THE NORTH. PCATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE: TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 31, 1895. -
r
3STO-
JTirst Rational B&m
NORTH ri.TTJE, ISTEB;
m o
3 E.
A General Banking Business Transacted.
A. F. STREITZ,
Drugs, Medicines, Paints, Oils,
PAINTBES'
WINDOW GLASS, -
JDiejzsjzitia
D outsell e A.potlTele
Corner of Spruce and Sixth-sts.
rf wimP F Cal1 thero for a11 kinds of
$lr $ Seasonable
IT Hardware, ,
1 " PRICES LOW.
WALL-PAPER, PAINT AND OIL DEPOT.
WINDOW GLSS, VARNISHES, GOLD LEAF, GOLD
PAINTS, BRONZES, ARTISTS' COLORS AND BRUSHES, PIANO AND
FURNITURE POLISHES, PREPARED HOU E AND BUGGY PAINTS,
LSOMINE MATERIAL, WINDOW SHADES.
ESTABLISHED JULY 1868. - - - - 310 SPRUCE STREET.
F. J- -BROEKER,
MERCHANT TftlLQR.
BOBTH : PLATTE : PHARMACY,
Dr. N. McOABE, Prop., J. E. BUSH, Manager.
ITOKTH: PLATTE, - - nTESASKIA. .
We aim to handle tlie Best Grades of
Goods, sell tliem at Heasonafole
-Epigrires, and "Warrant ICverythi rg ,
as Represented..
Orders from the country and algng the line of the-Union
Pacific railway respectfully solicited.
JOS. F. FILLION,
PL-TJii:BIrG-9
Steam and Gas Fitting.
Cesspool and Sewerage a Specialty. Copper and Galvanized Iron Cor
nice. Tin and Iron Roofings.
Estimates furnished. Repairing of all kinds receive prompt attention
. Locust Street, Between Fifth and Sixth,
NTorth. "Platte,
Z1NEST SAMPLE ROOM IN NORTH PLATTE
Having refitted our rooms in the finest of style, the public
invited to call and see us, insuring courteous treatment.
finest Wines, Liquors and Cigars at the Bar.
Our billiard "hall is supplied with the best make of tables
nj competent attendants will supply all your wants.
34:96.
CaDifcal. -
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.-' $22,500.00
M. E. LEFLANG, Preset.,
ARTHUR -MoNAMAEA,
Cashier.
SUPPLIKS,
: - MACHINE OILS,
Spectacles.
A Fine Line of Piece
Goods to select from.
Eirst-class Fit. Excel
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Nebraska.
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IRA L BARE, Editor ajo Peopkietob
SUBSCBIPTIOX SATES.
One Year, cash in advance, $1.25.
Six Months, cash in advance 75 Cents.
Entered aUhoNorthl'latte(XebrasJ:a)poBtofficeas
second-class matter.
IS THE SIXTH DISTRICT POPULIST!
A study of the completed vote
Iroin the Sixth Congressional Dis
trict is about as good a Christmas
oresent as the republicans of the
A.
district desire. It shows plainly
that the wave of populism has spent
its force, and that in the future a
republican will represent the -whole
people of the old Sixth in congress
after the expiration of Mr. Kern's
term. Taking the vote for district
judge,leaving out the vote of coun
ties not in the district, the result
is as follows:
llth DIs.
12th "
14th "
15th "
Kendall, K.
Sinclair, K.
Grimes, R.
Bartow, B,
3010
mi
2932
4814
Thomson, P.
Green, P
Neville, P.
Westover, T.
27G3
5532
2J-5C
48i5
15720 15970
It will be seen that these figures
give only a majority of 250 in favor
of the populist on the vote for dis
trict iudre. These fisrures are
based upon the highest vote re
ceived by the populist candidate,
and the lowest vote received bv the
republican candidate. It in the 15th
Judicial District, the vote of Kin
kaid, republican, is taken instead
of Bartow, the result of the total
would show that the republicans
have carried the district by 932 ma
jority. Again, in the llth district,
it the vote or JJoyle, populist, is
taken instead of Thompson, the re
sult shows that the district is re
publican by a majority of 310.
