The Springfield herald., July 12, 1912, Image 5

About The Springfield herald. (Springfield, Baca County, Colo.) 1887-1919

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The Man Who Disappeared
STtrantfe Experience* in the Life
of a "Doctor,
(Copyright, by W. CJ. Chupmun.)
On a certain morning toward the
end of September In the year 1897 I
received the following letter:
"Dear Sir: I have been aaked to call
on you by a mutual friend. General
Cornwallis, who accompanied my step
daughter and myself on board the Os
prey to New York, I hope to call to
see you or send a representative
about eleven o’clock today. The gen
eral thinks that you can give me ad
vice on a matter of importance. I am
a Spanish lady. My home Is In Brazil,
and I know nothing of New York or Its
customs. I wish to take a house near
New York and to settle down. This
house must be isolated, and In the
midst of large grounds, and must have
extensive cellars or basements, as my
wish is to furnish a laboratory In or
der to carry on scientific research.
The general said that as you were a
scientist yourself you would under
stand just what 1 wanted and be will
ing to advise me.
“Yours sincerely,
"STELLA SCAIFFE.”
The letter was dated from the Man
ton hotel, and I smiled as 1 read It. It
was so like old General Cornwallis to
Imagine Just because a lady was In
terested in scientific pursuits that I
should at once become Interested In
her to the degree of adopting the role
of a real estate agent and spend valu
able time chasing around in tne en
deavor to find a house which would
■ult her. But it so happened that a
cousin of mine, who was extremely 111
and under my care in a hospital, was
hard pressed for money and wanted to
rent an old-fashioned and somewhat
gruesome mansion he owned which
was situated In a lonely part of the
Bronx. It occurred to me that this
house might suit the general’s ac
quaintance and that I could do both
her and my cousin a good turn at the
same time.
• At eleven o’clock my servant hand
ed me a card bearing the name, “Miss
Muriel Scalffe,” and a few moments
later a slight, falr-halred English girl
entered the room. She Informed me
that Bhe was Mrs. Scalffe’s step-daugh
ter and that she had come to see me
In reference to the house, which they
were desirous of renting within a
week.
T The girl was pretty, and her smile
was wistful and sweet, although with
a tinge of melancholy In It. On the
whole, she Impressed me favorably,
and I informed her that, although
such matters were hardly In my line,
Jt so chanced that there was a house
belonging to a relative of mine,
called The Rosary, and situated In a
somewhat isolated spot In the Bronx,
which I Imagined would suit her step
mother. I also told her that If she
wished I would meet her there at
three o'clock on the following day,
when she could view the interior of
the mansion for herself. To this she
agreed, and at the appointed hour 1
presented myself at the gates of The
Rosary. A carriage was waiting, and
as I approached a tall lady with dark
eyes stepped out of it. I saw at a
glance that the young lady had not
accompanied her, and when she in
troduced herself ns Mrs. Scalffe we
proceeded to view the house.
The Rosary had been unlet and neg
lected for a considerable time, and the
grounds had a desolate and gloomy ap
pearance. But the Spanish lady ap
peared well pleased with the Interior
as well as the exterior of the place,
and particularly with the numerous
cellars, one of which she pronounced
exactly fitted for a laboratory.
“My brother, Sonor Merello, joins us
here next week,” she said. “He and 1
are scientists. Dr. Halifax, and I trust
scientists of no mean order. We have
come here for the purpose of conduct
ing experiments, and this house is the
one of all others for us."
Everything went off without a hitch.
The Rosary passed Into the hands of
Mrs. Scalffe and those of her brother,
Senor Merello, a tall, dark, handsome
man. A week or two passed by. when
one afternoon I was astonished to re
ceive a visit from Muriel Scalffe.
“I have come to see you on a matter
of vital importance, Dr. Halifax." Bhe
said. “I cannot linger, for even now
I fear 1 am followed. You are a
bosom friend of Oscar Digby. the fa
mous discoverer and traveler, for he
told me so. It was on that account I
persuaded mother to come to you
about the house."
"Certainly I know Digby." I respond
ed "Indeed. I may lay claim to being
his greatest friend. Where is he, and
what is he doing?”
