e, and some of
it had congealed thickly on the brass facing of the lock. This Captain
Wing plied off, in order that an analysis might be made. There were more
spots on the key plate of the washstand, and this also was forced off.
On the south wall was a score or more of stains, large and small, to
several of which long black hairs were adhering, just as if the blood
that spurted out when the head was struck with some blunt instrument had
carried the hair with it. The wall was white, and the mute evidences of
the awful crime stood out with terrible distinctness. On the bedstead
was a mattress and a pair of uncovered pillows, but this part of the
room had escaped the struggles of the victim to save his life. The
painter had left his mark on the inside blind or shutter of the window
looking out on the vacant lot, for eleven finger prints were plainly
visible. Apparently the blind had been closed in a hurry while the paint
was still wet.

[Illustration]

Passing through the communicating door into the dining-room, another
spot of blood appeared in the middle of the floor. Strange to say, no
effort had been made to cover this over. There was nothing else about
the room to attract attention. The basement was next visited. Here the
pot of red paint and the paint brush had been thrown down under the
stairs. A broom with a broken handle stood against the wall, and a
hurried inspection showed that it also was stained with blood and
particles of wool. This had evidently been used to sweep the carpets
while yet wet with gore. The paint pot bore the name of a well-known
Chicago firm. Returning up stairs, the officials commenced a more minute
inspection. On the floor beside the bed they found a key, which was
subsequently tried in the lock of the bloody trunk found on the previous
day, and proved to be the one wanted. A bill for curtains was also
brought to light. The dressing case and wash stand were turned around,
and the officials were considerably elated at finding them branded with
the letters "A. H. R. & Co.," the trade mark of Alexander H. Revell &
Co., an extensive local furniture house of national reputation. This of
itself was a valuable--and as it subsequently turned out--a vital clue.
The kerosene lamp was found to be almost full. If it was filled the
night of the murder, it did not burn more than an hour. There were,
however, no signs of a single article of the murdered man's clothing, of
the implements in the surg