Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-05-01

.
your opinions, if you please"
No one stirred as he sat down, and
the great clock in the corner ticked
loudly as the men about the table
looked down uncomfortably at its
polished surface.
81 suppose the servants have been
questioned fully?" 1t was Sir Thomas
who spoke
"They were all examined by the in
spectors this morning." the Duke an
swered GAS you know, gentlemen, the
club closes it's doors at 2 o'clock, at
which time the servants are free to 90
home. Only the watchman and the
caretakers remain. All of the other
employees are known to have left the
building before half-after o'clock.
"At what time was the body discov-
cred ?" asked Sir Harry Farndale.
About an hour and half later"
said the Duke. Perkins, one of the
caretakers, then entered the room to
clean it, and found Capt. Towneshend
sitting upright in one of the big easy
chairs by the reading table. The man
says that Capt. Towneshend's head was
hanging down over HIS breast and that
at first sight he thought him to be
asleep. Upon going over to awaken
him, however, Perkins discovered blood
upon his shirt front and slit about
two inches long just over the heart.
You see, gentlemen, the lights are
switched off from the stewards Office
on the first floor, and there was, conse-
quently, no occasion for any of the SER
wants to enter the room before Perkins
did so.
"But how is it that the doorman,
knowing as he must have known, that
Capt. Towneshend had not left the
club, did not send someone to search
for him when the building was closed
for the night" Sir Thomas queried.
"That have been unable to learn"
the Duke replied. "Dodson, who is, as
you all know, an old servant of the
club, was in attendance at the door
last night. He has not been here as
yet today, but believe the inspectors
have secured his adrdess and have
gone to his home to question him."
"And have the other servants been
placed under arrest?"
mo. Perkins statement is vouched
for by two others who were directly
behind him when he entered the smok-
ing room ,and the inspectors have
merely detained here in the club, all
those who were in the house after it's
closing last night"
"Is there any likelihood of any of
these men being charged with the
crime ?"
1t was Harcourt's drawl that asked
the question, and instantly all eyes
were turned upon him.
"That is quite possible, of course"
! the Duke admitted.
Il do not believe that any of them
are guilty." said Harcourt. "These
men are known to us from long serv-
ice, and it is extremely unlikely that
any of them could have had any cause
to quarrel with Capt. Towneshend."
"Unless the motive could have been
robbery" someone suggested
Nonsense" Harcourn broke in
quickly. "a man would not commit
murder for whatever sum Towneshend
would have been likely to have in his
pockets last night"
Lord Harcourt is quite right" said
the Duke. "In fact the Captains watch,
his wallet, and all of his jewelry, were
found upon the body. Robbery could
have been no incentive to the assail-
ant"
From my understanding of the
case," Sir Thomas broke in, sit is quite
apparent that someone quarrelled with
him and that the blow was struck in
anger"
"On the contrary" Harcourt object
ed. "The fact that he was found sit
/ ting upright in a chair makes it seem
to me that the thing was deliberately
planned out. Either the murderer
struck him from behind as he sat there
perhaps little the worse for liquor
or else the body was placed there
after death, to deceive anyone who
might happen to pass through the
room, and thus delay discovery of the
crime"
"That is possible" said the Duke,
but it suggests devilish cunning that l
can hardly credit amid such surround
ings."
But the weapon" said the Duke.
"The inspectors say the wound was
made with stilletto or some similar
sharp instrument. The smoking room
was locked up Immediately after the
finding of the body, and most thor
ough search has been made, but no
trace of such knife has been discov-
cred"
"Then | cannot see how we can do
anything further in the matter now,"
said Sir Thomas finally. at is for the
police to ferret out. If we give them
every aid possible, and place ourselves
at their absolute disposal, our duty is
certainly DONE"
81 think not" 1t was Harcourt who
spoke after minutes silence.
"What do you suggest, my Lord 2"
"This," said Harcourt, looking slow
ly about the circle. at is possible that
Captain Towneshend may have been
killed by one of our members-even by
someone who now sits about this
board"
All eyes were turned upon him and
an air of nervous expectancy came
over the group.
"If we do our full duty" Harcourt
continued, "we cannot stop when we
have merely questioned the servants OF
he club and have given our pledge that
they shall be here as well as we when
the police may so desire. What right
lhaua ua IN stand hU and Sav IN tho no.