The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-05-16

apart. and the calculation Is a sim
pie one. l presume that you have
looked into this matter of the murder
OF John Straker and the disappearance
Of Silver Blaze"
L have seen what the Telegraph
the Chronicle have to say"
1T is one of those asses where the
art of the reasoner should be used
rather for the sitting of details than
for the acquiring of fresh evidence.
The tragedy has been so uncommon,
so complete, and of such personal i'm
Portance to so many people, that we
are suffering from a plethora or sur
mise conjecture, and hypothesis The
Giriculty is to detach the framework
OF fact-of absolute undeniable fact
from the embellishments of theorists
and reporters. Then, having establish
ca ourselves upon this sound basis. it
Is our duty to see what differences may
be drawn and what are the special
points upon which the whole mystery
turns. On Tuesday evening | received
kilograms from both Colonel Ross, the
owner of the horse, and from Inspec-
tor Gregory, who is looking after the
case. inviting my cooperation
Tuesday evening"" exclaimed.
And this is Thursday morning. Why
didn't you go down yesterday"
Because | made blunder, my dear
Watson-which is I am afraid, a more
common occurrence than any one
would think who only knew me
through your memories. The fact is
that I could not believe it possible that
the most remarkable horse in England
could long remain concealed. especially
in SO sparsely inhabited a place as the
north OF Dartmoor. From hour to hour
yesterday I expected to hear that he
had been found. and that his abductor
was the murderer of John Straker.
When, however, another morning had
come. and found that beyond the ar
rest of young Fitzroy Simpson nothing
had been done, felt that it was time
for me 70 take action Yet in some
ways I feel that yesterday has not
been wasted"
"You have formed theory. them"
AT least I have got a grip of the
, essential facts of the cast. shall
enTmerate them to you, for nothing
clears up case so much as stating it
TO another person, ard I can hardly
expect Your cooperation if I do not
show you The position from which We
ST art"
lay back against the cushions.
Luffing at my cigar. While Holmes,
leaning forward, with his long, thin
forefinger checking off the points upon
lie palm Of his left hand. gave me a
sketch of the events which had led 20
our Journey
Silver Blaze" said he. lis from
! the Somomy stock ard holds as bril-
; liant d record as his famous ancestor.
! He is now in his fifth year and has
! brought in turn each of the prizes of
the turf to Colonel Ross, his fortunate
owner. Up to the time Of the cata-
the Wessex Cup. the betting being
three to one on him He has always,
| however, been q prime favorite with
The racing public, and has never yet
disappointed them, so that even at
those odd enormous sums Of money
! have been laid upon him. It is Obvi-
! Gus. therefore. that there were many
people who had the strongest interest
! in preventing Silver Rlaze from being
there at the fall OF the flag next Tues
! Gay.
! The fact was. Of course. appre-
ciated at Kinc's Pvland. where the
! Colonel's training stable IS situated,
! Every precaution was taken to guar.l
{ the favorite. The trainer. John Stra-
ker. is retired Jockey. who rode in
Colonel Poss's colors before he be
! came too heavy for the weighing chair
i He has served the Colonel for five
years as jockey and for seven as
trainer, and has always shown himself
i to be a Jealous and honest servant
I, Id
establishment was a small one, con-
t:ining onlv four horses in all. One
Of these lads SGT UP each night in the
stable. while the others slept in the
loft. All three bore excellent charac
! tiers. John Straker who is married
/ man, lived in small villa about two
hundred yards from the stables He
has no children. keeps one maid serv
ant. and is comfortably off. The coun
try round is very lonely. but about
! mile to the north there is a small clus-
! ter of villas which have been built by
a Tavistock contractor for the use of
, invalids and others who may wish to
| enjoy the pure Dartmoor air. Tavis-
/ took itself lies two miles TO the west
while across the moor, also about two
miles distant. is the larger training es,
! tablishment of Mapleton. which be
i longs to Lord Backwater, and is man.
aged by Silas Brown. In every other
| direction the moor is complete will
I derness inhabited only by few roam
, 9ypsies. Such was the general situa-
, ton last Monday night when the catas-
! lon the evening the horses had
! been exercised and watered as usual
| and the stobles were locked up at
nine o'clock Two of the lads walked
| up TO the trainers house. where they
had supper in the kitchen, while the
; third, Ned Hunter, remained on guard
! At few minutes after nine the maid
| Edith Baxter, carried down to the sta
| bles his supper, which consisted of a
! dish of curried mutton. She took no
!! liquid. as there was a water-tap in the
stables. and it was the rule that the
] lad on duty should drink nothing else
| The maid carried lantern with her,