Newspapers / Brevard News (Brevard, N.C.) / March 3, 1922, edition 1 / Page 6
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True Detective Stories TOE RED HAND THE BRBVAHD NEWS, BREVARD, NORTH. CAROLINA GomteU by Th* WiMctor SjrndlcaU, lac. 44 A ^ aboard! All aboardT* The guards who had charge of the London local which was due to atop at Hackney shortly after six O’clock in the evening, were even more Insistent than usual In their de mands one night in the summer, for the train was already late, and trying to duake up time. But a cry of conster nation from one of the men who was boarding the train brought the I# tendants flocking around him. “Look!” he cried, pointing through the glass of the compartment toward the cushions of the seat on the far side. My God, man! Don’t you see? They are e:oakcd with blood 1 And there’s a man’s walking stick and a black leather bag! Where’s the oc cupant of this compartment?” That was the question which puz zled every member of the London po lice force, and especially Col. James Fraser, head of the department. Where was the mau who had very evidently been murdered in the coach? Who was he? The bi.«»ck bag contained no informa tion whatever, and the walking stick was merely an ordinary one, lacking even initials. The guard who had charge of that car saki that he “seemed to recall two men getting into that compartment at Fenchurst street, in London,” but he wasn’t sure. AVhen Colonel Fra.««er examined the car carefully, however, he found the print of a blootiy hand—a hand with short, squat finders—on the wall of the coach, evidently where the mur derer had steadied himself after com mitting the crime. But where was the body? This angle of the case was soon cleared up by the discovery of tlie body of a man near the railroad tracks in Victoria park. The head and face had been so disflgured that identification would have been almost impossible, had it not been for the card which was found in his vest pocket. By means of this It was found that the dead man was a cer tain Thomas Briggs, chief clerk of a London banking house, who had been on his way to visit his daughter in Peckham. According to his asso ciates, he was in the habit of carrying a considerable sum of money with him, and also wore a very handsome watch and chain. When the body M'as discovered, however, the watch, chain and the money were missing. Immediately after the body was dis covered Colonel Fraser measured the fingers of the left hand, but found that they were entirely too long and well shaped to fit the bloody imprint on the wall of the coach. Pinning his faith to the fact that the murderer would probably try to sell Brigg’s watch and chain, the po lice settled down to watch all the pawn brokers in and around London, but days passed without any develop ments from this end of the case. Finally, just as Fraser was nearing the end of his patience a second-hand dealer in Cheapside reported that a chain, similar to the «ne worn by the dead man, had been brought into Ills establishment on the day after the murder. The chain, he said, had been placed in with some others, and had slipped his mind, imtil he commenced to go over his stock. The only de scription he could give of the man who sold it was that he was “forelgn- looking,” In fact he felt certain he was a German. More in order to quiet the press than because he attaf’ ‘'d any real Im portance to the disc-iMery, Colonel Fraser made public the details of the dealer’s story, an»l ‘^he following morn ing a man called jit police headquar ters, bringing with him a cur l which he said his daughter had found on the floor of the room recently occupied by Franz Muller. Tlie card bore the name of the second-hand dealer who had purchased the chain! Muller, stated Fraser’s informant, was a German who had boarded in his house for some time past, but who had suddenly disappeared, leaving most of his effects behind him. ^ *‘Didn’t happen to leave a photo graph, did he?” *'Yes, sir, he did. Here it Is,” and the man produced a picture which the second-hand dealer immediately Iden tified as the man who had sold him the clialn. It was a matter of only a few hours to trace the German to a steamship rffice and to find that he had sailed, 48 hours before, for America. Wish ing his own men to have credit for the capture. Fraser dispatched two of them to New York on a fast boat, and when Muller stepped off the ^ncplank he was arrested for the murder of Thomas Briggs, although he vigorously protested his Innocence, and stated that he' had bought the chain from a man' on the street. As further proof of his assertion, he pro- ilucetl Briggs’ watch, which he said he had bought at tha same time as the chain. Ind^:much as the guard who had ■seen the men enter the coach at Fen- •^u.