Exciting indeed!  A quick search of the name has led me to the site Dime Novels and Penny Dreadfuls, which looks as promising as a Hatchet S. Clyde handshake.

Behold, some lines from Fred Fearnot’s Day, or The Great Reunion at Avon:

“Murdered by tramps,” were the words that greeted my ears as I trudged along the forest road in one of the northern countries of Michigan, under the hot sunshine of a June day.

An old man had been murdered in his cabin for money -alone old fellow, who lived a hermit life-and great excitement prevailed in the neighborhood. I had been sent to the scene of the murder by a woman who was interested in the case, and I went to ferret the assassin out and see him imprisoned for his crime.

* * * * *

Sharp, suspicious glances were cast over me. I resembled a tramp very much, and those men were just at present in an ugly mood. I did not fear them, however. I had carried my life in my hands on too many occasions for that.

“What seems to be the trouble, gentlemen?” I questioned, in a pleasant voice, that served to disarm enmity and suspicion.

“Old Ramroyd hez been murdered,” answered a giant settler. “Some ornary cuss hes gin Sam his quietus wi’ a club. Ef we git our hands on him we’ll fix him.”

The man looked savage enough to keep his word.

I pushed my way inside the rude frontier cabin, and there my eyes met a sight that was sickening in the extreme.

* * * * *

I made a thorough examination of the room, and soon found the weapon that had been used in performing the awful work. It was an iron-wood club, about three feet in length, the full size of the sapling from which it had been cut, something like two inches in diameter. The small end had been whittled with a knife, making a neat handle.

Doubtless the club had been cut for the express purpose for which it was used. There were too many tracks about the house to note any particular one.

After making some further inquiries, I left the cabin, taking the ironwood club with me.

“The man who cut this club is undoubtedly the murdered I reasoned. “I must find who cut it and watch the fellow. This is a clew that I feel sure, will lead to something.”