•‘He is on his way to New York,’’
she replied. “Even now he may have
landed. He brings great news, and
the moment he sets foot in this city
he is in danger. He Is your friend,
and it is your duty to save him.”
“But what am 1 to save him from.
Miss Scalffe? You are speaking wild
ly. Don't make such ambiguous state
ments. pray. You must be more ex
plicit.”
She trembled and dropped into a
chair.
“I am not brave enough to explain
more fully,” she said. “I can only re
peat that he Is In danger. Tell him
to have nothing to do with us. If he
mentions our names, pretend that you
know nothing about us. I have grave
reasons for what I say. When we took
The Rosary I did not know that mat
ters were so awful; Indeed, I wds
aware then that Mr. Digby was re
turning to New York. But last night
I overheard something—l cannot say
more. Only keep Oscar Digby away,
and If possible do not betray me. Yet
if there is no other way. tell him that
I. Muriel Scalffe. said so.”
She rose and stood regarding me
piteously for an instant. “I must fly,”
she said. "If this visit is discovered
my life Is worth very little.”
After she had gone I sat in amaze-
By A. T. MEAD
ment pondering over the strangeness
of the occurrence. It seemed to me
that the girl must be temporarily in
sane, but nevertheless I was haunted
and disturbed -by her mysterious cau
tion. And when on the next day Dig
by, whom I had not seen for years,
called unexpectedly, 1 recalled Miss
Scaiffe's visit with feelings of decided
apprehension. Before Digby went
away he and I had been very close
friends, and I was delighted to see
him again. His broad forehead, his
keen blue eyes, his strong, muscular
hands, all denoted strength of mind
and body.
"Well, Halifax,” he said, "I have
a good deal to tell you. I have made
an amazing discovery. Ido not know
whether you are sufficiently conver
sant with out-of-the-way places on the
globe. But, anyhow, I want to In
form you that there Is a wonderful re
gion, little known, which lies on the
watershed of the Essequlbo and Ama
zon rivers. And there I have discov
ered a spot close to Lake Arnacu that
is simply laden with gold. The esti
mates computed on my specimens and
reports make It out to be the richest
place in the world. The whole thing
Is as yet a close secret, and I have
come to New York to put It Into the
hands of a big financier. A company
must be formed with a capital of $20,-
000,000 to work It.”
"Have you charts of the location?"
I asked.
"Yes, but those I would rather not
disclose, even to you, old man. Just
yet”
"Well, Oscar," I said, "the man you
require Is Horace Lancaster, the big
gest financier In New York today. He
is a good friend and patient of mine,
and if you can satisfy hln\ with your
charts and specimens he will undoubt
edly float the company. Unfortunate
ly, I happen to know that he Is at
prosent in Paris, and won’t be back
for a week. You are prepared to
await his return?”
"Yes, if you think it best," he re
sponded. "Will you dine with me at
my club tonight, and talk things
over?”
"With pleasure.” I responded.
"By the way,” continued Digby,
"some friends of mine, Brazilians,
ought to be in New York now; a lady
of the name of Scalffe, with her pretty
little step-daughter, an English girl.
I should like to Introduce you to them.
I had a letter from Mrs. Scalffe as I
was leaving Brazil, telling me that
they were en route for Nev York and
asking me to look them up in town.
Her brother, Senor Merello, Is a most
charming man."
;, If I were you," I said, gravely, "I
would have nothing to do with those
people. I happen to know there where
abouts, and the little girl does not
want you to call on them. Better
take her advice, Digby; she looked
good and true."
He gazed at me In evident surprise,
and seemed a trifle put out. "True."
he repeated. "Of course she is true.
I tell you. Halifax, I am quite fond
of her. The mother —I mean the step
mother —is a magnificent woman. I
was staying at their Quinta last win
ter. But I don't understand your
warning. Has little Muriel lost her
head?”
"She is anxious and frightened.
The whole thing seems absurd. But
she certainly was in earnest when she
begged me to keep you away from her
step-mother, and I half promised to.
respect her secret, and not reveal to
you where they are at present."
Digby did not seem pleased at this
candid avowal, but he made no com
ment, and took his departure. That
evening we dined together, and went
into the subject of his great discovery.