Fijrure it anv way vou will, and it
shows 'tunc the nonuiisr. nacic is
broken. The former brutal major
lty that this famous reform party
once inn in this nistrict is a tnin
ot the past. All the republican
have to do next year is to nominate
a man who will get the party vote
and the 6th district will be repre
sented in consress bv a man in line
with the national administration
This is certainly as good a-Christ
mas jrift as we can ,ask. Broken
Bow Republican.
m - . a tfit
there is no reason to aouoc tnt
correctness of the report that Rus
sia'has offered to lend the United
States all the gold it wants, up ti
S400.000.000. It could do it and still
have a plenty Jeft. The truth
that for a series of vears Russia
has been laying by a stock of the
yellow Tnetai. rnis country pre-:
ferred, instead, to reduce its na
tional debt. It is no small com fori
to know that the United States has
a friend with so much surplus gold
at command. If necessary we could
borrow it. it is not likely tnat we
shall ever want to do so. The peo
ple of the country are abundantly
able to supply the government with
all the funds needed. Curing the
seven years ending with the year
1892 Russia added to her stock ot
ovVM urrnrrltncr tn Smipshprlr. 555200.-
000.000. and dunnir the last two
years nearly half as much more
The Russian war chest would make
the wealth of Croesus seem paltry
in comparison. A good deal of th;
vrrif ?s stinnnpr1 to hp on riVnosit
" f t r
in the Bank ot England. Where-
everit.s it is not subiect to the
manipulation of the Rothschilds.
There is at least" one great power
that is financiallv independent of
the banking-house which aspires to
rule the world. Inter Ocean.
Business failures in the countrv
for a completed year number 13.013,
an increase of more than 2 per cent.
the second
year following the panic, in which.
as shown bv the records, it is usual
for the number of failures to decline
The increase of 2 per cent in num
ber is accompanied bv a srain of 6
per cent in liabilities of those fail-
ing. and the commercial death rate.
which
averaged 1.20 in everv 1UU
engraged in
business durinsr five
years from 1890
to
1894 inclusive.
and ranged as high as
1.50 in the
panic vear, lts)5, down to l.i in
1894. has risen to 1.23 of every 100
in business this year. The increase
in number of failures is at the west.
northwest and middle states, de
creases being shown in New Eng
land and the south and at the Pa
cific coast. The percentage of
assets to liabilities has risen from
3 per cent one. year ago to nearlv
56 per cent, as contrasted with 65
per cent in the year 1893.
. o
Of unusual interest to everv
reader of thisr paper, is the an
nouncement made elsewhere ih this
issue, by the St. Louis Globe-Dem
ocrat, unquestionably the greatest
of American newspapers. The
vmail subscription price of the daily
and bunday Globe-Democrat is re
duced at one blow, from Twelve to
Six Dollars a year, placing it within
the reach of all who desire to read
any daily paper .during the coming
- - a 1 m
nauonai campaign. rne
Weekly Globe-Democrat remains at
one dollar a year, but is issued in
Semi-Weekly Sections of eight
pages each, making it practically a
large semi-weekly paper. This
issue is just the thing for the farm
er, merchant or professional man
who has not the time to reada daily
paper but wishes to keep promptly
and thoroughly posted. It is made
up with especial reference to the
wants of every member of the tam
ily, not only giving all the news,
but also a great variety of interest
ing and instructive reading matter
of all kinds. Write for free sample
copies to Globe Printing; Co., St.
9r
0TTQLENGUI
Copyright, 180$, by 6. P. Putnam's Sons.
T" COXTIXUED.J 4
I
"You nro "shrewd, Mr. Barnes,' said
Mr. Thauret, after a keen scrutiny,
which Mr. Barnes thought betokened
uneasiness. "Bat," he continued, "will
you tell me how you think the thief hid
the treasure on the train?"
"He hid it off the train," said Mr.
Barnes quickly, and to his satisfaction
both his men started slightly. Evident-
ly Mr. Mitchel decided that it was time
for him to enter the game, for he crossed
and joined the group, saying as he did
so:
"Are you all discussing the train rob
bery?" "Uh. yes!'" said Dora. "And it is
just lovely, the way Mr. Barnes has
found out all about it!"
