The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-08-27
The Redmond
Mystery
by ETHEL HOLMES

self, seeing that large corporation
must eventually absorb his trade. dc
cided to put his stock into money an,
80 west with il where big business wa
still comparatively unknown. ii,
cleaned up $4,000 and started west
ward to find a new field for invest
ment.
Since he was uncertain just wher,
he would locate he put his capital IN
thirty bills OF $1,000 each His wifi,
made him bag in which to keep them
and the bag be hung around his neck
His family consisted of two persons
his wife and little daughter ten years
old. These he left behind him, 1t be
ing his intention to send for them wher
be found a settling place.
During his journey Redmond wrote
home from different points through
which he passed. When about to enter
New Mexico lie wrote that he would
leave all regular conveyances. proceed
ing on horseback. Quite likely he might
not have another opportunity to send
another letter for some time. since be
was about to pass through rather
wild country.
fortnight passed and Mrs. Red
moud was beginning TO expect another
letter from her husband, but was dis
appointed. Another two weeks went
by and still no word from him. Then
the weeks of his silence became moeths.
When half year had passed without
wi har husband
the poor woman gave him up for lost.
Friends of hers who had correspond
ents In the west wrote them, giving
them such data as they possessed OF
where Redmond was when last heard
from. and they investigated the matter.
No trace was found of him after he
left the place where he had written bis
last letter to his wife. When told that
he had $4,000 on his person the In
vestigators declared that he had doubt
less been murdered for his money.
Mrs. Redmond did not assent to this
theory. She knew her husband to be
or have been a very secretive man and
did not believe that he would permit
any one he did not trust implicitly with
a knowledge of the bills he carried on
his person. She rather inclined to the
theory that be had been robbed.
However. after several years had
passed and nothing was learned of her
husbands fate Mrs. Redmond gave up
all hope of his ever returning to her.
He had taken all her capital with him
except enough to supply her wants till
he should become permx lently located
She made this amount last for a year
and then was obliged to work to sup
port herself.
Mrs. Redmond lived ten years after
her husbands disappearance. He had
left in the east record of the num-
bers of the bank bills he took with |
him, and these numbers were sent to |
banks al over the United States hop |
ing that some knowledge might come
of the lost man through one or more of
the bills. But none of the bills was
ever presented at any bank. This add
ed to the mystery and reflected on the
theory that Redmond had been MUIR
dered. Ii he had not been murdered
what had become Of him?
When Mrs. Redmond died her daugh-
ter Flora was twenty years old Her
mother before her death told her that
she was heiress to $4,000 and would
some day come into possession of her
fortune
Flora formed an attachment for a
young man named Trevor. but since l
Trevor had nothing except small sal &
lry neither he nor Flora could bring I
themselves to accept the burdens of
One day letter came adj /
dressed to Mrs. William Redmond from r
IN official in New Mexico. 1t stated r
hat in opening a road quicksand had
been struck. While endeavoring to So
,ure foundation the body of man
IN horseback was found some distance
Inder the surface. From papers found
IN the body the mans identity as VIII
lam Redmond had been learned. The a
,ody had been placed in burial vault.
Flora read this letter with great in
crest.
Both Trevor and Flora had been saw
ng money for some time. thinking II
hat they might. after all, unite their
YES duu ny tulS TIME Udu enough "
ointly to pay their expenses TO the a
rest
After much elaboration the pair de- o.
Ided to be married. go to New Mexico,
nd if the fortune was not recovered "
hey would settle where there was OF
lore opportunity to make a career
ian in the east
On reaching New Mexico, without
taking themselves known, they learned
here the body Of John Redmond had
cen placed, and one night visited an
re of ground used for a cemetery.
here was but one vault in it. and the
stenings to this were insecure. Ire
,r forced them by means of file and
/ iron implement he had provided for
e purpose. Then be went In and
'ened a rude box containing the only
,dy there. Striking light he began
feel for the bag under the clothing.
bout the shoulders he found tape.
ID the tape led to the bag.
The latter was difficult to get be-
use Il was between the shoulder
lsles. Trevor finally secured II and.
eniag Il. found the Fills. In few
,menfs he had examined and counted
sm. There were thirty $1,000 bills