american tragedy

Chapter 99

Chapter 32
The materials collected by Hayter and his assistants are very strange and striking: because a boat disappeared, and the beautiful tourists who came here also disappeared, the local boss sent people to search early, and found The canoe and the hat and veil of the missing person.Immediately, all the people who could be found jumped into the water after persuasion and mobilization, trying to salvage the body.According to guides, innkeepers, and boat shed watchers, the missing persons were a young, pretty girl and a well-looking young man.That's enough to stir both interest and grief in those around them.Besides, what makes everyone wonder is, how could such an accident happen in this sunny and windless weather?

However, what happened next caused even greater commotion.At noon, a fisherman finally hooked Roberta up.Some parts of her face were clearly injured.They immediately feel that something is suspicious.The fisherman cried out, "How pitiful. She looks so light, and it is strange that she can sink down." Then he dragged her into the cabin, and found that she was breathless.At this time, people gathered around.He pushed back the hair that covered her face, and said, "I'm sure, Jo. Look here, the child seems to have been beaten by something! Look!" People could see the bruises on her face.

Even when everyone sent Roberta's body to the boat shed, and then salvaged the male body, some people had doubts: "It seems a bit strange, these scars... aren't they? Such a good weather, such a boat, would capsize It’s unbelievable.” “Whether he’s in the water or not, we’ll find out in a while!” After several hours of salvage without any results, everyone decided that he was not in the water at all, which was another shocking thing for everyone. An uncomfortable and exciting thing.

Thereafter the guide, after talking with the innkeeper, came to the following conclusions: ([-]) The drowned girl's suitcase was at Ken Lodge, and Clifford Golden had his suitcase with him; ([-]) The two names registered in Caohu and Dabeiton are completely different, but after researching the two innkeepers, they believe that the people who registered the two names have exactly the same appearance; There are not many people on the lake.In this way, everyone confirms that there is fraud.

When Haight arrived, he was told that the residents were distressed and staunchly suspicious.They did not believe that the man's body was in the lake.Heite also went to check on the unnamed female corpse, and found her young and beautiful, and felt strange.Not only because of her appearance, but also because of the suspiciousness of this matter.He had also read the letter he had found in Roberta's coat, and he was even more suspicious.

The letter reads: Dearest Mom:

We're here, and we're getting married, but only to you, and you don't let papa or anyone else see it, because no one else will know it now.At Christmas, I've told you why.You don't have to worry, as long as you know where I am, don't think I'm unhappy, because I will be fine.

Kiss you passionately.

love you roberta

July [-] in Grass Lake, NY

In a few days, I will tell you the new situation, until then, please keep this secret.

"Grass Lake Inn, Grass Lake, N.Y. Jack Evans Industries" is printed on the stationery.The letter had apparently been written the morning after they had spent the night at Grass Lake on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Graham.

poor girl!

From the letter it appeared that they were staying in the hotel as a couple, but they were not actually married.As he read it he was disturbed, for he also had several daughters and he loved them very much.However, he has another idea: the county's quadrennial election is coming soon, and he hopes to be elected as a judge in the county, but although he is the highest official in the county's judicial circle, during his tenure, Never did any really important cases to show his skills.But this one...

The coroner foresaw that this case was a rare opportunity to focus attention and votes on a single sitting district attorney.This is a close friend who has always been helpful to him and means a lot to him.

He then decided that he would refuse to answer any questions concerning the letter, which would hopefully lead to the quick discovery of the criminal (if there was one) and, in the present political situation, to unravel the problem. Whoever contributed the most to this riddle will be the most popular.

Immediately he ordered Earl and the guide back to the Kenlochy station where the couple had disembarked, and to inform them there.Under no circumstances could the suitcase, which was kept there, be delivered to any one but himself or the District Attorney's representative.Then he was thinking of calling the Beards to check on the Aldens, who had a daughter named Bert, or Roberta.At this moment, two men and a child, both hunters in this area, disturbed his plan.He was brought here by a large group of people who knew the case, because they had the situation - very important situation! According to their reports (they were interrupted from time to time and corrected when they said something wrong), At five o'clock in the afternoon on the day of Roberta's drowning, they set out from Three Mile Bay, about twelve miles south of Great Buckton, with the intention of fishing and hunting in and around this lake.It was about nine o'clock that evening, as they now testify unanimously, when they reached the south bank of Great Berton, that they met a young man.He was, they said, a well-dressed, well-dressed young man, with a straw hat and a suitcase.They thought he was weird at the time.Also, when he met them, he was very frightened, and, according to them, jumped back a bit, and turned to run, as if surprised.It was a while before he calmed down, and they greeted each other, and then the man asked them how far it was to Three Mile Bay, and they told him, and he went on.

The appearance of the young man they heard was almost the same as that described by several other people. Obviously, he must be the one who was on the same boat as the mysterious female corpse.

Earle immediately suggested to his superiors that he be allowed to call the innkeeper in Three Mile Bay to see if the young man had been seen by others or lived with them.But in fact, it wasn't there.Besides, no one has ever met him except these three.He vanished like a bubble in the air, but that evening there was news that a young man had been seen sailing for Chalons, wearing a cap instead of a straw hat.

For the people who lived around Great Patton, everyone recognized one conclusion: This man was a pure rogue, a beast! Therefore, everyone hoped that he could be hunted down and brought to justice as soon as possible.This rascal! Murderer! The whole area has tried every means to report the news of this tragedy to Albany's "Hundred Eyes", "The Unified Times", Lycurgus' "Star" and so on. Newspapers, with hints, might be hiding a murderous crime of a heinous nature.

(End of this chapter)