker. and She sent word
to me to say that she was unueryed
( by her uncle'S death and wouldn't her
maid do as Well. | asked the maid
{ who bol ro,..iaI Tins ~. g., Inn. .,,aetov.
She replied that she had done SO about
10 o'clock the night before Mr Tooth-
aker frequently drank something at
taat hour, and SHE had placed the ale
on the stand beside the table / asked
ner from what he had drunk. and Size
said he always took ale from a silver
mug. What had become of the mug
she did not know
Investigation showed that the only
person interested in Mr.. ToothJker's
death was his niece, who would inherit
fortune from him. He was widow
err, but had recently been paying atten-
/ ton TO woman much younger than
himself. My theory was that Miss
/ ToOthaker was the guilty person
] find. l felt sure that the silver mug
/ from which the deceased had ken the
/ ale was the key to the situation
/ believed that Alice ToOthaker had re
moved it. But none Of the servants
could tell what had become Of it, and
! Miss TOOthHker claimed that she did
not know who had taken 1t away.
: fE.,I
/ looks and the stammering way she an
swered my questions that she had TAX
en- it herself
wove a chain Of Circumstantial evi-
dence against her that felt confident,
If it did not convict her would strongly
point to her guilt Feeling sure that
she knew all about the removal Of
the silver mug, ! relied on her being
forced by the prosecuting attorneys
searching examination to reveal the
mystery Of its disappearance There
was one feature Of the case that puz
lied me. Though I was sure She was
prevaricating about the mug. She did
not bear herself Ike IA person guilty
Of a great crime. True. she appeared
anxious. for she knew she was sus-
pected, but she showed an occasional
confidence In the outcome
When she was arrested she showed
no surprise. She had evidently ncrved
herself to bear what was in store for
her and only begged for a speedy trial
Fortunately for her the case was
brought on few days after her ar