He showed me his specimens and re
ports and Interested me so much that
I, too, began to long for Lancaster's
speedy return. Three or four days
passed and the financier was still de
tained In Paris. One afternoon Digby
rushed excitedly Into my room.
"Well, Halifax,” he cried, “you can't
fight against fate. The little girl has
discovered herself. She came to see
me at my hotel and declared that she
Just couldn't keep away. I took her
Into my arms and hugged her. We
will have a wedding when the com
pany Is floated, and this evening, old
chap, I dine at The Rosary. You see,
I know all about tLe secret retreat of
the Scaiffes by this time. I dine there
tonight, and they want you to come,
too."
1 was about to refuse, when some
Impulse Influenced me to see the affair
through, and I consented to accom
pany my friend. We arrived at The
Rosary between seven and eight
o’clock. Mrs. Scalffe received us.
Diamonds flashed in her raven black
hair and glittered around her shapely
neck. The pale little Muriel looked
quite Insignificant beside this gor
geous creature. Senor Merello was
a masculine edition of his handsome
sister. At dinner we were served by
Spanish servants, and a repulsive look
ing negro of the name of Samson
stood behind .Mrs. Scaiffe’s chair. She
was in high spirits, and openly alluded
to the great discovery.
“You must show us the charts, my
friend," she said to Digby.
"As regards anything else, command
me,” was his repjy, "but not the
chart.”
Mrs. Scalffe did not press him fur
ther, and the evening passed away
without any event of Importance hav
ing transpired. During our journey
back to the city I mentioned to Digby
that Lancaster had wired to say that
he would be at his office prepared for
a meeting on Friday. This was Mon
day night. Also, I again Impressed on |
him the fact that I did not trust Mrs. I
Sclaffe or her brother, and warned
him to keep the chart out of their
hands. He promised, and I left him. I
| On Tuesday I saw nothing of Digby,
| and on Wednesday evening, when I re
turned home late, I received the fol
: lowing letter:
"Do not think lam mad. I have
bribed the kitchen maid, the only
American woman In the whole house,
to post this for me. I was forced
to call on Mr. Digby and to engage
myself to him. lam now strictly con
fined to my room under pretence of
Illness. In reality I am quite well,
but a prisoner. Mr. Digby dined here
again Inst night, and under the influ
ence of a certain drug introduced Into
his wine, has given away the whole of
his discovery, except the exact loca
tion. He is to take supper here’again
late tomorrow night (Thursday) and
to bring the chart. If he does, he will
never leave The Rosary alive. All Is
prepared. Don’t betray me, but save
him."
The letter fell from my hands. What
did it mean? Was Dlgby'B life really
In danger, or was the girl who had
written mad. The letter was without
a signature, but of course I knew that
Muriel wus the writer. I read it over
again, and became convinced that It
told the truth, and that Muriel was
perfectly sane. I resolved not to dis
regard the warning, and late as the
hour was I left the house and sought
the residence of my friend. Inspector
Frost, one of the keenest and most
trustworthy police officers on the New
York force. I found the inspector, a
tall, square-shouldered man of 50, at
home and not yet retired. Without
mincing matters, I came to the point
at once and narrated the whole story
of the past few weeks. Frost’s gray
eyes shone with Interest, as he pe
rused Muriel’s letter.
"I’m glad you came," ho said, when
he had finished reading. "There are
four curious points about this case.
First, your friend has this valuable
secret about the spot where the gold
is to be found, a secret which may
be worth anything. Secondly, he is
very Intimate with Mrs. Scalffe, her
We found a girl
crouching beoide the bed.
step-daughter and her brother. The
intimacy started In Brazil. Thirdly,
, he Is engaged to the step-daughter,
! who evidently is being used as a sort
, of tool, and is herself In absolute ter
, ror. and so far as I can make out,
| is not especially in love with Digby.
Fourthly. Mrs. Scalffe and her brother
are determined at all hazards to se
| cure the chart which Digby Is to hand
to them to-morrow evening. The girl
1 thinks this so important that she has
' practically risked her life to give you
, the warning. By the way, didn’t you
1 say that Lancaster was to meet you
j and Digby at 11 o'clock on Friday
morning? Well, I suppose that Mrs.
