The Slaying Hand The Story of a Crime, Murder Book, Hudkins Publishing

Twenty years have passed since the events, the history, and the sequels to which I will relate. It is the tale of a crime committed in one of the large cities of this country, which, baffling the authorities at the time, still remains a mystery to all but myself and one other. Even now, at this late day, in deference to a plea that bore the seal of death, I shall only write of it with such changes of scene and names as I hope may prevent identification.

To me, the history of this tragedy has always seemed convincing proof of the insufficiency of circumstantial evidence, except where such evidence is conclusive. I do not intend, however, to indulge in any abstract discussion of that subject. Still, I shall consider that I have sufficiently fulfilled an obligation I owe to the law when I have submitted the bare facts of this case as I know them to have occurred.

While the changes of scene and names which I shall allow myself may involve some minor changes in the same line, I shall take no advantage of the opportunity that may thereby be afforded to complicate or exaggerate in any way the mystery that veiled the case, for to do so would be to subvert my purpose; but shall adhere to a plain statement of the facts, in every particular, as they successively discovered themselves to me. I do not promise that it will prove an entertaining tale, I do not promise, but that it will be a curious and interesting one, I am sure, especially to those who, by profession, are brought in contact with crime in its various phases.