Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-05
The story thus far:

The story thus far:
A Young man. announcing himself as
the unhappy John Hector Mctarlane,
presents himself before Sherlock Holmes
aud asks for help. He tells Holmes he
expects to be arrested on the charge OF
numbering Mr.. Jonas Oldae he, OF
Lower Norwood, but could go to jail
happy if he knew Holmes were working
to free hun. He calls the attention OF
Holmes and Watson to an article which
he reads from q morning paper. his
article Saws that late the preceding
night Mr.. Oldacre q builder OF Norwood
a rich bachelor of fifty-two was killed.
About twelve o'clock an alarm of fire
WINS turned in for a small timber yard
behind his house. The fire could not be
extinguished until the entire pile had
been burned. Mr.. Oldacre could not
be found. and an examination Of his
room showed that he had not slept
there and that struggle had occurred.
Slight traces OF blood were found,
and walking stick, identified as be-
longing to John Hector Mel arlane,
was found. There were evidences OF
some heavy body having been dragged
from his room through the French
windows to the pile of lumber, and
charred remains were found in the ashes.
Just as McFarlane finished reading,
Lestrade, a member of the Scotland
Yard detective force. burst into the
room and arrested McFarlane. Holmes
convinced Lestrade to give McFarlane
time to tell his story before taking HIM
to jail. McFarlane SAID that many years
ago his parents knew Oldacre, but that
he did not. The afternoon before
Oldacre had come to see him he was a
lawycr-giving HIM his will and asking
him to cast it into shape. What was
McFarlane's surprise to read that Old
acre made him his sole heir. The will
was duly signed and witnessed and MIR.
Oldacre then asked McFarlanc TO come
TO his house that night as there were some
documents there that needed explaining.
He made McFarlane promise not TO
mention the affair to his parents until
everything was settled. That evening he
went to Oldacre's house and was shown
in bv middle-aged woman. He went TO
Oldacre's bedroom, where there was
a huge safe. From this Oldacre took
many documents and it was almost mid
night when they had finished looking
them over. McFarlsne remembered
that the window looking on the gar
den was open, with the blinds only
partly down. McFarlane left Oldacre
before midnight, and knew nothing
/Hore until he read of the crime In the
morning paper. McFarlane then left
With the police officers, but Lcstrade
xtaved to talk to Holmes, who picked
up the will and read it.
From the irregularity Of the writing
Holmes deducted that the Will hao
been written on train, the clearly
written parts at the stations. Thu:
bore out McFarlane's statement that
Oldacre had said the will was drawn
up the preceding day on his way home
Holrnes and Lestrade went over severa
different theories of the murder, bu
Lestrade always insisted that McFar'
lane vas logically the murderer. Wher
he had gone, Holmes departed To-
Blackheath, where McFarlane lived
but returned later TO tell Watson h
could get no clues to eXonerate Nc
Farlane. He had seen his mother
who admitted that Oldacre was an ok
suitor Of hers, whom she refused be
cause OF his heartless treatment o
animals. She showed Holmes . pilot
graph Of herself which she had give
Oldacre and which he had returned I
Der on her we6dirg day, slashed acros
With . knife. INN Hlmes went I
O3dacre's house ard examined it. L
1t alhes wars~fcund trouser button
NTH the mark OF Oidaccs tailor O
tim