My friend the murderer, and other mysteries and adventuresDoyle, Arthur Conan
General
My friend the murderer, and other mysteries and adventures
Doyle, Arthur Conan
Detective and mystery stories, English
Jackman’s Gulch recovered from this blow, and is now a flourishing
township. Social reformers are not in request there, however, and
morality is at a discount. It is said that an inquest has been held
lately upon an unoffending stranger who chanced to remark that in
so large a place it would be advisable to have some form of Sunday
service. The memory of their one and only pastor is still green among
the inhabitants, and will be for many a long year to come.
THE SILVER HATCHET.
On December 3, 1861, Dr. Otto von Hopstein, Regius Professor of
Comparative Anatomy of the University of Buda-Pesth, and Curator of
the Academical Museum, was foully and brutally murdered within a
stone-throw of the entrance to the college quadrangle.
Besides the eminent position of the victim and his popularity among
both students and townsfolk, there were other circumstances which
excited public interest very strongly, and drew general attention
throughout Austria and Hungary to this murder. The _Pesther Abendblatt_
of the following day had an article upon it, which may still be
consulted by the curious, and from which I translate a few passages
giving a succinct account of the circumstances under which the crime
was committed, and the peculiar features in the case which puzzled the
Hungarian police.
“It appears,” said that very excellent paper, “that Professor von
Hopstein left the University about half-past four in the afternoon,
in order to meet the train which is due from Vienna at three minutes
after five. He was accompanied by his old and dear friend, Herr
Wilhelm Schlessinger, sub-Curator of the Museum and Privat-docent of
Chemistry. The object of these two gentlemen in meeting this particular
train was to receive the legacy bequeathed by Graf von Schulling to
the University of Buda-Pesth. It is well known that this unfortunate
nobleman, whose tragic fate is still fresh in the recollection of
the public, left his unique collection of mediæval weapons, as well
as several priceless black-letter editions, to enrich the already
celebrated museum of his Alma Mater. The worthy Professor was too much
of an enthusiast in such matters to intrust the reception or care of
this valuable legacy to any subordinate; and, with the assistance of
Herr Schlessinger, he succeeded in removing the whole collection from
the train, and stowing it away in a light cart which had been sent by
the University authorities. Most of the books and more fragile articles
were packed in cases of pinewood, but many of the weapons were simply
done round with straw, so that considerable labor was involved in
moving them all. The Professor was so nervous, however, lest any of
them should be injured, that he refused to allow any of the railway
employés (_Eisenbahn-diener_) to assist. Every article was carried
across the platform by Herr Schlessinger, and handed to Professor von
Hopstein in the cart, who packed it away. When everything was in,
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