Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-01-28
True
Detective Stories
NUMBER 2695

In u dying cOndition--a bullet
having drilled a hole through his lung
lit was only natural that Dennis
Tracey should take up the trail Of the
murderers. Tracey was Lawrence's
closest friend on the force.
No one knew anything about III,
circumstances which led up to the
crime, and. apparently. there was lit
tie hope of discovering any clue, be
cause Lawrence. though not dead when
discovered on the following morning.
was extremely weak from exposure
and loss of blood. According to the
physicians. II was practically Ger
tainty that he would die without re-
covering consciousness.
After leaving orders ut the hospital
that he WAS 10 be notified at once II
his friend showed signs Of being able
Ia talk, Tracey visited the scene of the
shooting in the hope of being able IT,
find footprints or other evidence which
would assist him In the search which
he intended To make. The investiga.
The dying policeman's revolver had
been fired three times. but without
efl'ect-for Tracey found the bullets
lodged in the rafters of nearby ware
house. sufficiently close together 10
provide n hhzy outline Of the place
from which Lawrcnce's assailant must
have fired. So far as Tracey was able
tn reconstruct the affair. Lawrence had
come upon some one trying To break
into the warehouse. had probably
warned him by shot over his head
ana followed that by two other shots
which failed to take effect. The burg
lar had then turned and fired point
blank AT the policeman. dropping him
where he stood.
But who was the other man?
This was the question To which
Tracey determined 10 devote as much
time ms necessary. the problem with
out clue.
II was late the following night he
fore Lawrence's condition showed any
signs Of change. and then only for the
worse. The physicians gave him only
n few hours to live. and Tracey hung
continually over the he'd. hoping for
some word or sign which would pro.
vide an Indication Of the murderer's
identity Finally Il came.
With an almost superhuman effort
the dying officer raised himself on one
elbow. and gathering every ounce Of
his fast-failing energy. whispered the
single word:
"Wil-kin-son
Then he fell back. dead.
But that last word was enough. Had
II not been Tracey who heard II. II
would have meant nOthing-for the
on n number of recent warehouse
burglarics and they alone knew Of the
suspected connection of Daniel VII
kinson, son Of Il prominent New Hamp-
shire family. with the one-man thefts
Now Tracey knew that not only was
Wilkinson guilty of the burglaries. hut
of far greater crme--the murder OF
Policeman Lawrence.
Putting himself In the place of the
criminal. Tracey felt certain that the
latter would not remain In or around
Bath. He must have known that Law
renee had recognized him. and would
fear that the dying man would find
some way of imparting this knowledge.
II was probable. therefore. that he
would head for some hiding-place
where he would he comparatively safe
Knowing that Wilkinson's family. In
an effort to whiten the character of
the black sheep had sent him to sea a
number of years before, Tracey
thought II likely that the fugitive
would attempt to join the crew Of n
sailing vessel and lose himself In a
foreign port. He accordingly warned
the authorities of all the New Eng.
land sen ports to he on the watch
for man Of Wilkinson'S description.
and then, securing leave of absence,
he took up the Search-combing the
waterfronts Of every city and town
from the Canadian border 10 Boston.
n was nearly six months later. af
ter he had almost abandoned hope.
that Tracey wandered along the
wharves AT Bangor and spotted the
man he wanted porting" lumber into
the schooner Good Intent. nj the foot
Of the Railroad street wharf.e With
out sound the policeman edged his
way along the dock until he was be.
hind Wilkinson. and then dropped on
top OF his man, flattenlng him TO the
deck. Almost before he knew what
had happened the fugitive found him
self handcuffed and on his way back
20 Bath. there 10 he convicted Of the
murder Of William Lawrence, after
one Of the hardest fought legal battles
In the history Of the state.
The fact that, In the shadow Of the
state prison wall nj Thomaston. there
stands today a headstone bearing the
numerals "2695." does not close the
rase. for there are many who claim
that the murderer had powerful friends
who succeeded In saving him from the
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