Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Man with the Watches
Inhispocketswerefoundnofewerthansixvaluablegoldwatches,threeinthevariouspocketsofhiswaist-coat,oneinhisticket-pocket,oneinhisbreast-pocket,andonesmallonesetinaleatherstrapandfastenedroundhisleftwrist.Theobviousexplanationthatthemanwasapickpocket,andthatthiswashisplunder,wasdiscountedbythefactthatallsixwereofAmericanmakeandofatypewhichisrareinEngland.ThreeofthemborethemarkoftheRochesterWatchmakingCompany;onewasbyMason,ofElmira;onewasunmarked;andthesmallone,whichwashighlyjewelledandornamented,wasfromTiffany,ofNewYork.TheothercontentsofhispocketconsistedofanivoryknifewithacorkscrewbyRodgers,ofSheffield;asmall,circularmirror,oneinchindiameter;areadmissionsliptotheLyceumTheatre;asilverboxfullofvestamatches,andabrownleathercigar-casecontainingtwocheroots—alsotwopoundsfourteenshillingsinmoney.Itwasclear,then,thatwhatevermotivesmayhaveledtohisdeath,robberywasnotamongthem.Asalreadymentioned,therewerenomarkingsupontheman’slinen,whichappearedtobenew,andnotailor’snameuponhiscoat.Inappearancehewasyoung,short,smooth-cheeked,anddelicatelyfeatured.Oneofhisfrontteethwasconspicuouslystoppedwithgold.
Onthediscoveryofthetragedyanexaminationwasinstantlymadeoftheticketsofallpassengers,andthenumberofthepassengersthemselveswascounted.Itwasfoundthatonlythreeticketswereunaccountedfor,correspondingtothethreetravellerswhoweremissing.
