The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-04-29
Crockford's
Wife
By SADIE oLcoTT

one DAY man nameO CrOckIOrN
went to his bank, drew $500 and was
about to 60 out when he stopped and
said to the paying teller:
"Look right over my shoulder Yor
see that young Italian looking fellow
with a striped waistcoat and felt hat
with a fancy band? Well. when l got
through counting the money you paid
me turned suddenly and caught thu
fellow looking at the bills with Gov
etous expression on his face. You
know that there are lot Of robberies
committed by persons seeing some one
draw money from bank"
"Why don't you call policeman to
see you home or wherever you are
going?'
Because l don't believe shall die
till my time comes, and when it does
nothing can save me-"
The disappearance of Stephen Crock
ford was one Of the great mysteries
of the close of the nineteenth century.
The police had very strong clew, but
were unable to follow it, A bank
clerk gave them the incident that has
been told above. and they did not
doubt that the Italian had murdered
Crockford, but when or where or
what had been done with the body
they failed to discover. The only 9th
er clew in the matter was furnished
by Mrs. Crockford. Her husband
when coming home from the city often
made short cut over a path through
wood. She searched the wood and
in part so thick that few ever went
into it she found the remains Of fire.
and some wood corded near had visl-
bly, diminished. In the ashes she
found some bits of bone and burned
flesh. She picked up also an unburn-
ed piece of a mans cuff. This she took
to laundry where her husband was
used to having his collars and cuffs
Numbered, and the mark on it was
identified as having been put on a CUT
belonging to the missing man. This,
indicating that the body had been
burned in the thicket, ended the infor-
nation concerning the disposition of
Mr.. Crockford's body. The police, get
ting no further clew, gave up the case.
CrOckford was financial man for
& Co., importers of Japa-
nese goods. Mrs. Crockford after her
husbands disappearance went to the
head of the firm and asked for posi-
ton by which she might support her
self. She was taken into his private
office, where she was informed that
sum was missing from the firms cash
and her husband was suspected Of hav-
Ing taken it. He had been seen day
or two. before his disappearance in
with blond woman not his
wife. Mr.. Englehart believed that
Crockford was not dead, but had fed
with the blond woman.
On hearing this recital Mrs. Crock
ford fell on the floor in faint. So
great was the sympathy of Mr.. Engle
hart that he agreed to employ her on
the books, she having some knowledge
If bookkeeping. She became the as
sistant of John Hardwick, who had
been her husbands assistant. Since
the latter's disappearance Hardwick
had been promoted to be the financial
man of the firm.
A year passed, during which nothing
was heard of Crockford. Mrs. Crock
ford was complained Of by Hardwick
for Efficiency several times and at
last notified the firm that she must
leave or he would do so himself. She
was informed Of the fact and told that
since Hardwick was an excellent &C.
countant and willing to work for a
mere 1.-THE Of what he was worth they
had decided that she must go. She
asked to be kept till the end Of the
and her request was granted
One evening Mrs. Crockford tele-
phoned Mr.. Englehaft that Hardwick
was a defaulter and about to take to
flight She begged that Hardwick be
or kept in sight. Englehart
the information, but put a
WaCcn Oh t1drUWlck.
The next morning who should ap-
pear at Englehart & Co.'S office but
Mr.. and Mrs. Crockford. They begged
to be admitted to the private room OF
the head Of the firm, and there they
let in on his brain food Of informa-
ton.
Shortly before Crockford disappear
ed he told his wife that Hardwick was
q defaulter. but had trapped him
(Crockford) into position wherein
there was excellent evidence that he
was the thief. He was every day ex-l
pecting arrest.
Mrs. Crockford arranged for her hus-
bands disappearance. She dined with
him at a public restaurant made up
with blond wig and enameled com.
plexion. She was the italian who had
watched him at the bank. She had
taken the wood that had disappeared
and burned most Of 1t in her fireplace.
With the rest she burned some pieces
of meat and bone. The cuff she had
partly burned and rubbed the remain
der In ashes. Her fainting when In
formed of her husbands villainy and
4. q a ,Isx~r ,r,o, fo3ppo1 Cho had Qako6