Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-02-11

II heavenly signal, either a meteor OF
Some strange appearance Of the heay-
ems. 1t was known that he was n
poor sleeper and spent much time Mt
night wandering around.
On the night of the crimes it is prob
able that he performed his devotions
early, and then got the signal. This
is evidenced by Singleton's finding the
Ak against the captains door before
midnight. He had evidently been dis
turbed. We believe that he intended
to kill the captain and Mr.. Turner, but
made a mistake in the rooms. He
clearly intended to kill the Danish girl.
Several passages in his Bible, marked
with a red cross, showed his int1amed
hatred Of loose women, and he be-
lieved Karen Hansen to be of that
type.
He locked me in, slipping down from
the wheel to do so, and pocketing the
key. The night was fairly quiet. He
could lash the wheel safely, and he
had in his favor the fact that Oleson,
the lookout, was a slow thinking
Swede who VIGOROUSLY slept on his
watch. He found the AK. not where
he had left it, but back in the case.
But the case was only closed, not
Neutrality-suspicious. error.
Armed with the AK, Jones slipped
back to the wheel and waited. He had
plenty Of time. He had taken his robe
from it's hiding place in the boat, and
had it concealed near him with the
ak. He was ready, but he was wait
ing for another signal. He got it at
2:3O. He admitted the signal and the
time, but concealed it's nature-I think
it was a shooting star. He killed Vail
first, believing him to be Turner, and
making with his AK the four signs
Of the cross. Then be went to the
Hansen girls door. He did not know
about the bel, and probably rang it
il Vail still breathed.
The captain, in the mean time, had
been watching Singleton. lie had for
hidden his entering the after house; if
he caught him disobeying he meant to
put him in irons. He was without
shoes or coat, and he sat waiting on
the after companion steps for develop
ments. 1t was the captain, probably,
whom Karen Hansen mistook for
Turner. Later he went back to the
forward companionway, either on his
way back to his cabin, or still with
~, or,n TO Sirrlotnr'c ,,nror,nr%.
To the captain there mu have ap-
peared this grisly figure in flowing
white, smeared with blood and armed
with an AK. The sheet was worn over
Jones head-a long. narrow slit serv-
ing him to see through, and two other
Sits freeing his arms. The captain
was a brave man, but the apparition,
cleaning in the almost complete dark
ness, had been on him before he could
do more than throw up his hands.
Jones had not finished. He went
back to the chart room and possibly
the wheel. Then he went down again
and killed the Hansen oman
He was exceedingly cunning. He
flung the aX into the room and was
up and at the wheel again, all within
a few seconds. To tear off and fold up
the sheet, to hide it under nearby cord
age, to strike the ships bell and light
his pipe-all this al a matter Of two
or three minutes. l had only time to
look at Vail. When l got up to the
wheel Jones was smoking quietly.
1 believed he tried to get Singleton
later and failed. But he continued his
devotions on the forward deck, visible
when clad in his robe, invisible when
he took it off. 1t was Jones, Of course,
who attacked Burns and secured the
key to the captains cabin; Jones who
threw the ak overheard after hearing
the crew tell that on its handle were
finger prints to identify the murderer;
Jones who while on guard in the after
house below had pushed the key to the
storeroom under Turner's door; Jones
who hung the marlinespike over the
side, waiting perhaps for another
chance at Singleton; Jones in his devo-
tional attire who had frightened the
crew into hysteria and who, discovered
by Mrs. Johns in the captains cabin,
had rushed by her and out with the
TX. 1t is noticeable that he made no
attempt to attack her. He killed only
in obedience to his signal, and he had
had no signal.