"Found out all about it? Has he in
deed?"
"Yes! He knows who the thief is,
and that he hid the jewels off the train."
"How very clever of you, 2Ir. Barnes,
to discover that. Where else could he
have hidden them, since the train itself
and everybody on it was searched?"
It irritated Mr. Barnes the way in
which Mr. Mitchel always seeded to be
little his skill. He was a trifle anfrry
therefore as ho made his next bold
stroke.
"I will teil vou. ladies and Gentle
men, where the thief might have hidden
the jewels, on the .train a place which
no ono thought of searching, not even
mysulf."
"Oh, tell us!" exclaimed Dora. -The
two men looked interested, nothing
more. Emily had come behind Mr.
Mitchel and slyly slipped her hand with
in his.
"The woman carried the jewels in a
satchel. Suppose the thief had stolen the
satchel and thrown it from the window.
Missiug that, the woman would have
naturally concluded that the jewels were
gone, would she net? Very well. The
thief might have hidden the jewels in
her own pocket while she slept. " Mr.
Barnes had hoped much froin this prop
osition, but it was a distinct failure.
Either that was not the thief's method
or else Mr. Mitchel and Mr. Thauret
were both innocent. Both smiled incred
ulously. The former spoke :
"That is too farfetched, Mr. Barnes.
How do you suppose that he wonld re
gain possession of the gems:"
".Bymuraermg me woman," answer
ed the detective. Again he failed, for
neither of the men winced. Mr. Barnes
was foiled for tbo moment, but not en
tirely discouraged. The start which both
men had made when he suggested that
the stolen property had been hidden off
the train still remained to be explained.
"Come, come, Mr. Barnes," said Mr.
Mitchel, patting his shoulder familiar
ly. "Don't let this case upset you so.
When you go so far for a theory, you do
not Ehow the skill which you displayed
in tracking Pottingill. Why, even I can
get you a better one than that."
"You must not think mo quite a fool,
Mr. Mitchel. If my theory seems pre
posterous, it does not follow that it is
thtTonly one at my command We de
tectives must look at these cases from
all lights. I will wager that I can tell
you what your theory isr"
"Good! I am glad New York has
such a clever man to defend her. I ac
cept your wager. Here, I will write my
idea on a bit of paper. If you guess it,
I owe you an invitation to a good din
ner. " Mr. Mitchol wrote a few lines on
the back of an envelope and handed it
to Dora.
"You think," said Mr. Barnes, "that
the thief might have simply handed the
satchel and jewelry to a confederate at
a station decided upon in advance."
"Bravo, Mr. Barnes!" said Dora.
"You are a great detective. Yon have
won your wager. Tiiat is wnat is writ
ten here."
"I owe you a dinner, Mr. Barnes, and
it shall be a good one," remarked Mr.
Mitchel.
"Would Mr. Barnes like to win an
other?" asked the Frenchman, with
slow distinctness.
"I would," said the detective sharply.
"Then I will wager with you that if
you ever clear up the mystery you will
be obliged to admit that none of the
theories advanced is the correct one."
"I cannot accept that bet," said Mr.
Barnes slowly, "because I am suro that
we have not mentioned the true method
adopted."
"Ah, you have another thoory," Mr.
Thauret almost sneered.
"I have, and it is the correct one,"
retorted Mr. Barnes, "but I prefer not
to disclose it."
"I think you are quite right, Mr.
Barnes," said Emily. "In fact, know
ing you by reputation as a man of great
shrewdness, I have not thought that you
were telling us your true ideas. It would
have been foolish to do so. "
Perhaps, though sometimes what
seems foolish may be wise. "
Quite true. And now, gentlemen, I
regret the necessity of dismissing, you,
but I have a ball on hand for tonight
and must beg you to excuse us that wo
may prepare for it. You know in the
fashionable world we train for a ball as
athletes do for their sports. You will
forgive my sonding you away."
This was her wayr and men never re
sented it They simply obeyed. Mr.
Barnes was delighted that both the oth
er men would leave with him. He had
prepared a trap for Mr. Mitchel, but
now he would entice two birds into it.
