Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1925-11-19
Mystery of the
Severed Hand
tcopyr'Sht.)
BY M. E. BATCHELDER


the highest government officials, and
the police were on the alert. Then It
was that the whole secret service Of
that city was thrown into violent
commotion by mystery so battling
that scores of skilled men and women,
who worked as detectives in citizens
dress were unable to get at the bot
tom Of it.
Because the entire secret service
was unable to ferret out the mystery,
the facts have never until this time
been made known, and not even now
would they appear in print were 1t
not for combination of circum
stances almost as unnatural and as
unreal as the crime itself.
One morning in the early winter,
there was startling rumor that
gardener employed in the Botanical
grounds had found woman's hand
in barrel of water which had been
placed in the sunshine for the benefit
of his orchids. Terrified at the grue-
some sight, he run to the nearest
police station and told his strange
story, without taking time to remove
his working apron, An officer accom-
panied him back to his greenhouse
and secured the mutiIated member
1t was evidently the hand of
young lady of great delicaey and re-
finement, not too small, but beautifully
formed, with delicate yein-tracings,
perfect lines and long tapering
fingers, with exquisite shell-like nails,
once pink and rosy. but now cold and
almost as white as Parian marble
The members of the secret service
had followed up clew after elew, but
each had proven futile when sifted to
the bottom
There was. however. one link
which might form part of the mys-
ferrous chain; but this link was nov
missing. few days preceding the
finding of the hand. several testified
10 having seen young lady walking
cary one evening in one Of the small
out-of-tle-way parks of the city. She
was described as tall and graceful,
and when al one time she drew off her
glove it was noticed that she had an
unusually beautiful hand She had
been joined in the park BY tall, dark,
foreign-looking man who, after q short
conversation, left her. From that eve
ming no trace of the man or the wom-
an could be found.
After weeks Of labor, the police
We're compelled to give UP the case,
and reluctantly admit themselves de-
feated. Finally '"The Mystery Of the
SeS cred Hand" as it had grown to be
known in police circles, was almost
forgotten save by the old gardener,
who always afterward examined the
contents of his orchid barrel
A German woman lay dying in one
of the wards of the charity hospital.
AS the end approached, her mind
seemed troubled and she sent for a
clergyman, who, on reaching her bed
side, heard from her lips this strange
confession
Il was born in Germany. AS child
enough went out to service One day
l went to a fortune teller who was in
the village where lived, and secret
which she told me led me, years after
ward, to commit dreadful crime.
When my parents died came to this
families. Some years ago | entered
the household of a wealthy Washing
ton family where there was only one
daughter. beautifully girl scarcely
eighteen years of age. Ny duties were
those of maid AND companion to this
young girl. I've grew IL be fond Of
each other 81 thai she bnfded in me
more, perbaps, thai in Aeh own mother.
"One might aftek~she Rad returned
from reception at one Of the foreign
legations, sl@ told me she had discov-
cred that tile man TO whom she was
engaged to be married had wife in
Spain. She had met him several times
secretly, and had grown 10 love and
trust him. She took on awfully, and
wished many times that she was dead
A few days afterwurd her wish was
realized, for one morning We found
her dead in her bed She had taken
an overdose Of sleeping powder which
care!ossly left III her room | alone
was permitted to prepare the beautiful
dead for the grave.
"Aboui this ume a little niece of
mine came to this country with her
mother my only sister she was
bright interesting child, and would
have been beautiful but for terrible
birthmarE on the side Of her face.
when looked at this child there
came to me the secret which the for
tune teller bad contded to me long
before-a charm which, it was said
among the workers in the Black Art
would remove Just such a mark as
was on my nieces face | must have
brooded over 1t until my brain became
feverlsh and my thoughts inhuman.
III was | who cut off the hand