Tales of Terror and Mystery

           NearTring,attheveryplacewherethetrainsloweddown,therewasfoundatthebottomoftheembankmentasmallpocketTestament,veryshabbyandworn.ItwasprintedbytheBibleSocietyofLondon,andboreaninscription:"FromJohntoAlice.Jan.13th,1856,"uponthefly-leaf.Underneathwaswritten:"James.July4th,1859,"andbeneaththatagain:"Edward.Nov.1st,1869,"alltheentriesbeinginthesamehandwriting.Thiswastheonlyclue,ifitcouldbecalledaclue,whichthepoliceobtained,andthecoroner’sverdictof"Murderbyapersonorpersonsunknown"wastheunsatisfactoryendingofasingularcase.Advertisement,rewards,andinquiriesprovedequallyfruitless,andnothingcouldbefoundwhichwassolidenoughtoformthebasisforaprofitableinvestigation.

           Itwouldbeamistake,however,tosupposethatnotheorieswereformedtoaccountforthefacts.Onthecontrary,thePress,bothinEnglandandinAmerica,teemedwithsuggestionsandsuppositions,mostofwhichwereobviouslyabsurd.ThefactthatthewatcheswereofAmericanmake,andsomepeculiaritiesinconnectionwiththegoldstoppingofhisfronttooth,appearedtoindicatethatthedeceasedwasacitizenoftheUnitedStates,thoughhislinen,clothesandbootswereundoubtedlyofBritishmanufacture.Itwassurmised,bysome,thathewasconcealedundertheseat,andthat,beingdiscovered,hewasforsomereason,possiblybecausehehadoverheardtheirguiltysecrets,puttodeathbyhisfellow-passengers.