The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-06-19

starting headline that flashed before
me. right there in the column next to
the account of the Bradford wedding.
The sinister effect of this terrible
news dawned on me instantly. With
my greIt-uncle Rufus dead. without
the possibility Of his corrOborating
any part of my story. my case was
hopeless. desperate. Unquestiona5ly .
it would mean that would be found F.
guilty of murder and sentenced to .
death in the electric chair. As soon /
as l could sufficiently compose myself /
read every word there was in the
newspapers about this new tragedy,
| smiling grimly at the thought that at
least they could not blame this muir
der on me-
Mr.. CASTOR, ii appeared, had come
to the Granddeck about ten o'clock in
the morning and had gone at once to
his apartment. On his arrival he had
been greeted by the telephone girl and
had informed her that he was only in
the city for n few days and was stay
ing at a hotel. tie had added that he
J NOulu ubl Dt ONNuIA H. lliN hli'Ai NAiiN'iN
for several weeks until his wife'S re-
turn TO the city. About half-past
, twelve there had come a telephone
, call for him. The girl had been I'M
; able to get any response from the
I apartment Knowing that he had not
e gone out. and fearing that he might
have had Il sudden attack of illness,
: she had become alarmed and notified
: Mr.. Wick, the superintendent.
~ The superintendent, the account
5 continued, had summoned Mr.. Henri!
V Kent, the owner of the Granddect
" apartments. Together they, had gon'
n to Mr.. Gaston's rooms. Being unabl'
to get any reply to repeated rings am
m knocks they had finally let themselve
r in with a pass key in possession q
is the owner of the building.
In his study in the rear of tn
=, apartment they were Mortified to fin
"a old Rufus CASTOR, fully clad, lying O
N the floor. face down. stone dead.
- great wound on the back of his hea
- showed that he had been killed. prof
- ably instantly, by terrific blow fro
~ some sort of blunt instrument.
:. search of the rooms failed to sho
90 any sort of a weapon.
,et The police theory was that the erin
10 was undoubtedly the work of bu
~, glar who had been trapped by the
Vic turn of Mr.. CASTOR so unexpected
Dir to his apartment. How o. murder
ia ESCAPED after attacking Mr.. CAST
rn was puzzle to the detectives.at wo
on the case. The superintendent
90 the building expressed the opinion til
-. the murderer had gained access in
:, guise of "A meter inspector. After
- ants in the hall recalled that the
now, had been such II man in the bullui
-, that morning As he wore the usI
uniform and presented the customa
nv credentials, he had been permitted
enter and leave the building UNI
two Tested.
There followed Il long review of !
fus Gaston's business career and
~, estimate of some of his extensive hC
inps in stocks, bonds and real esti
from which it appeared that his
- tune was likely to run TO over
million dollars. 1t was with some
nrise that / learned that score
more of years ago the old man apI
,u entity had been powerful figure
vas the life of the metropolis. active D
my in IFS business and social life.
hA What interested me most was
use attention paid to the remarkable
my incidence that only a few weeks
ems. ,,,,,rdor had taken Mace i'm
ut / u.,ont inst helow. under Or;
lrily "p .b, some circumstances. The
OIL lice. the account stated. were incl
rel to believe that the murderer was
n to W