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About La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959 | View Entire Issue (July 26, 1934)
t Thiusda.V, July 2(1, 19:51 LA (i KAN UK KVKNINO OBSERVER:. LA GRANDE, ORE, Page Three " TTrTliTST' - - DKMOCKING HOUSE smut-MX: gun that tilled one of the two men tuund murdered tn I'terre linlreene't house is still about the vlace, although Serueaut Harper has not been able to find It. tie has lound a wet viece ot tiring, however, ehich eecme to have a connection with the mttxtcrtt. tioio he tuft located the caelumcr who Bold n dienutse to one of tlie mur dered men, eo that he milhi re eemble ilulreane. Chapter 29 CRANK LETTERS '""plIIS man came tu with a pic ! ture." Paglioltl ntldod', "a clip. ping from a ncwapniior, showing a man with a beard. He said It was a friend of Ills and that ho wanted to make himself up like him as a Joke. We studied over the picture and I myself trimmed the beard and mous tache to match as no wished." "Was there a name printed under the clipping? Would you recognlzo the picture again? Pagllotll shrugged his resrets. do not remember. I would have for gotten all. except for the clipping -Harper pondered a moment. "Can you recall anything olso about this man? Was he well-dressed? Did he come In an automobile? Was UIb manner nervous or secretive?" "There was nothing out of the way about Ills manner. The other ques tions 1 cannot answer." The detective took a long pull on his pipe. "One more question. Mr. Pagllotll. you know the man who bonght that disguise from you Tias been killed. It has been suggested that ho was crazy a dangerous ma niac. What do you say to that?" Pagllottl's answer was Immediate, -explosive. "Oh, no, no. 1 do not be lieve It. Not tlrnt man." Harper smiled. "I'm Incllued to agree with you. Thank you very much. Your Information should be helpful to us." The Italian bowed politely, shook bands, and departed with the alert Mr. Harris, leaving Harper with a new and puzzling addition to his col- iccnon or data concerning this mys terious affair. The detective began to lool- .hrough the packet of crank letters which Dufresne had turned over to the police. There were eight ot them In all, the earliest postmarked November 9th, a little more than flvo weeks after the purchase ot the disguise. What had the nmsquernder been do ing those five weeks? Why had such a long Interval elapsed before his alleged letters began bombarding bis Intended victim? Dufresne had not evon been back In the city from his summer vacation when this man had appeared at Pagllottl's. Y If this nameless man had really I' intended to kill Dufresne, why. had I he not done so without all this fan fare of threats and hard language? His course had certainly been that ot the cowardly "crank," not that of the determined killer. The butler appeared. ".Mrs. Croy- I den thought you might like a bite of lunch, sir. It can be served in here. so that, it will not Interrupt your work. Is there anything special you would like?" That s tine, Andrews. Anything you happen to be serving will be quite all right Thank Mrs. Croyden Tor mo, please. "It will be ready in half an hour, sir." "Fine. In the meantime, will you ask Mrs. Whitmore to come here?" RS. WHITMORE took at least 1,1 ten minutes to make her ap pearance. The detective wondered V what the servants were saying about the murders, for he knew that in the sanctity of their own quarters every tongue would be wagging unrestrain edly. A great deal of the talk would ho mere Idle gossip and conjecture, but mixed with this must necessa rily be many Items of first-hand knowledge that would bo Invaluable to him, could he bu hear them. When Mrs. Whltn.ore did make her appearance, her attitude and the expression ot her face left no doubt as to her persona1 stand. The bel ligerent gleam In her eye, the twist of her tightly shut lips promised lit tle aid and no sustenance for the police processes. "Mrs. Whitmore, I have some ques tions to ask. As all of you now know, there was a double murder here last night. To withhold Information of any kind Is a serious matter. In a case llko this it can mean prison. I want you and all the others to un derstand that clearly." ' Harper paused, feeling that this prologue was wasted on the de termined woman. Mrs. Whitmore nodded curtly, "1 understand that, but I didn't have anything to do with It and 1 don't know