(•h street could not positively iden- lify .MnMer, the case against him ap peared to be very flimsy—until Colonel Kni'ipr compartKl the man’s hand with th‘» Moody outline on the wall of the ?i:ach. The two were Identical to tho thouvorH*-^ part of an Ir.rh’ Soi, • .nonth.s later Franz Muller paid nensMy for his ci ime on the |alio\ Gmries Fruits Meats You can supply your entire table from our store, andean save time, trouble and money by phoning or calling in person and making known your wants. .We carry a full line of select Staple and Fancy Groceries, Fruits, Meats and Vegetables, and they are all of the best quality. We handle the following Rock- brook products: Water-ground Meal, Pure Pork Sausage, Creamery But ter. F. P* SLEDGE ^‘The Clean Market'^ Brevard, N, C. BREVARD, NORTH CAROLINA Departments—College Preparatory. Normil, Music, 3-jiin *33, Do mestlc Art, Household liconomics, Agriculture. Ail departments are directed by teachers with special training and large experience. They know their business. Influences of the Institute are alone worth the cost of tuition. Opens on September 3. I ' ff* ' '•fir-* c ' .*• •' *. ■ ■■A- ■V- - - . , • Perfect Millwork You will be delighted with the variety of handsome designs we can show jrou in doors, windows, railings, trimming, etc. And you will be further pleasedf at the saving you can make over your planned expenditure. Modem improvements in the handling of nullwork malfft it possible for you to get any desired tone or effect in your home with woods that are really inexpensive. Our Prices Please We handle thoroughly seasoned prime material. Yet because we buy in quantities, and have the goo^ yoo want xi|^t at hand, we can supply your needs at • price that satisfies both. We can be of real service to you also in the selection of the materials for the woodwork in yoorhome. CiKnetousfor 9 of Q,uaUty at Economy Vrices ORR-SITTON LUMBER COMPANY Our specialty is House Patterns and Rcu^^h Lumber » Depot Street Phone 42 Brevard, N* C. THE FARM YOU WANT We Have It In the Famous Shenandoah Val:ey Rich red loam, Blue Grasr, stock, grain and orchard farms of 25 to 1,C00 acres, with ^ ood buildings. They grow 20 to 35 bushels wheat and 100 to 175 bushels corn to acre. Perfpc't climate, solid roads, best of schools, pure water and cheap labor. 228 Acres, 10-room stone residence, largre barn, good orchard, running water, 100 acres blue grass, 21) acres timber, ‘smooth, level in cultivation. Near large R. R. town. Price 145 an acre. 122 Acres, r'plendid 10-room brown stone residence, large bank barn 50xl< 0 ft, 2 silos, electnc ligh^^s, running water, ever:,’thinpr first class, at a price less than improvements would cost. Near large R.JR. town on National Highway. Write for farm bargains that will make you money and good homes. 35 W. Water St„ Winchester, Va. The Brevard Building and Loan Association Its 27th Series m March lake Your Money Work For You The co-operhtive way is the best way to save money. ' The co-operative way is the easiest way to build or luy a home. Either course brings security and self-re spect. BothD aid in the upbuilding of the com munity. The Association inv^^es the patronage and support of all our citizens. Its shares are tax free and its entire earnings belong to its shareholders. Investigate and you will invest. Offices in Dunn’s Rock Building. G.E.LATHROP,Sec.&!Treas. k Mi Bread 8c Loaf We have cut fhc cost of living and are selling our BREAD at Sets a' loaf. All other bakery goods in proportion* Our bread is guaranteed to weigh as much as the imported stuff> has more shortening, yeast, etc. Support your local in dustries. Philip’s Bakery ^ GOOD>^EAR }j) Service St at ion. CITY PRESSING CLUB J.E. WATERS, Prop.’ Cleaning Pressing Dyeing All work timed out promptly. Main Street Brevard We’re Now a Goodyear Service Station Our service of prevention keeps you out of tire trouble, instead of the old, costly method of getting you out, after you are in trouble. We closely watch every Goodyear Tire we sell and see that it delivers all the mileage built into it- The worth of Goodyear Tires is established by the fact that more people ride on them than on any other kind. Our service—recommending the right size and type before you buy your tires, applying them correctly, and inspecting them for signs of abuse and neglect after you buy them- helps you obtain maximum mileage and utmost satisfaction. Let us serve you. HARRIS MACHINE CO. Goodyear T ires mTCH AND cJEWELRY Typewriter Ribbons and C^'^' on Paper :^alc at the ’"'Jews Offic?, LEO. L. WINCHESTER JEWELER P. O. Box 44. Rosman, N. C. SMITH’S PLACE where you will receive courteous treatment, and where every one who^ is employed is a Tonsorial Artist We wUI be pleased to serve you n Tresspass Noticcs at the News Office.
Brevard News (Brevard, N.C.)
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March 3, 1922, edition 1
6
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