CHAPTER VL
MR. BARNES ' TRAP.
It must not be supposed from what
has beeu related that Mr. Barnes had
lost any of his old time skill. That he
did not yet quite understand the case
upon which he was working is little to
be wondered at when it is remembered
that less than two days had elapsed since
the robbery had occurred, and that a
great part of this time he had necessarily
been absent from the city upon another
case.
After Lis disappointment at discover
ing that the button which he had found
wnr. Ipsk vnlndhlp f nnn hn Jiail nt first
supposed, he had decided upon a mode j
of procedure from which, ho hoped to
gam mucn. ne naa seen many men
Hindi when brought unexpectedly into
the presence of tbeir murdered victim
Highest of all in Leavening
RoYal
Absolutely
or even in cold blood, might have tne
nerve to take human life. Few resisted
a shudder when shown the ghastly, mu
tilated, perhaps decomposing corpse.
When he left the hotel that morning,
it was about 10 o'clock. While ho had
been convinced by Mr. Mitchel that tho
button found at the scene of the murder
was not one of the original set, or rath
er that it could not bo proved that it
had been, ho was equally satisfied . that
the fact that it presented a portrait of
Miss Remsen was significant. Thus,
after all, it was possible that Mr. Mitch
el had murdered the woman, or at
least he had visited tho apartment. In
either case, supposing that he knew the
woman was dead, it would bo idle to
take him up three flights of stairs to
confront him with the body, for that
would give him ample premonition of
what was about to occur, and he would
readily control his countenance. This is
what the detective did :
Ho went at once to the coroner and
told him enough to have him render his
assistance. Therefore during the time
which had elapsed the coroner had im
paneled a jury, taken them to the scene
of the crime and then adjourned the in
quest, leaving tho doctors to perform
the autopsy The body had been taken
down to a room on the first floor which
opened directly on the main hall. Hero
it was laid out upon a tablo, so placed
that the gaping wound and now hideous
face would at once meet the gaze of any
one -entering. The doctors had been m
structed to postpone their work until the
arrival of the detective. Thus Mr.
Barnes knew, as he led the way down
stairs, that his trap was set As they
reached the main hall he spoke :
"Gentlemen, I am about to ask
favor of you. You were both on the
train when the robbery was committed
There is a question in relation to it
which I should like to ask both of you
and hear each answer separatelv. Would
you oblige me?"
"With pleasure," said the French
man.
jl nave aireacry toici you tnat you
may ask me any questions, " said ItTr.
Mitchel.
"Thank you!" Turning to the hall-
boy, who, of conrse, had been tanght
his part, he continued, "Can we find a
room where we can talk privately for a j
few minutes i"
"Yes, sir; step this way," and the
boy led them toward the ono v.iiero tho
corpse lay.
"Mr. Mitchel," said Mr Barnes,
"will you wait a few minutes? I will
not detain you long." Mr Mitohel bow
ed, and the Frenchman followed the de
tective into tho room, tho boyclosing
the door after him. Nothing was to be
seen save the tablo bearing tho body, the
doctors being hidden in a room beyond.
Mr. Barnes stopped near the corpse antl
simply gazed steadfastly at Mr. Thauret,
who in turn looked intently at the mur
dered woman. Not a muscle moved to
show any agitation. Mr. Barnes waited,
but apparently nothing was to happen.
Yet he was determined that the other
should speak first that he might draw
some deduction from his words. There
fore he maintained a stolid silence. Two
minutes passed, which seemed an age,
and then the Frenchman gave the de
tective a genuine surprise. Looking him
straight in tho eyes ho said in the coolest
tones imaginable :
"How did you discover that I am a
physician?"
"I don't understand you," said Mr.
Barnes, not knowing what tho man was
aiming at.
"Mr. Barnes, you brought mo into
this room saying that you wished to ask
me a question. When I entered and saw
this corpse, I knew at once that your
pretended questioning was but a subter
fuge. I wondered why you bronght'mo
in here, and whilo thinking it cab I
kept silent. So havo you. Very good.
All I can make of it is that, this woman
having been murdered and knowing that
I am a physician, you wished an ex
pert opinion in the case. I wondered
how you had discovered that I havo a
medical education, and so I asked you
tho question. Do I mako myself plain?"
