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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 10, 1934)
PAGE EIGHT 1 MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, JIEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 1931. MOCKING HOUSE BYnoralS: Although Sergeant Harper hat proved that the etran- ier and the policeman found dead n Pierre Dureene'e houee toere murdered, and did not kill each ether ee the evidence appeared to prove, he can neither Identity the ' murdered etranoer nor ehouj hout the murderer eecaped from the houee without leaving marke tn-the now. Dufreene, although he hae an apparently airtight allot, hae . eroueed Barper'e eueplelon. Chapter it - HARPER'S THEORY "AFTERWARD, Dufresne's alibi waa ao confoundedly air-tight that It annoyed me," Harper contln ued. "Bat how to get around It? had that Idea In mind when t lett here right after the discovery of the bodies and dashed back to the Aus terlltz but there he was, dead drunk, and our own men on guard.' He shook his head. "That's tough nut to crack. 1 guess we'll hare to look elsewhere tor the mur derer. There are two vital questions we'll have to answer before we can pin It on anybody. The flrst one Is, Who Is the dead man? Certainly the man lived somewhere, ate his meals omewhere, bought things, and met people to some degree. You can' lire in any city without some per sonal contacts. "The second question Is, How did the murderer escape from this house without leaving tracks in the now? Each Is a vital question and we've got to supply the answers." "The newspapers will help us tabllsh his Identity," Laffert proph esied. "With all the publicity we re getting, aomethlng la bound to come out. But the question of the scape through the snow we'll have to solve ourselves. Do you suppose we could possibly be wrong about that? Maybe the murderer hid and didn't leave until later." Harper smoked In silence. "It's tot me guessing, but I'm convinced It was done. That's where the mur derer showed bis devilish Ingenuity, picking bis time and arranging the circumstances so that It was nearly Impossible that his presence at the acene of the crime should even be suspected. We've been over every Inch of the house half a dozen times. Mo hiding-place for anything larger than a cat has escaped attention, Add to this the presence of the Du- (resnes, the Croydens, the servants, and you see how Impossible It would he for an outsider to escape notice. "I can't conceive of one outsider coming Into this house to meet and kill another outsider. That wouldn't he reasonable. If you take that line you've got to explain why any. one In this household should be moved to cover up the evidence, as this hiding of the gun proves. "No, every Indication points to the murderer as being among those present. There's some trick to that scape and we've got to fathom It. We know from the evidence In hand that there were previous meetings In this room between some one from this house and-our man of mystery. The killing was carefully planned, with every detail worked out In ad ranee." "You think the snowstorm was ar ranged for by the killer?" Latferty emended facetiously. .BY WAITER C. BROWN. T THINK the presence of snow was essential to tn whole scheme. Harper replied, seriously. "Assume there was some guilty relationship between the person who met here. ay, a blackmailer and bis victim. The killer has determined on mur der aa the only way out. But that murder must be made to look like suicide. "For the put three daya the Weather Bureau has been reporting a billiard aweeplng the Middle West and warning that we were sure to catch the tall of JL The killer saw the big chance. A completely de tached and unoccupied house, with mow all around It, and no prints In the snow. That person had forty light hours to figure out a way to turn that unmarked snow Into an unassailable alibi." Harper tapped down the ashes in his pipe. "By the way, you haven't aid a word about your check-up In the nearby. housea. I suppose It was awash-out?" Latferty nodded disgustingly. "I couldn't gather two cents' worth of evidence," be growled. "Did you cover all the houses?" . "Every on In this block, both Idea of the street, and the three nearest the back of this house." i Harper stirred restlessly. "Every thing hinges on that get-away. Until we can discover that our story will not be fully credited, what hap pened here last night Is almost as plain to me aa though I had been ' hiding behind the door. The trouble la that the murderer's face Is Just a blank and almost any one of our eight faces could All that space." "You mean you u ... ut actios pieced together?" "Just that. Follow this closely and see If It doesn't cover all the known points. The masquerader arrived at the rendesvous ahead of time. The storm Is In Its early stages and he would not want to leave plain tracks around the place. He went to Du tresne's room, shaved, changed Into one of Dutresne'a dress suits and put on his disguise." "Why the disguise?" was Lit ferty's terse Interruption. "I don't know," Harper admitted. "That is some evidence of mania. I am dealing with physical move ments now, not motives. The mas querader made himself comfortable. He got out the liquor decanters, per haps filled them, lit the hearth Ore, and sat back to enjoy a drink and a smoke. With the snow coming down thick and the double curtains drawn. It was sate to light the Are and the candles." "Why bother with candles?" Laf-, ferty questioned again. "Ah, they explain one of those odd points that are so troublesome, You remember that the electrio current was cut off at the switch? Mrs. Wbltmore didn't do that. 1 fig ure that every time those persons met here at night they threw that switch. Why? Because It the Whit mores, or any one else, came back! unexpectedly, they could not make! a light. Hence the use of candles." LATFERTY approved with a nod! of the head. j "Then the killer came to the ren desvous. The snow was not yet deep enough to retain the tracks very long. They sat In this room and talked. There waa drinking and smoking. At the pre-determlned mo ment a gun was whipped out and bangl the masquerader went out like a candle. "And now the murderer had to work awlftly, because any Interrup tion would be fatal. The killer need ed more light, for nothing must be overlooked. The fire waa stirred up to Increase the visibility In the room. Unknown to the killer, a shower of sparks went dancing up the chimney. 