The Spruce Street Tragedy

ended to the main floor of the house, where he questioned Otto Webber and his wife, and

man of perhaps twenty summers, an

in the room-a woman-who

" said the detective, in an inquiring

rs. Neustrom

ur charming nie

girl is

e saw and heard last night at, I think, somewhere between eleven and twelve o'clock;" and a

a tone of decision; "but it will be impo

y s

ed not to speak on th

s she been

e, of the offic

ch o

e chief,

who e

etec

ing of the law governing s

ittle about th

rry to h

home, he might know. H

t in the hous

little while ago with

t as it happens, I also am p

u a

ch cases, the law places unlimited a

do

ony. I have also the authority of the late Mrs. Ernst's execut

may you

the detective with a polite bow. "It's jus

agerly. "Old Spicer! Of course, au

" answered her aunt, "esp

etly, and turning to

vering round the premises unt

ee, sir," ans

understood yo

there were

d your attention to

oud talk

here were they when

nst's kitch

that you were up

did not reach home until af

to bed at once when

, auntie, here, asked me t

s your w

You may think it strange, sir, but even while I was obeying the instructions of my aunt a horrible dread that som

were not long in accom

t the woodshed door, and an additional m

ou went to

tment windows of the basement. I raised the window, but could not hear the words used in the

ermans?" ask

quite positive

you so sur

overheard did not sound at all like

f these parties at

from my window the forms of two men issuing

know those

acious!

y n

ng it impossible for me to obtain a clear view of

ldn't make out who they

nt to

eding, I must conf

ld like to see you al

ted and looke

d bewildered, and did

d the detective in a reassuring tone. "This room will do,

, opening the door, she led th

than a quarter of an hour, and

ut that night, at nine o'clock, he sat in his own back parlor

her, they both arrived, and as soon as the

me? I suppose you have found

first?" asked Geo

m you," said th

tance I have to mention is the traces of footprints I

, eh? Were they

ent through this yard, walked over ground that has been recently planted wit

supposing these tracks were made b

and proceeded to the fence on the north boundary-line of the property next beyond. There are also what I r

red the fo

s,

get casts

or three, but none t

ble to climb that fence and go across that yard, when it would have been much more convenient for them to have walked right out the front door of the barroom, for no

eorge; "but there are the marks on the

ue consideration, of cou

tion I have to offer is-th

ly is. What evidence hav

were used in binding the poor old

at least, I

emember, Woodfor

arked '

another, which is certainl

any mark

r 'C. B.,' in one corner, and there yet li

e the hand

his pocket and han

ined the two lett

. B.' or 'C. B.,'" he said at last; "

he handkerchi

perfume, e

ou detect it?

dor-a peculiar odor; but

you call

ve it a name, I

l, w

orof

orof

tain

believe yo

Where did you find

t had fallen; and why some one hadn't foun

dn't like to disturb the r

had to move the sofa out

ing found this handkerchief, that th

Then, too, ordinarily, a man is not armed with more than one handkerchief at a time-especially those of the class of citizens that made the Ernst saloon their headquarters. So, speculating on such a ba

the way, did you manage to learn anything m

re about, I was obliged to confine myself to questioning such of the widow's patro

nd out somethi

y, Mrs. Ernst and her second husband, who was then living, built an immense underground vault in the back-yard, at some distance from the h

by selling liquor and beer on Sunday, but no evidence of a positive character could be obtained, and the reason was that this great und

tion of the premises, were unavailing, inasmuch as the patrons could not be seen anywhere. They were secreted in the underground vault, indulging in all the liquid nourishment t

scribes, and that it was used for the purpose he names; but I am inclined to believe it has been u

of the tenants over there are goin

Did you learn

ustrom family a

m not surprised to hear it," and the