"Quite so," said the detective coldly
and much disappointed. "My reply
must be that I did not know yon to bo a
physician, and that I did bring you in
here to ask a question."
"Indeed! Then what is it?"
"I wish you to tell me who this wom
an is."
"You overrato my ability. I never
saw tho woman before. Is thero any
thing more yon wish to say?"
"Nothing."
"Then I will wish you good morn
ing. " With a polite bow and drawing
on his glov6, Mr. Thauret started to
leave the room. Mr. Barnes quickly
stepped in front of him, determined
that he should not have a chance to
warn Mr. Mitchel. Opening the door,
he then let him pass, thus keeping his
eyes on tho two others. Mr. Thauret
bowed formally to Mr. Mitchel and
passed out. Then the latter followed
Mr. Barnes into the presence of tho dead
woman. If Mr. Thauret was undis
turbed at the sight which met him, it
was not so with Mr. Mitchel. Ho had
scarcely observed what wa3 before him
than, with an ejaculation of horrcr, he
stepped closer to the corpse and ex
claimed :
"My God, Mr. Barnes, what dees
this mean?"
"What does what mean?" said Mr.
Barnes quietly.
The two men stared at ono another a
few moments, when Mr. Mitchel, sud- j
denly lowering his eyes, said, "I'm a
fool!" and once more turned to look at
the corpse. Presently he turned and '
said, with all of his old time composure: j
"Yon said you wished to ask me a
question. What is it?"
"I wish you to tell me who this
woman is."
"Was, I suppose ydu mean. She was j
Rose Mitchel."
"Ah! Did you know her?" !
"I agreed to answer but one question.
I have done so."
"You have admitted that you knew
her?"
Power. Latest U. S. Gov't Report
Baking
Powder
PURE
that"
"Oh, shall I? I have witnesses. Gen
tlemen, please come forward. ' ' A door at
the farther end of tho room opened and
two physicians entered. The detective
continued, "Whathaveyou tosay now?"
"That I am most profoundly indebt
ed to you for having enabled me to
provo what has happened, and also that
you have so soon let me know that we
are not alone. " Mr. Barnes bit his lip at
this taunt, and Mr. Mitchol, turning to
the doctors, continued: "Gentlemen, I
am delighted to know that you have
overheard what has occurred. You may
be called upon to give testimony. If you
will remember, I think that you will
admit that Mr. Barnes asked mo who
this woman is. Correcting his grammar,
I replied, 'She was Rose Mitchel. ' Am
I accurate?"
"Quite so," said one of the doctors.
"Mr. Barnes claims that I have ad
mitted that I knew tho woman. I claim
that I have merely admitted that I knew
her name, which is a very different
thing."
"You admitted more than that, "said
the detective testily, "for you must have
known more than her name to be able to
give a name to this dead body."
"You are quito right, Mi-. Barnes, I
must also have known her face. In the
same way I know both name and face of
Lillian Russell. Were I to identify her
dead body, would that prove that I was
a personal acquaintance?"
"Certainly not, but you cannot claim
that this woman was knowi to you in
that way, for she was not a public char
acter."
"How do you know that?"
"Well, then, was she?"
"That is another question, and I de
cline to answer it at least before wit
nesses. If you will walk with me as far
as ray hotel, I will do the best I can to
explain to you how I could identify this
corpso without having been acquainted
with tho woman herself."
"Of course I will go with you, for ex
plain this yon must," and together the
two men l?ft tho building.
They walked across to Fifth avenue
and down that thoroughfare for several
blocks in silence. Mr. Mitchel was evi
dently thinking over thu position in
which he found himself, and Mr. Barnes
was satisfied not to hasten the explana
tion. Ho thus gave himself time to
mako a few mental notes, which if writ
ten down would have road as follows:
"Why did both of theso men start
when I said that the jewels were hidden
off tho train? It might be because both
knew that to be a fact. If a fact, Thauret
might havo known it because he him
self may be thothler." In thatcase.either
Mitchel is an accomplice or he saw the
other man hido tho satchel at some sta
tion. Could Mitchel himself have hid
den the satchel : How could ho have done
so when I watched his section all night,
unless of course I fell asleep, which is
not probable. It follows, then, that I
must discover what acquaintanceship
exists between these men in order to de
termine whether they aro in leaguo to
gether.