, Scalffe and her brother know of this.
Now, if Digby goes to The Rosary to
! morrow evening that interview with
Lancaster will probably never take
1 place. I believe, Halifax, that the
j Scaiffes intend to be the sole posses
sors of that secret, and mean to get
it from him before he sees Lancaster.
And the chances are that if be gives
1 it up to them he will never leave that
' house alive.”
"Then what are we to do?" I
; asked.
“Leave the matter In iny hands un
til I make a few inquiries," sale! Frost.
"In the meantime you might see Digby
and try to persuade him not to go
!to The Rosary. That would simplify
j things a whole lot. I will call at your
: house at five o'clock tomorrow after
; noon."
The next morning I called on Digby
. and found him at breakfast. "I would
like to have you make a run out of
town with me, Digby." I said. "We can
get back in time for our interview
with Lancaster in the morning."
"Sorry, Halifax." he responded, "but
the fact is I have an engagement to
eat a late supper at The Rosary to
night.”
"I wish you would not go," I said.
"Digby, If ever people were playing
to get you Into their hands, they are.
Why, haven't you already told them
, most of your secret?"
I "I don't know how you happen to
i know that.” he said. Impatiently, "but
I admit Its truth. Mrs. Scalffe and
Merello will Join me In this matter. I
see no reason why things should be
kept dark from them.”
“It doesn’t strike me as exactly fair
to Lancaster," I remarked.
"He can't object to possible wealthy
shareholders." returned Digby. "And
once for all, old man, remember that I
dislike being interfered with, and that
1 believe In the Scaiffes. So goodby
for the present. I will see you in
Lancaster's office tomorrow at 11.”
I saw that further argument was
useless and went bnck home. At five
that afternoon Frost made his appear
j ance and I narrated the matter in
which Digby had repulsed my well
meant advice.
"You have done all you could," com-
I mented Frost. "Now for my part of
the business. I mußt toll you that
the affair promises to be of the most
serious kind. I have been busy since
I saw you, used the cables a bit, and
through the kindly assistance of a
United States secret service man who
huppens to be in Brazil right now on a
government case. I got some detuils
about the operations of Mrs. Scalffe
and her precious brother. Unfortu
nately there is really nothing against
them that would justify us in laying
hands on them. But from what I have
learned I judge that they are In a con
spiracy with a notorious gang in Bra
zil to force Digby to disclose the exact
position of the gold mine. I also know
that Mrs. Scalffe Is in communication
with some suspicious characters
both In New York and Brazil. It's u
cinch that she means to get possession
of Dlgby’B chart when lie visits the
house tonight. Now we can't keep
him from going there against his will,
and I don't believe he can be per
suaded to stay away. Therefore, we
will be on hand at The P,.\sary tonight,
and will have a number of my
men stationed In the grounds as soon
as it becomes dark. If Digby insists
on going In, there will be protection
outside, at all events, in case of trou
ble. And if he doesn t come out after
a reasonable time bus elapsed, I’m
going in after him.”
The Inspector’s plan seemed to be
the most feasible that could bo adopt
ed, and I agreed to accompany him.
Digby had said that he was invited to
a late supper, and therefore It was
nearly ten o’clock when we arrived at
The Rosary. As Frost and I passed
down the dimly-lit lane beside tho
wall, a figure emerged from out tho
gloom and came toward us. As it ap
proached I saw it was one of tho In
spector’s sleuths.
"Anything new, Bob?" queried his
superior.
"Not a thing," was the reply. "Mr.
Digby hasn’t arrived yet.”
The inspector nodded and we passed
out into the road together. "There Is
still a chance of your being able to
persuade him not to go in," said Frost.
"Suppose you try when he comes? 1
tell you frankly that 1 believe his life
isn't worth ten cents if ho trusts him
self In there alone tonight. Yet we
can’t prevent a man from going into a
house If he wants to."
"I’ll do the best I can," I said, "but 1
don't believe it will do much good.”
I had scarcely finished speaking
when a cab drove up to the gates, and
the man we were expecting alighted
from it. Frost stepped up and touch
ed him on the shoulder. "I am a po
lice officer, Mr. Digby," he said, as Os
car wheeled around nnd faced him.
