The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1914-07-01
THE MAN WITH
THE WOODENLE
BY NJ. QUAD
Copyright. 1913. by Associated Lit
erary Press.
BY M. QUAD

q
stranger registered as John Gordon OF
Chicago, and. when he gave out that
he might remain in Blissf1eld for sew
eral weeks. everybody wondered what
business could have brought him there.
After three or four days it leaked out
that the man was Il government agent,
who had come to watch the men who
had been stealing timber off certain
lands. That gave him increased re-
spect, and yet even !, a schoolboy, no
ticing the mans steel gray eyes, firm
set jaw and thin lips, could have told
that he WAS cruel. if not bad hearted
He had lost his left leg at the knee.
and the substitute was not a cork leg,
but c1Otch and a stick-the plainest
and cheapest sort of an affair. His
dress was also very plain. his speech
that of the common order
The man with the wooden leg" as
he came to be generally spoken of. had
been in town about a week when one
Of the leading merchants was robbed
Of about a thousand dollars in cash.
The local constable did great deal Of
talking. but struck no clew. and in his
desperation he asked Gordon to assist
him. believing no doubt that a govern
ment officer of any sort ought to be
more or less posted in detective work.
Gordon seemed tO think the matter
over for awhile ana then replied:
THE case Is as plain as the nose on
your face. The merchants son took
the money. and after this thing quiets
down he will go off TO St Louis to
have a good time. I'd stake my life
he's got every dollar Of the missing
cash securely hidden away some
where"
Ten or twelve days passed, and then
came terrible tragedy.
The richest man in Blissfield was
Squire Higgins. He owned the wooden
mills, store and several houses and
had money to lend. He was a widow
er. but lived with his son and wife.
His room was on the ground floor,
while all others slept upstairs He
had no safe. but kept his money In a
tin box on shelf in closet. He had
a bank account over at Medina. ten
miles away. but often had $1,000 or
more in the house. One evening when
the others were ready to go to bed he
announced that be had some business
to attend to and was seated at his
desk i'll the sitting room when the 9th
ers retired. About midnight the daugh
ter-in-law heard fall and a groan
downstairs. and when her husband
went down to investigate the squire
was found dead on the floor, having
been sta bbed no less than five times
in the body
House and grounds were searched
but the murderer had escaped, and he
had also taken with him the cash box,
which contained about 500.
Gordon seemed to take a lively inter.
est in the murder No outside help
would have been called in and the
murderer might have gone his way
but for the arrival Of another stranger
He was. as il happened, a first class
detective. who was just then employed
in tracing a missing man. The crime
was a day old when he reached Bliss
field. He heard all the particulars
from the lOungers at the inn and then
volunteered to look the ground over.
This was a courtesy on his part
which the sheriff could not refuse. and
after supper be was taken to the
house.
The tracks in the garden were still
fresh when the detective took hold of
the work. and in three minutes he had
made up his mind to something. He
had little to say to any of the men.
explaining that he had not yet COM
pleted his Investigations. but as he left
the house to return to the inn. while
followed at a respectful distance. he
turned down a quiet lane, beckOned
me to follow, and when we were alone
he lighted his pipe and asked:
Boy. do you know any man in town
who is lame in the left Ieg?"
answered i'm the negative. but add
ed that there was a man with a wood
en leg AT the inn. He at once began
10 question me about this man. not vet
having seen him himself, and | told
him all ] knew and all | had heard
Of course be told NE nothing in re
turn. though | heard him chuckling to
himself. and his face betrayed the fact
hat he was pleased about something
acted as his guide to the Jail and
when in the presence of the sheriff he
laid:
Il want you to go with me to over
haul the man with the wooden leg at
he tavern"
The sheriff. detective and constable.
With two or three other citizens. pro
,eeded to the inn and to Gordon's
DOM He was cool and quiet and Of
cred cigars all around. but those who
we're watching him saw him grow pale
IS the sheriff began by begging his
'ardon and hoped no Offense would be
AIKEN. but would he let them look at
lis wooden leg.
Gordon faltered and bIuffed and was
eaching for his pistol under his pillow
When the detective seized him. When
hey had him securely hound they IN
trapped his wooden leg. aud 10. HIS
eft foot was there as right as any
nan's'
Yes. he was the man who had robbed
he merchant and the postmaster. and