was
built by the credulous and imaginative people of South Norwalk. The
romance of their dispositions was stirred to its very depths, and
their enthusiastic minds drew a vivid picture, in which the manner
and cause of Henry Schulte's death was successfully explained and
duly accounted for.

These men were without a doubt the emissaries of some person or
persons in Germany, who were interested in the old gentleman and
would be benefited by his death. As this story coincided so fully
with the mysterious appearance of the old man at South Norwalk; his
recluse habits and avoidance of society, it soon gained many
believers, who were thoroughly convinced of the correctness of the
theory thus advanced.

Meanwhile the coroner had made the necessary arrangements for the
holding of the inquest as required by the law, and his office was
soon crowded to overflowing by the eager citizens of the village, who
pushed and jostled each other in their attempts to effect an entrance
into the room.

The first and most important witness was William Bucholz, the servant
of the old gentleman, and who had accompanied him on that fatal walk
home.

He told his story in a plain, straightforward manner, and without any
show of hesitation or embarrassment. He described his meeting Mr.
Schulte at the depot; their entering the saloon, and their journey
homeward.

"After we left the saloon," said Bucholz, who was allowed to tell his
story without interruption and without questioning, "Mr. Schulte said
to me, 'Now, William, we will go home;' we walked up the railroad
track and when we reached the stone wall that is built along by the
road, Mr. Schulte told me to take the satchel, and as the path was
narrow, he directed me to walk in advance of him. He was silent, and,
I thought, looked very tired. I had not walked very far into the
woods, when I heard him call from behind me, as though he was hurt or
frightened, 'Bucholz! Bucholz!' I heard no blow struck, nor any sound
of footsteps. I was startled with the suddenness of the cry, and as I
was about to lay down the satchel and go to him, I saw a man on my
right hand about six paces from me; at the same time I heard a noise
on my left, and as I turned in that direction I received a blow upon
my face. This frightened me so that I turned, and leaping over the
wall, I ran as fast as I could towards the house. One of the men, who
was tall and stoutly built, chased me till I got within a short
distance