South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-07-29

Death had come painfully and not very
5'slf:ly, for tho woman had time 10 write mes
SAKE which the police found desk near
tie Nudu%. The writing almost
ihta'iigibla scrU"l and with difficulty it was
dCCiph@fcd. The message ran: 1 am dying
FGiSCnei and robbed by Ann Bolt There is
doubt that Mrs Pembrass wrote that mes
sage. Rer fingers were stained with ink, and
tho pen WAS found lying beneath the chair on
w,dcE Ehe died
Search was at once instituted for Ann Bolt
There wae no sign OF her in the house. Her
bed had not been slept in. Her room was bare
of any personal belongings-except come odd
andend Photographic chemical bottles, one of
which contained dregs of cyanide, which,
yoU know, is used in photography Ann Bolt
va# an enthusiastic photographer
inquiries were Immediately set on foot in the
village, and in the meantime the police were
making close Investigations in the sitting room
and discovered that one OF the drawers in the
writing desk had been forced open IL con-
tanned nothing but check book, showing that
a fortnight previously Mrs. Pembrass had with
drawn from the local bank no less than six hun
dred pounds
The police-inspector interviewed the bank
manager and learned that regularly every six
months Mrs. Pembrass withdrew her entire bal
ance, except a few pounds, just sufficient to
keep the account open.
The money paid in by her solicitors
Green & Green. of Lincons Inn Fields, who
managed her affairs From various properties
she received something like twelve hundred
pounds year. She allowed the money to &C
cumulate for six months, then drew it out, al
ways in notes. What she did with the notes is
mystery. That has been going on for some
thing like ten years. and as her expenditure
was less than couple OF hundred a year IL
follows that she must have had good sum hid
den in the house somewhere for except her
half-yearly visits to the bank in a cab she was
never known to go outside the house
ne bank manager was able to supply the
numbers OF the notes recently issued to Mrs.
Pemorass, and one of those notes-a fYer-was
casned Dy Ann Bolt on Monday evening at the
railway station. where she took q single ticket
to London. Fairly broad trail, Ell, Major Duff"
Dornton broke of to mix himself drink
Very" was the laconic response
She went TO London, too" resumed Dorm
ton The police found a postcard signed Sy
her in Mrs. Pembrass's room. II had been
posted at Euston at $3.50 on Tuesday morning"
What was written on the postcard asked
Duff.
"A fake message" said Dornton promptlv
VIII write TO you fully in a few DAYS She
mad no intention of writing. Simply sent the
card as blind. What she did do was to return
to Little Horton, probably disguised, on Tues,
day sometime al dusk, and. knowing Mrs Penn
Drasss invariable habit of taking a glass of
stout with her evening meal, watched her on
portunity TO dope the bottle of stout waited till
the dose had taken effect then helped herself
10 her victims secret hoard and got away again
unseen"
You said that every door in the house was
securely locked up" drawled Duff. How did
she manage 10 get out of the house and leave
II secured after herr"
quick hesitating look flashed into Dorm
tons eyes Dun had hit upon the one weak
flaw in the whole argument
The doors were net only locked but bolted
and chained and barred on the inside" said the
Official slowly. Every window securely latched
except a small one in the back kitchen which
was open. She sould easily have squeezed her.
self through that"
"Humph!" breathed Dun softly DO YOU
honestly believe that. Dornton?" he asked a
second later
"What-that she got out by the window? or
course. Must have done. Couldn't have got
out any other way. seeing that all the doors and
windows were barred. Facts are facts he
added drily.
They are" agreed Dun in a still drier tone.
Anyone benefit by the woman's death? he
asked casually.
Her nephew-a man named Murgison-John
Murgison'
Who is he?"
a metallurgist"
a quick light flashed into Dunrs sound eve.
so quick that the other missed it.
Sure he didn't commit the murder asked
Dun. lazily getting up TO stroll across TO the
open window where he stood looking idly at
the sunset-dyed Thames just beyond
"Quitel" snapped Dornton almost trium-
phantly. Il knew you'd ask that question But
you leave John MurgisOn absolutely out
OF your calculations right from the start He has
never seen mis- aunt. never been 10 Little Hor-
ton. had idea that she was worth any money
10 speak Of and TO crown ALL four days before
the crime was committed he met with an acci-
dent in his laboratory. which necessitated his
detention in st. James's Hospital. from where