Bridgend & Neath Chronicle, and County of Glamorgan Advertiser. — 1892-02-12 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE BRIDGEND AND NEATH CHRONICLE, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1892. MONK'S GLEN TRAGEDY.  enacted before my eyes—the tempestuous passions, shame, hatred, and rage, which had disfigured the squire's features, resembled the finger of fate, guiding me, as it were, through the lab. rinths and phases of the dark deed into daylight at last, dispelling my doubts and branding the Squire as the Child of the Scaffold.  The Squire was the criminal, and slowly but surely I formed a chain of evidence, proving his guilt almost conclusively. The facts against him were as follows :  1. The footprints near the scene of the murder corresponded with the Squire. 2. The Squire had been disabled on the day of the tragedy, thus accounting for the peculimity in his footprints. 3. Blood found on one of his walking-sticks.  4. His oath, 'By God, I'll be reven-ged on that fiend before another day dawns 1' furnished the motive for the crime.  Before taking the irretrievable step of arresting the Squire, I determined to interview him. Having sent in my card, I was soon ushered into his presence. Good day, Mr Hunter!' said he, what may be the cause of 3 our visit?' The object of my visit,' I replied, is to have a few minutes conversation with regard to the mysterious crime lately committed in the neighbourhood.'  You mean,' he asked, with flushed face, the murder of Ell—, Miss Terrace.' 'Yes! you could not give any reasons for Miss Terrace's conduct in the Church.' 'No! Mr Hunter, I cannot.' 'Did you see her on the night of the crime.' 'No!' But it appears that you were in the Monks' Glen that evening.' 'Yes!' hesitatingly. Pardon me, but what object had you in that particular spot ?' 'None at all, but the desire for solitude and security from the compassion of the villagers, as I would excite,' he added sardonically, rather too much interest and commiseration.'  You maintain that you did not meet Miss Terrace, and from what I understand, you had no appointment with her,—Well, did you use this peculiar walking stick on your visit to the glen?' I inquired,holding up his own favourite. 'I cannot really tell you,' he answered, for I did not particularly notice what stick I had; besides I have two of the same make. But what has that to do with it?' he interrogated in surprise. 'lt has a great deal to do with the case,' I said, and, looking him straight in the face, added, Miss Terrace met her death by this instrument.' 'Good God!' he exclaimed, with blanched features, 'my stick, and—and you suspect me of the crime?' _ _  'I may, or I may not,' I replied, 'but whoever the murderer is let him beware and remember 'murder will out.' As I left Welmore Hall, I almost believed in the Squire's innocence.  Halcolm had been slain in one of our petty Indian wars. His unexpected reappearance, however, frustrated the union which had been arranged between the Squire and Ellen. The cause of Halcolm's visit to Welmore was the Squire's invitation to his wedding as the best man.' Arriving at the Hall late on the night previous to the wedding day, he was not introduced to the bride until the following morning. It is further sii-mi3ecl that in the appointment which had p•.bly been arranged between the two, Ualcolm in a lit of passion struck his companion with one of the Squire's walking-sticks. The blow proved fatal. He returned by the ruins (the same way as he had reached the Glen), thus leaving no traces on the hard ground. The Squire having passed through the Glen an hour or two previous to the perpetration of the crime left his footprints, and consequently fastened suspicion on himself. Fists.