"Next, as to the murder. It is odd to
find both men possessing the means of
admittance to tho houi-e. It is odd that
bjoth wero undisturbed and plainly-incredulous
when I suggested that the
woman mignt have been murdered to
obtain tho jowels. If Thauret killed the
woman, his demeanor in tho preseuco of
the corpro was simply miraculous. He
Showed not tho least agitation. Ou tho
other hand, ho admitted that he has a
medical education. Physicians are less
excited by cadavers, and, what is more,
significant, a physician would know
how to find tho jugular vein with a pen
knife. Still it is not difficult to sever
that vessel without special knowledge..
As to Mitchel, his behavior is more
mysterious. Had bo committed tho
crime, knowing his extraordinary abil
ity to control his emotions,! had a right
to expect him to bo calm before the
corpse, let ho was much excited and
went toward the body for a closer scru
tiny. Murderers usually shrink away
rom their victims. In spite of that he
gavo the woman's name, and it tallies
with that which she herself had claimed.
Now, if he was willing to tell me the
name, and if ho committed the crime,
why did ho remove tho names from all
the garments? Why, unless Roso Mitch
el is an alias, and tho real namo is
thus kept secret? I may ask him somo
of theso questions. "
At this point Mr. Mitchel addressed
his companion :
"Mr. Barnes, Ifchoald liko to know
of what you havo been thinking as wo
walked, and I suppcec you huvo a sim
ilar curiosity regarding my own
thoughts. I mean to gratify you. I have
been endeavoring to view my own posi
tion from year point of view, to guess
what your deductions are from my be
havior in the presence of that dead
woman."
"I cannot give you my deductions, "
said Mr. Barnes, "for the simplo reason
that I havo adopted none as yet It has
always been my practice to avoid decid
ing upon a theory too early. A detective
with a theory will invariably bo tempt
ed to work to provo his assumption. I
work to discover the truth. Therefore I
avoid theories."
"Good ! I see that my opinion of de
tectives, as expressed in the conversa
tion which you overheard, must bo
modified. I still think I am right in the
main, but you are an exception to the
general rule."
"Mr. Mitchel, I don't care for compli
ments. Yon are at present in n very sus
picious position. You said you could ex
plain how you were able to identify that
woman." ,
"I will do so. First let me state that
I never saw her but once before in my
life. The story is very short I have
been in this city lcssthan two years. I
became engaged to Miss Remsen last
winter. About a month later I received
a letter signed Rose Mitchel, which in
formed me that tho writer could divulge
a secret in relation to my family which
would cause Miss Remsen to break with
me. A price was named for silence, and
a .photograph, inclosed that I might be
in -o,'Tjj70fhfii wonin-j. fr- fih&
boldly announced that she would call in
person foe the money. She did so, and. I
have never seen her again till today."
"Can you prove this story?"
"I will show you the letter and tho
photograph if you will come with me to
the Garfield safety vaults."
"I will go with you at once. Did you.
pay the money demanded?"
"I did."
' 'Do you not know that it is suspicious
for a man to submit to blackmail? It
tends to prove that he is in the black
mailer's power."
"That is correct. I was in this worn-'
an's power."
"That is a serious admission, now
that she has been murdered."
"I know it. But here we are at the
vaults."
The two men entered the building
and Mr. Mitchel obtained the key to his
compartment. He never took it away
from tho place, for he thought it safer
in the keeping of the officers of the
vaults. Descending into the great strong
room he took a tin box from his drawer,
' and then went into a littlo private room
provided with a table and chairs. Open
ing the box he took out several packages
which he laid on one side. Among these
tho detective was amazed to see a red
Russia leather case bound around with
a strop, upon which appeared tho namo
Mitchel in gold letters. CouJdit b pos
aible that this was tho case containing
the missing jewels?
"Ah! Here it is," said Mr.Mitchel.
"Hero is the photograph." He handed
it to Mr. Barnes, who saw at once that
it was the picture cf the dead woman.