"Your friend here. Dr. Halifax, has
wnrned you not to go into that house.
I repeat his warning. There is danger
In wait for you."
For answer Digby thrust his hand
into his pocket, produced a note and
handed it to me.
"Read that, Halifax," he said, "and
you will see why I cannot refuse to
enter the house."
I tore the letter from its envelope
and read in the moonlight. "Come to
me. I am suffering nnd in danger. Do
not fail me. Muriel.”
"You are mad, Digby,” I said. "That
note is a forgery.
"All the same, I ain going," he said,
crisply, "and alone, too. I don’t want
any outside Interference In what prom
ises to be a family affair."
"Since you are determined, then,”
said Frost, "remember that in case of
trouble we will be here to help you.
Furthermore, I may as well tell you
that If you are not out of the house by
one o'clock we shall enter it and make
sure that all is right.”
Digby merely nodded, and walked
quickly up the drive. We wutched
him ring the bell. The door was open
ed by the negro servant, and he enter
ed. Frost and I settled down to our
long wait with the best patience we
could summon for the occasion. The
minutes seemed to crawl, ll o’clock
sounded from the steeple of a distant
church, then half-past. The house
remained wrapped In silence. Once
Frost whispered to me, and we listen
ed attentively. It certainly seemed to
me as though a dull muffled sound, as
of pounding or hammering, was faint
ly audible, but whether It came from
the house or not. It was impossible to
tell. At a quarter of twelve the one
remaining window with a light In it be
came suddenly dark. Still there was
no sign of Digby. Midnight chimed
and the remaining moments went by
in intense anxiety. As the deep boom
of one o’clock was heard the inspect
or laid his hand on my arm.
"Come along, doctor," he whispered.
He whistled low as he spoke, and a
rustle in the bushes around us told
that Frost's assistants were on the
alert. We ascended the steps, and
we could hear the whirr of the front
door bell within, as th~ Inspector press
ed tho button. In less time than we
had expected we heard the holts shoot
hack. The door was (lung open, elec
tric lights sprung Into a glaro, and my
eyes fell on Mrs. Scaiffe.
"Huther an odd hour for a social
call, Dr. Halifax,” she said, coolly.
"May I inquire why I am so hon
ored?”
Frost strode forward and laid his
hand on her arm with an Imperative
gesture.
”1 am a police officer, madam." he
said grimly, "and demand to know
where Mr. Oscar Digby Is. He enter
ed here at a quarter pnst ten tonight.
From that moment the house has been
surrounded and closely watched. He
must therefore be here."
"Mr. Digby Is not In the house,” re
sponded Mrs. Scaiffe defiantly.
An adjoining door opened, and
Senor Merello made his appearance.
She looked up at him and smiled, then
said carelessly:
I "Gentlemen, this Is my brother,
Senor Merello."
The senor bowed but did not speak.
"Once again, Mrs. Scaiffe," broke In
Frost, "what havo you done with Mr.
Digby?"
"Ho is not here," she said, angrily.
"You can look for yourselves.”
"Very well,” said Frost, calmly.
"Then you, madam, this gentleman,
and all your servants are under ar
rest until we find him."
Mrs. Scaiffe eyed the Inspector vin
dictively. but made no reply. The op
erations which followed were conduct
ed rapidly. The establishment, con
sisting of Mrs. Scaiffe, her brother,
two Spanish men-servants, two maids,
one of Spanish extraction, and the
negro who had opened the door to üb,
were summoned and placed in the
charge of one of Frost's detectives.
Muriel Scaiffe was nowhere to be
seen. Then we began to search the
house. In the basement the large
cellar which had attracted Mrs.
Scalffe's pleased surprise, had now
been fitted up as a laboratory. 1 ex
amined It closely. It was evidently
used for the manufacture of chemi
cals on a large scale. All the latest
chemical and electrical apparatus
were to be found there, as well as
several large machines, the purposes
of which were not evldont. One In
particular I specially noticed. It was
a big tank with a complicated equip
ment for the manufacture of liquid air
in large quantities. I lingered here
quite awhile, and suddenly a hideous
possibility presented Itself to my mind.
