The Washington times., 1922-07-02


problem altogether.
For. in the quest Of the killer,
the swarm Of detectives invaded
homes, exposed intrigues Of a gen.
GRAFTON ago. halted q honeymoon.
sowed seeds Of suspicion between
husband and wife-then swept into
new fields, leaving the community
aghast by the revelations.
It was as though an unseen
force suddenly barred the hearts
and consciences Of many men and
women, then faded away. leaving
the victims intimate secrets open
to the eyes Of the world!
THE STATION TRAGEDY.
Six weeks ago Ralph w. Brew.
steS, Of Pittsfield, N. H., the new
Winchester station agent, was
killed by pistol fire at 9:45 o'clock
at night. while the B. & M. express
train Boston bound, flashed crash.
ingly past the building smothering
In its roar the reports Of the bull
let's. Except for the agent and
the killer, the station was empty.
The slayer's first shot struck the
agent. who was guarding several
thousands Of dollars in the safe,
fairly in the mouth. and drilled up
toward his brain. Two more bull
lets missed, as the stricken man
staggered and swayed toward his
assailant.
Then q fourth final slug of lead.
fired from q pistol pressed against
his coat, entered his heart, and
Ralph Brewster crumpled up and
died. The killer fled. leaving the
money untouched. He. made q
clean-cut escape. Half an hour
later the body was discovered
by a man who entered the station
TO buy a ticket. and the police
were confronted by a complete
mystery, apparently clueless, with
these questions to be answered:
What was the motive? II rob-
berry. why was the money left un-
touched? What enemies did the
agent have7 Was there a woman
hidden In his past to supply the
basis for q theory Of jealousy,
Who was so familiar with his
working hours and the train
schedule as to be able to select the
safest minute for the killing?
LIGHT ON DARK PAST.
Back-traclting on Brewster's per-
sonal history they found that he
was married. the father of several
young children. and apparently
happy. But beyond that unusual
circumstances ca1ne to light. The
handsome young agent was a man
Of higher attainments than most
persons occupying his position.
He had been wealthy. the posses
sor Of snug fortune and had lost
Il. presumably in stock speculation,
and the railroad Job had been
taken by him as . sort Of stepping
stone toward fortune again.
Against this background stood out
The devotion OF his wife and the
respect he had won in the local
community and clean, clear
record In business.
Ralph Brewster boarded with DR..
Rolla Sargent and his wife In wo-
burn, near his station. DR.. Sargent
said he had heard reports that the
agent had been trailed from the
house on the night Of the killing,
and this statement brought the
police to the dentists home for in
vestigation-
Even a. they went there gossip
began to buzz in the village, and
there were rumors that Mrs. Sarg-
ent and the slain man had been
sweethearts before either married.
30 intense did this gossip grow
that Mrs. Sargent was forced to
recognize II formally and she made
this explanation Of their friend
ship:
Ralph and I were never what
you would call sweethearts. We
were merely chums In a Vermont
school. He was a boy Of twelve
and q girl with long curls. You
could hardly call that love affair.
could you?
After our school days I had no
association with Ralph until he
came to town as a station agent
two weeks before he was killed. I
knew, Of course. that he had mar.
ried and had q nice wife and three
children. ...
FRIENDSHIP RENEWED.
when he called me on the