The Spruce Street Tragedy

heard the outside d

was no

you s

sure,

is it now

past s

en, and George

o have shown up,

e keeping t

Seth. He's usually pro

if we're going to take hold of this case

am most anxious not to lose t

uld come. I don't want the reg

t," said Old Spicer, quietly; "but I do

hen I think of the way they managed such splendid cases as the

s going over to Ston

ld learn; and perhaps Medical

ll,

t? The outside do

p." Then, as some one knocked at the door of the room, "Come in, Geor

the new-comer sank wearily into an arm-chair; "but I should hav

t, quickly; "for goodness' sa

ge Morgan, gravely. "If it were not so, I think you both know m

that," nodde

Seth; "but let's he

e we parted last night, that I should see Chi

e arrangement," a

his office in the police bui

y," laughe

orge, "I started at once for his

listener

least when, I reached York, but was so busy with my own thoughts tha

el

here I was, I turned into Spruce

et, impatiently, "where are you driving to? D

g man, with a grave smile; "but I am getting to the

have it

and what is still called by some

y belongs to old Mother Ernst, and she keeps a

, Seth; it's low enough, in all

and sleeps in that low basement; in fact, it is said,

ld, and she's lived in that damp basement so long, she's got the rheum

place, the milkman, Julius Smith, of East Haven, came rushing up the outside basement steps, his face as white

I demanded, seizing him by the arm, and givi

gasped; 'matter enough

anded, sternly; 'what

n a lounge, in her saloon down there,

murdered?' exclaime

enry M. Cohen, the watchmaker; and in less than a min

of course, George?" said

entered the room where the dead

k at it, then, befo

old woman was lying on her left

dead long, d

hould say-five o

you th

mbs; they were as

een shot o

ed or chloroformed

bound and

her; another handkerchief encircled her shins. Around her throat and head was wrapped a sheet. That part of it which encircled the neck made a ba

murderers were well supplied

of it so fell across her breast that, I should think, in her desperate struggle to

e no signs

vidently from her nose; and I thought I discovered a

been something

other signs indicative of a struggle or blows. Even at her throat, where generally, you know, finger-nail imprints

essed, George?"

en said, "were those she usua

disarranged

torn apart, and a search made presumably for a pocket-book or

done by some one who knew the old woman, for there'

e of the head. "It's a well-known fact that many wome

"I've had occasion t

s very much interested, "go o

the foot of the sofa; the mate was on the right foot. On th

t companion for the past fifteen years. Without

lves very much disturb

tell you, gentlemen, a house and its contents were never more thoroughly ransacked. Why, the solitary bedroom, where Cohen said Mrs. Ernst had slept f

e pretty thorough work of it,

the

es

ittle doubt they had good reason to believe the old woman h

o you think t

d some, but not eno

you kn

reaus, such as the hunter for the antique delights to discover, stood in the bedroom. Every drawer of it

basement was completely overhauled. In the front room not a box, or a bundle, or a drawer, or a pail

ies on the ground before you came

ce captain, and two or th

ny idea who

st; they are com

d any theory yo

ess the truth,

s hea

hould like to hear your opinion

for a moment, then h

of this tragedy. Suppose we go to

ny Creek affair?" exclaime

arily," was

't underst

ly, "that in this instance, the shortest roa

George Morgan, "I be

once," and a moment later the