Just then, however, I remembered Mu
riel, and turned to join Frost In his
search, wondering If any harm had
come to the girl. Our search In tho
upper regions was equally unsuccess
ful. Wo were Just going downutnlra
again when Frost drew my attention
to a door which we had not yet open
ed. It was lockou, but we burst it
open. Within, we found a girl
crouching beside the bed. She turned,
saw my face, and suddenly clung to
me. It was Muriel.
"Have you found him; is he safe?”
she asked.
"I do not know, my dear," I replied,
trying to soothe her. "We are look
ing for him.”
"Did he come to the house? I have
been locked in here all day and heav
ily drugged."
"He came In. We are searching for
him, and hope to find him."
"That you will never do," she cried,
and fell fainting on the floor.
We placed her on the bed. Frost
produced brandy and gave her a few
drops. She came to In a couple of
minutes, and began to moan feebly.
After a little while she became calm
and finally fell Into a deep slumber.
Then I left her and hastened back to
the laboratory, intent on trying an ex
periment which hnd occurred to me on
my last visit there.
Meanwhile Frost and his men had
not been idle. Convinced that Digby
or Digby’s dead body was concealed
somewhere around the premises, they
begun a systematic search of the en
tire house from roof to basement.
Pick and crowbar were ruthlessly ap
j plied, floorings were torn up and raft
j era cut through. Walls were pierced
J and bored through, closets and cup
j boards ransacked. The very backs of
' the old-fashioned fireplaces were torn
I out. and the chimneys explored. At
last Frost called me upstairs. He was
j leaning against the wall, looking be
j wlldered.
j "This is beyond me altogether, doc
j tor," he ssiid. “There Is absolutely no
' trace of Digby, alive or dead.”
I "Look here. Frost," I said, “this
thing has to be worked out logically,
j If Digby left this house he went up,
■ down, or horizontally. I’p is out of
1 the question. If he disappeared In a
I balloon or was shot off the roof he
] must have been seen by us. for the
house was surrounded. He certainly
did not pass through the cordon of
men. He did not go down, for every
cubic foot of basement and cellar has
been accounted for, as well as every
cubic foot of space In the house. So
!we come to the chemical change of
I matter. Dissipation into gas by heat,
j There are no furnaces, no ashes, no
j gas cylinders, nor dynamos, nor car
bon points. The time when we lost
! sight of him to the time of entrance
I was exactly two hours and three-quar
ters. If you come with me, I think 1
can throw some light on the problem.”
I went down to the laboratory again,
followed by Frost. When we reached
the basement 1 pointed to the machine
with steel blocks and the great metal
tank.
"There Is the explanation of Digby’s
disappearance," I said. "He is dead,
Frost, and we will never see his body.
No inquest can be held, for there Is
nothing to bold It on. The winds have
taken him and scattered him In dust
on the surrounding grounds. I arrived
at my present conclusion by a process
of elimination. Into that tank which
contained liquid air, Digby, gagged
and bound, must have been placed vio
lently, probably after he had given
away the chart. Death would have
been instantaneous, and he would have
been frozen into complete solidity In
something like 40 minutes. The ordi
nary laboratory experiment is to
freeze a rabbit, which can be then
powdered Into mortar like any other
triable stone. Tho operation here has
been the same. It Is only a question
of size. Remember we are dealing
with 312 degrees below FahrenhelL
That big machine over there is a stone
1 breaker, and on tho blocks of steel be
longing to It 1 found this."
I held up a test tube containing a
blue liquid.
"This Is the Guiacum test, Frost. In
other words, blood. This fact taken
with tho facts we already know, that
Digby never left tho house; that the
only other agent of destruction of a
body, lire, is out of the question; that
this tank Is the receptacle of that
enormous machine for making liquid
air In very large quantities; and above
all, the practical possibility of the op
eration being conducted by the men
who are at present In the house, afford
me conclusive proof beyond a pos
sibility of riftubt as to what has hap
pened. The body of that unfortunate
man Is as If It never had been."
"You have proved your case, doc
tor,” snld Frost, fetching a deep
breath when I hnd finished. "It Is by
long odds the most extraordinary
crime I ever heard of. Well, there's
nothing to do but take these parties
along, and see If we can't get some
thing in the way of a confession out of
them.”
