The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-07-04
A Strange
Revelation
By ELINOR. MARSH

police, at dinner given him he told
the following story:
"Most OF you will remember the
Charnley murder case. After month
had passed and We had given out ey-
ery day or so that We We're on the
track of the murderer and would get
him sure, the public began to- lose CON
fdence and the papers were full of
scathing remarks about the police. An
election for city officers was coming
! on. and the chief told me one day to
drop everything else and work on the
Charnley case, intimating that the adj
ministration's control depended on my
discovering the murderer.
II did hard lot OF thinking ON the
problem. Indeed, I began to fear that
If kept on l would run into monoma-
mania. I walked the floor nights try
ing to put this and that together to
construct theory of the murder. So
my wife put me in n room by myself
where I could prowi without waking
her or the children.
zone night after the usual brain
racket I fell into slumber. l don't
know how long I slept, but I think 1t
was about an hour. Then I woke up
and started at, seeing man standing
by my bed. - --~----------
f|4l" COME with iileI' he said, and; III
|putt you son ITO am explanation of the
\ Charnle 49, so"
|so'T' Juthped out offbed, hustled on my
ij||ssclSfhes,J strapped 6Rf' my reyolver-for
despite my anxiety to get the informa-
|st7Un re pr6missu dia not forget that
he had come 1np, nys house without
being admitted, and Twas somewhat
suspicious of him-and followed him
downstairs. A horse and buggy were
standing at the door. We climbed into
the vehicle, the fellow whipped up the
horse, and off we went.
II was so impatient and curious to
know what was coming that tried to
pump it out Of him, but his mouth
was shut like an oyster, and never a
word did he speak from the time we
started till we pulled up in front Of
the house in which Charnley's body
had been found the morning after the
murder. I knew it was that house,
though l didn't know any one of the
family Of the murdered man. 1t had
! been shut up since the tragedy but
now there were lights In every part. !,
MY companion talighted, led me to
the house and, opening the front door
for me, babe me enter. What became
1 of him after that I don't know. 81
didn't see him again, unless one OF the
persons about whom am going to tell
| you was he. IA f'
"Hearing voices mingled with sobs
upstairs, I ran up and stood In an
opening on the second floor, looking
into a bedroom through an open door.
! On a couch lay the figure Of man,
but a number Of persons were crowd
! ing about him so that I could not see
his face. A young woman was on her
knees beside the couch, Historically
| clinging to the body, while another
woman was trying to draw her away.
A man was standing apart wringing
| his hands, I stepped into the room,
and the moment he saw me he col
lapsed. The woman trying to draw
the girl away from the body turned
and, seeing me, uttered a Shrek. Then
she dropped on her knees before me,
and between her sobs said:
Don't take him! He made terrible
mistake. Oh, why didn't confide in
him? Let me explain, and when you
know how we suffer at what has oc-
Cured I am sure you will not add to
our misfortune. This is my intimate
friend'-pointing to the girl beside the
couch. she was married clandestinely
to the man who lies there. The mar
riase could not be published because
her father would disinherit her. per-
nitted theam t. ms IT ssFs, Ny nus nus,
wA herr sthI3eys ~ hnd she was exl
pecAd, My husband came home sud-
denly and found him here with mes
ENaiting for here Mad, with jealousy
! without giving Hs, time to explain, he
seized heavy glass ornament and
brought 1t down on the victims head
Please 60 away from here and say
nothing. We are the only ones who
know Of the tragedy
"I was thinking what could say to
the woman to make 1t easy Tor her-
for I felt obliged to report the matter
when the lights went out and left
me in darkness.
II was awakened in the morning by;
nv wife in my own room from heavy
sleep or stupor. l don't know which.
She could only get me up by telling me
would be late in reporting. man.
aged to get into my clothes. swallowed
cup of coffee and went to headquar-
ters.
Il thought the matter over that day
and the next told the chief that / had.
failed to find a clew to the Charnley
murder and advised him to keep feed;
ing the public with stories of clews till
after election and then let, the matter,
drop. Now that I have unburdenedI
myself wouldn't mind hearing what.
you thinksabout it." - ~
"W16s&Syou think ,was thy man.
who took you to the house?" asked
one.
81 don't like to say, but my suspicion
is he was the murdered man."