"And hero is the letter. Shall I read ib
to you?" Mr. Barnes assented with a
nod. His thoughts were mainly upon the
red leather case. Mr. Mitchel read aloud :
"ilr. It. Mitchel:
"Deak Sir You will bo surprised to receive
this from one of whom perhaps yoa know lit
tle, .hut who knows much concerning your
family so much that, were she to tell nil she
knows, your high toned sweetheart would'
send you adrift' in n jiffy. Some say that si
lence is golden. So it must be in this case. If
you wish mi to keep silent, you must boready
to pay mj $10,000 on Thursday night, when I
shall cail for it. I send my photograph that
ycu may know I am tho writer when I call.
You seo I am not afraid to do this because if
you call in the police I win simply tell my
story and you will bo ruined. I may go to
jail, but that does not worry mo much, as
thero are worse places. So bo ready to rectiivo
me on Thursday night. Yours truly,
"Ross Mitchel."
Mr. Mitchel handed tho above to Mr.
Barnes, who read it over carefully, ex
amining tho envelope and postmark,
both of which proved that the letter
was genuine and a year old.
"Did you give her the amount de
manded?" asked Mr. Barnes.
"I must explain what I did. When I
received that letter, it was plain that
there would bo nothing to lose by re
ceiving the woman and hearing her
story. I determined not to give her any
money. Therefore, when she called, of
course I did not have any such sum.
After listening- to her I changed my
mind. I found that, through certain pa
pers which she had, and which she did
not hesitate to show me, she would be
able to ventilate a scandal which might
result jnst as she adroitly prophesied I
mean in the rupture of my engagement
Naturally I wished to avoid that. When
I told her. that sho shoukJMiavo - the
money if she wouldcalI again, she be
came furious and said I had tricked her
and now wanted a chance to hand her
over to tho police, etc. I saw that I
must settlo with her at once and did, so
on these terms : I agreed to give her
cash enough to go to Europe and tho
balance in jewels. '' ...
In jowels?" cried Mr. Barnes, star
tled.
"Yes, in jewels. You are surprised,
but that is becauso you do not know my
hobby. 1 am a collector of jewels. I
Tltc case lay open on the table.
havo 000,000 worth in these vaults.
Therefore, while I had no such amount
in cash as 10,000. 1 could easily Give
her three diamond rings, which I did,
with a, letter ton Paris jeweler, who
would purchase them from her. Thus
was I rid or tno woman, part of the
agreement being that she should never
return."
"Mr. Mitchel, a man of your intelli
gence must have known that such prom
ises are not kept by that class of people. "
"True, but I obtained from her all
tho documentary evidence which sho
had, so that I rendered her powerless to
annoy mo further. You said awhile ago
that it wa3 a serious admission for mo
to make that I was "in this woman's
power. I suppose you meant that snch a
fact supplied a motivo for this murder.
Now you see that this is not true, since
I can provo that I released myself from
that position a year ago. "
"How can you prove that?"
' 'I havo the woman 's receipt, in which
she states that for tho sum of $10,000,
or its equivalent, she delivers to me
family documents, etc."
"Havo you the documents still?"
"I prefer not to reply to that ques
tion." "Very good, but answer mo this one:
Where did you obtain this leather caso
and what does it contain?" As he said
this the detective picked up tho case and
hold it before Mr. Mirchel's oye. That
gentleman was evidently confused for a
rioment, but finally answered :
"It ccutsiins some jewels."
"Jewels? That is what I thought
May I examine them?"
"Not with my permission.!'
"Then I must do so without" And
with a quick movement the. case lay
open on tho table. I.twas linedwith,
black satin and contained gems-similar
to those described in the paper foundjin
the dead woman's .pocket What seemed
more important, however, was a .piece
of writii.giKiper upon which Mr. Barnes
found an exact copy of tho list and de
scription which he had in his pocket.
The detective noticed with astonishment
that though Mr. Mitchel had refused to"
permit this examination of the contents
of the ca?e he made no effort to prevent
it, and now sat back looking on in the
most unconcerned war.
CONTINUED OX THIRD PAGE.