Before I left that awful house I
made arrangements to have Muriel
Scaiffe conveyed to a private hospital.
This was done, and for many weeks
she hovered between life and death.
Meanwhile Mrs. Scaiffe, her brother
and their servants wore detained by
the police. In the long run. the negro
servant weakened and confessed hla
complicity In tho crime, to the extent
of fetching the senseless body of Digby
to the laboratory, after the latter had
been drugged. Through the evidence
given by this witness for the state the
brother and sister were convicted for
Dlgby's murder, hut owing to tho ab
sence of the murdered man's body, a
technical plea by their lawyers result
ed In a sentence of imprisonment for
life, Instead of capital punishment.
Senor Merello, however, managed to
commit suicide in his cell at the
Tombs prison the day before he was to
have been removed to Sing Sing pen
itentiary, and his sister died within
six months after she began serving
her sentence, of typhoid fever. The
chart for which murder had been com
mitted never came to light again, and
It was supposed that Mrs. Scaiffe had
destroyed It rather than allow anyone
else to benefit by the Information It
contained.
Meanwhile Muriel grew better. 1
was Interested In her from the first.
A year ago she became my wife. I
think she Is happy, and know that the
past has ceased to trouble her. I have
long ago come to regard her as the
best and truest woman living.
ADS. THAT ARE MISPLACED
Inscriptions on the Drum Tower in
Nanking an Offense to the
Aesthetic Soul.
There is one horrible thing in Nan
king, a desperate offense against the
aesthetic soul, writes a correspondent
of the North China Dally News. Tho
Drum tower is a feature of tho city,
set ns It Is upon a mound high above
the level of the plain. Its dull terra
cotta color, Its broad roof and curv
ing eaves, its old fashioned massive
ness, completely satisfy one's 6cnse
of the picturesque. Here, of old, sat
watchers who signalized thtf appear
ance of fire by beating thunder out of
a monstrous drum. Tho tower Is
nearly 700 years old, and, standing
alone, a large muss of masonry, sup
porting a single squat pagoda, It looks
like the embodiment of the spirit of
ancient China. The road of the city
climbs up the mound and passes un
derneath tho tower by a great arch
way. But Borne distance off one be
comes aware of a scries of huge Chi
nese characters splashed agalnßt the
broad front. They are snow-white on
a ground of brilliant red, and obvious
ly new. They look out of place, but
one supposes them to represent a
fragment of Confuscian philosophy set
aloft In this prominent place, in the
simple Chinese way. as a lamp, per
haps ,to guide the footsteps of the
new-born republican government.
But, alas! These monstrous char
acters recommend only the daily use
of a repulsive Japanese toothpowder
and the virtue o fa horrid stqmach
cure. Not only are these abominations
permitted to defile the Drum tower,
but on the great wall at the point
where all the traffic from the Yang
tze and the Shanghai railway enters
the city the ggateway Is surrounded
by monstrous letters advising the un
sophisticated public to patronize these
Japanesee horrosj—ulytbsek by DSC
GHASTLY RELICS IN MINES
Leg of Petrified Woman, Said to Date
Far Beyond the Dawn
of History.
Geologists are greatly interested in
a story that comes from C. S. Nield,
while visiting a mine In Lee county.
Virginia, found a curious formation. A
miner In taking out coal had beer,
killed by a fall of slate roofing. He
was struck by what at first appeared
to be the petrified stump of a tree,
says the Indianapolis News. It was
more than two feet in diameter and
about three feet high. The top part
bore all evidences of having been
sawed off. In cleaning out the fall
there was uncovered a stratum of
overburden, some 500 or 600 feet
through.
This deposit was of Incalculable
nge. Mr. Nled was speculating on
what had become of the man who
bad sawed down the tree. A druggist
In a nearby village In answer, showed
him another relic reclaimed by dyna
mite from a limestone formation in
a gulch near the mine that had caved
In. It was more than half of a well
formed woman's leg with a perfectly
formed foot and high Instep. ThlE
relic was also petrified. A geologist
who examined both the slump and the
woman's leg declared they belonged tc
a generation which dates far beyond
the dawn of history.