anything about It." she answered haughtily. "Of course not Don't misunder stand my purpose in sending for you. Let us start a little way back. ICE CREAM POWDER When In the market for Ice cream powder ask your grocer for Lena Bell brand. Accept no lubatltute as there Is none "Just as good." Purely vegetable. A pure foot! pro duct. Each 10c package contains enough powder for use with cream, milk and flavoring to make one gallon of Ice cream. Directions on package. Put up only by Lena Bell Ward, Rt. 1, La Grande. Ore. Sun-Proof Paint "The Paint That Lasts" PITTSBURGH PAINT STORE Phone 1S3-J 111 Elm St. .BY WALTER C. BROWN. As I understand it, you and Mr. Whltmpre wero left In sole charge ot this house while Mr. and Mr Dufresne went to their summer home at Moose Head Lodge?" "Yes, sir." "The Dufresnes left early In July and did not return until late Oc tober?" "That's right." "During all the time ot their ab sence, there were no disturbances, no attempted burglaries, no. prowl ers at night, nor suspicious charac ters seen in the grouuds?" "No.- 'Did you have any vlsltpre of your own, relatives, or friends?" "We did not." ' "The bpuse was never left unoc cupied, then, even for a day?" "Never." The housekeeper was rapping out her staccato replies as quickly, as the detective (lred his questions. "Which rooms did you occupy?" "Our usual opes the double bed room on the third floor, front." "Oh. 1 thought your quarters were over the garage?" "Those are only temporary." HARPER struck off on a new line. "Did you know Officer Hamill, the policeman who was killed?" Only by sight. 1 remember seeing him about the neighborhood. I didn't know his name." "Did he ever stop to talk?" "John, my husband, talked to him several times over the fence In the evenings. He never came Into the grounds, that 1 saw." "How did . you know when the house was to bo opened again?" Mr. Dufresne sent me a telegram the day they started home. All the preparation needed was to replenish the food supply and notify the maid." "Oh, there was a maid? WUat be came of her?!" She left." Discharged?" "No. she left of hor own accord." "What reason dli she give? Had she been with the Dufresnes long?" "About a year and a bait. 1 didn't ask her reasons for leaving. She gave Mrs. Dufresne the usual two weeks' notice." Mrs. Wliltmore's tone made It plain that she had not been overly friendly with the maid, "What was her name?" "Ellen Becker." "Do you have her present ad dress?" "I do not. I believe she has rela tives somewhere in the city, but I'm not sure. Mrs, Dufresue would know." "Surely you have some Idea as to. why she left, Mrs. Whitmore? it seems very unusual that she should wait all summer to resume her du ties here In the fall and then leave after a few weeks. Surely she had some explanation to make?" "Ellen was always close-mouthed and stand-offish," the bpusekeepcr replied. "She never made friends with any one." 'Why wasn't she replaced?" "By that time the redecorating had been decided upon and started. Mr. and Mrs. Dufresne went to the Austerlltz. There was no need for a maid until the bouse waa opened again." "I understand Mrs. Dufresne di rected the changes. I suppose she was here a great deal while the work was going on?" "Oh, yes, she was In and out all the time, consulting about this aud that. But Mrs. Croyden helped a lot with it, too." "Did Mr. Dufresne come out often?" "Perhaps twice a week, to see how things wore going. He left all the de cisions to Mrs. Dufresne, though." "Well, that gives me a pretty clear Idea of how things stood over the summer but I need a few more de tails about this re-decorating. It seems to have been a thorough un dertaking. Was the whole thing han dled by one firm or were the various Jobs given out to different firms?" "No. Johnson & Carew bandied everything, the painting, papering, upholstery, even the outside paint ing." "Then the only workmen who were in this house were In their em ploy?" "Yes. There was quite a lot tf them, working at various times. Per haps a dozen altogether." They were under supervision all the time?" Yes, indeed. A Mr. Holllday had charge ot the whole job. He was up here every day." What were the working hours?" From half-past eight to four o'clock." I Copyright. J0JI. bu Walter C. Brown) Tomorrow, Harper gives Mrs, Whitmore soma startling Informa tion. AUTHORIZED .. 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