_A Romantic Theory Dissipated._--_The Fair Clara becomes
communicative._--_An Interview with the Barkeeper of "The Crescent
Hotel."_
While these events were transpiring within the jail, I was actively
engaged in the attempt to follow the clue in relation to the two
suspicious individuals who had made their mysterious appearance at
Stamford on the night of the murder of Henry Schulte.
It will be remembered that their actions attracted universal
attention, and that, after inquiring for a train to New York, they
had taken one going in a directly opposite direction.
Judicious inquiries soon brought my officers in personal contact with
several parties who distinctly recollected the two strange persons
above mentioned, and from their descriptions we were enabled to trace
them to their places of residence.
It was ascertained that they were two respectable and peaceably-disposed
Germans who resided at New Haven, and who had come to Stamford on
that evening to attend a frolic at the house of a German farmer who
lived near to that place. They had spent the evening in a jovial
manner, and had left the house under the impression that by hastening
their steps they would be in time to catch the train for their homes.
They had consequently run the greater part of the distance to the
station, which being nearly a mile away, accounted for their
breathless condition upon reaching there. They had then inquired for
a train _from_ New York, and not _to_ that city, and upon being
informed that no further trains from that direction (as they
understood it) would arrive that night, they had indulged in an
extended personal altercation, each accusing the other of being the
cause of their detention. When the train did arrive, contrary to
their expectations, their ill feelings had not sufficiently subsided,
and they sat sullen and apart upon their journey to their places of
abode.
These facts, of course, dissipated the romantic theory that foreign
emissaries had been employed by the relatives of the deceased to put
him out of the way in order to secure his wealth; and so that
glittering edifice of speculation fell to the ground.
I did not have much faith in this story from the outset, but it is a
rule with me to follow every point in an investigation to a definite
and satisfactory conclusion, and this line of inquiry was diligently
pursued to the results mentioned. I therefore dismissed the matter
from further consideration.
Operatives were also detailed to visit the Crescent Saloon, where the
fair and voluptuous Clara presided and ministered to the bibulous
appetites of her numerous friends and admirers.
They succeeded in making the acquaintance of the young lady, and by a
liberal purchase of drinks, were successful in getting the fair but
frail damsel in a communicative mood. She related her previous
experience with Bucholz and confessed to entertaining at one time a
decided regard for him, which regard was, however, not unmixed with
fear. She also related several incidents, in which Bucholz, after
having gone to South Norwalk, had visited the saloon and had been
very lavish in spending his money.
"He was here," said the girl, "only a few days before the murder, and
he drank a great deal. He appeared to have plenty of money, and spent
more than fifty dollars here at one time. He seemed wild and excited,
and talked about the old man in a manner that frightened me. When I
heard about the murder from the young servant that used to work for
Mr. Schulte, I could not help thinking that Bucholz had something to
do with it. His eyes had a wild, wicked look when he spoke about the
old man's money, and I felt sure that he was robbing him during his
lifetime. When I heard that he was dead and had been murdered, I
could not help it, but I thought at once that Bucholz had done it. I
do not know why I thought so, but I could not get rid of that
impression."
These statements, although furnishing no proofs of Bucholz's guilt,
were of a character to convince me of the possibility of his having
committed the murder. He had evidently been stealing from the old man
before his death, and whether the murder had been committed to hide
his previous robberies or to obtain possession of the great wealth
which he carried about him, was the question I was resolved to
determine.
A visit was also paid to the hotel where Bucholz had boarded and
where he had met Mr. Schulte and engaged in his service. The
cheery-faced landlord was very reticent upon the subject, and but
little was learned from him. His barkeeper, however, was more
disposed to talk, and it was ascertained that when Bucholz had left
the hotel to enter the employ of Mr. Schulte he had left unpaid a
bill for board which had been accumulating for some weeks, and that
his trunk had been detained in consequence. After the murder he had
visited the hotel in company with the officers who had him then in
charge, and had paid his bill and taken his trunk away. The barkeeper
shrugged his shoulders and declined to have anything to say when
asked about any suspicious actions on the part of Bucholz during his
residence in the house or since his engagement with Mr. Schulte.
From this person it was also discovered that a mail package,
evidently containing some money, had been received at the hotel,
addressed to William Bucholz. It purported to come from Germany, but
an examination of the seals disclosed the fact that the package had
been manufactured in the city, and that it had been designed to give
color to the story of Bucholz's, of his having received money from
his relatives who resided in Germany. There were, however, too many
circumstances surrounding this package of a suspicious character to
successfully deceive any one about its having come through the
regular channels, or, in fact, having come from Germany at all. This
package was the subject of discussion in the German paper, whose
comments had produced such a marked effect upon the prisoner when he
read it.
This information I was compelled to receive for what it was worth.
The package had been delivered, and I could only depend upon the
recollections of those who had seen it at the time. Their statements
or opinions would certainly not be received as evidence, nor could
they be used in any legal manner. They only served to strengthen my
belief in William Bucholz's guilty participation in the murder, and
determined me to pursue my present system of investigation vigorously
and unremittingly to a successful conclusion.