More Confortable.
Caddie Master—What kind of cad
die do you want, sir?
Nervous Novice —Well —er —I d like
a boy who knows very little about tbi
game.—Sketch.
RAZORS ARE USER
TO SLASH HORSES
Vandals Attack Stable of Fifty*
two Animals and Cut Right
and Left.
DISEMBOWEL FIFTEEN
Shrieks and Groans of the Dying and
Wounded Victims Stampede Oth
ers, Arouse the Night Watch
man and Frighten the In
truders Away.
Chicago.—Fifteen horses were dis
emboweled and fatally hurt In a myn
terlous raid on the stables of a trans
fer company on North Green street,
the other morning. Fifty other horses
escaped the vandala by breaking out
of their stalls and stami>eding about,
the stuble. Two suspects are being;
held by the police at the West Chi
cago avenue police station, but offi
cials refuse to give out their names*
or disclose the evidence against them-
No reason for the attack on tho horset*
can be found.
With skeleton keys the Btuble was*
entered some time after midnight. Th«*
horses nearest to the door were at
tacked first. A sharp razor Is thought
to have been used, for the wounds art*
not deep enough to have been mado
with a long knife, but are so long that
an extraordinarily sharp weapon must
have been used.
Frightened by the groans of the dy
ing horses their stable mates tore*
loose from their fastenings and stam
peded about the stable, scaring the*
vandals away.
Shrieks and groans of the wounded
horses alarmed tho night watchman at
1 o’clock in tho morning. When lu*
entered the stable the fifty uninjured
horses were running wild. The Intru
ders had escaped. Two horses were
dead nnd two were dying.
Police were notified and a veterin
ary surgeon was summoned. He said
that all the injured horses would die.
Stampeded About the Stable.
A few hours after police were noti
fied of the raid Lieutenant Mullen ar
rested two men nnd locked them up-
Ofllclals of the transfer company pro
fess to be mystified by the cutting.
They say they are and have been ora
harmonious terms with their employes'
but police eny several teamsters were*
recently discharged by the company.
OUSTED NEGRESS STARTS SUIT
Declares She Was Barred From He*
Own Daughter’s Entertainment
at Norristown, Pa.
Norristown, Pa.—Because’ he at
tempted to keep Mrs. Lillie Major, r*
negress, from sitting downstairs In the#
Opera House here on the night when
tho High School pupils gave an en
tertainment during the borough’s cen
tennial celebration, and. It is alleged:
pushed her away from the door, Clar
ence Pickell, a doortender, was held
In S2OO hail by Justice Harry to answer
n charge of assault nnd battery.
Mrs. Major testified that she and
Mrs. Harry James (whose husband If*
a policeman) and Linda Blackwell, al*
negreses. were given tickets to attend
the concert, which they were deslrousr
of hearing, as Mrs. Major and Mrs-
James had daughters In the chorus’.
When they arrived at the door Pickelff
told them they must find seats in the*
balcony and could not sit on the lower
floor. Mrs. Major insisted on occupy
ing the seats for which the tickets.'
called. She. says that Pickell. to keep*
her from going downstairs, pushed
her. and thus committed the assault
nnd battery
As they were leaving they met Ir
vin Fisher, a member of the School
Hoard, and a neighbor. They told
him their troubles, and he said they
should stay, and later A. S. Mart ft*
superintendent of schools, obtained fo*
them seats near the stage.
Pays "Conscience Money."
Tipton, Ind.—After Lon Webb, n
barber of El wood, had been converted
at a revival meeting he remembered
thnt he owed a man In Oklahoma $25(1.
His conscience troubled him and he
made the long trip to the southwest
to pay the debt. On his return to In
diana he set about to make up the lose
In cash, and filling n suit case with
razors, strops and other barber sup
plies. he visited barber shops In va
rious towns and sold his wares.
Though he earns his living by selling
his wares, he spends the greater part
of his time In preaching.
Make Fortune Shining Shoes.
Mont Clair. N. Y. —Joseph and Ango
lo Picola the other day begau the
erection of a $14,000 business block.
They saved the money from th«ix
profits In a shoe shining. parlor.