'Now that pistol shot In a closed room must have sounded like a can non. With the sound still ringing In his or her ears," Harper amended with a smile, "the thought came Had any one heard It? The killer stole to a rear window to look to ward the garage. All quiet there. He went to the front window. Damna tion! A policeman Is approaching. The murderer thought the shot bad been beard and Is, momentarily thrown Into a panic' What to do? Meantime, Hamill had turned In at the gate. "The killer's flrst thought was that the game waa up. Talk the of ficer out of looking around? That meeting would be remembered whenever the body was found. Then came the Inspiration and Hamill waa doomed from that mo ment. This cold-blooded killer de cided to take the bull by the horns. He opened the front door to Hamill and Invited him Inside, Hamill, no doubt recognising the killer as one of the rightful household, went In, unprepared and unsuspecting. You remember we wondered why Hamill went directly up the steps to the front door Instead of reconnolter Ing and why ha wasn't shot down on the threshold or In the hall? The reason waa that the killer Instantly grasped the value to bis plan of having the policeman die at the proper spot. Had Hamill not known the person who opened the door to him he certainly would have had his gun' ready and reports of his superior officers show that he was not the type to be caught flat footed If there was the least reason to be wary. To my mind his death In this room Is the strongest evi dence that soma person In this bouse did the Job. So the stage waa set. Dufresne's gun had been used to kill the first man, then the dead man's own gun waa used to kill Hamill. The orig inal murder gun waa put back tn Dufresne's drawer. The gun used to kill Hamill was wiped clean and placed In the maaquerader'a dead Angers. - "Then the killer dug the .45 bul let from the wainscoting and used the Are-tonga to hold It In the flames, but It wouldn't melt. He went down Into the cellar, tound the roll of old carpet, and Bred one shot from Hamlll'i gun through It "The tact that he thought of the hole under the steps as a good place to hide the betraying bullet shows again extreme familiarity with the house. He carried Hamill's bullet upstairs and dropped It In position." (Copirtght, 1114, cy Walter ft Sroumj Tomorrow, Ing door. Haroor auoaoito tha roaion for the myittry offno bang- Lake Creek IAXI CRBK1C, June 8 (Spl.) The committee worked herd on the float for the agriculture parade Friday at the Diamond Jubilee. A large crowd met at the Orange hall Monday to prepare the decorations. - This community was well repre sented In the pioneer parade Thurs day, also, and a number of horeea were taken to Medford, In readiness for that day. About forty friends and neighbors gathered Thursday evening at me Tonn home to welcome Mr. end Mrs. Harry Tonn, who returned that even ing at the Tonn horn to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Harry Tonn; who returned that evening from a ahort honeymoon trip, epent at Prospect. The evening was spent In playing games and wishing the young couple good luck. Another perty, composed of ebout to (ovsc Ppl !"a aeaa' yallejr, serenaded Mr. and Mrs. Tonn Mon day night and epent a couple of noun in a Jolly good time. Refresh ments were served. Mrs. Lucy Vleaux of Helena. Mont., who la visiting her sister, Mrs. J. B. Short, and daughtera, Lu clle and Dorothy Vleaux, visited Sat urday among old friends st roots creek. Mrs. Ivan Davles and children of Forest creek are guests of , her mother, Mrs. B. It. Jones. Mlaa Lillian Bate ot Portland ar rived Bnnday to spend the summer with her sunt, Mrs. 1. I. Meyer. Mr. end Mra. Ray Ragsdale apent the week-end at Bugle Point. fall Nut Conference WASHINGTON. June . (AP) The) farm administration announced to-1 day that a public hearing on propoe-' ed amendments to the marketing agreement and licensee for peckers of walnuts grown In California. Ore-I gon and Washington will be bald at Berkeley, Cal, June IS, I NOVELIST THRILL By VERA BBOWN Feature Writer and Novelist Keep the nose down, don't give It much rudder, and you can ma&o nice turns at 80 miles en hour. And we're not talking about air planes. We're talking about the new 1934 Chevrolet I My companlona on a trip around General Motors proving ground were Miss Elvy Kalep, Estonia's first wo. man filer, and William Hoult, Chev. rolet testlnz superintendent, who drove first. Now lor those turns at 80 miles an hour. We did them. And tney felt much like an airplane In a verti cal bank. Slippery roada and all, we did the speedy course and did not slacken lor the turns. "It's lust like flying," Insisted the pilot from Estonia. "I'm aurprlaed you people over here haven't - had 'knee action' before, aa you call H. In Europe we've had It lor a long time. We had to have something to take the shock of our bad roads. Otherwise, motoring would be Impos sible In many parts ol the conti nent." "Now you try It," said Hoult. I looked at the lady from Estonia. She looked at me. Then she took the wheel and away we went at 80 miles per hour again. She took the ourves as easily as Mr. Hoult had done them. "I don't believe It," I declared. "My turn was next. I, who have always said I'd never ride 80 mllea an hour In anything but an airplane. With the 'knee' business, the 80 seems simple. The car holds tbe road and that away which lighter cars get at high speed was absent." Besides the special hinging of the front axle, which Is not unlike the undercarriage of an airplane, the top la streamlined within an Inch of its life. Miss Kalep was In Fetrograd when the revolution started In 1917. She was In Cuba, October 28, when the shooting started there. She was the first woman filer In Estonia, Fin land and the surrounding countries. She was Europe's first woman auto gyro pilot. And ahe got a thrill from the new Chevrolet. 1 who have been staying st Sunset auto camp, have gone to Portland for a few days but expect to return to Sunset for 'a longer stay later. We are still having rain, which Is good for the country In general but hard on the hay. Trail TRAIL, Jun 9. (SpU Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Swingle and Mrs. M. Ben nett spent the week end In Klamath Falls to attend the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Swingle's daughter, Hoi la, which was solemnized at the Presby terian church June S. Mrs. Iilal Tucker and Jennie Hutch inson are spending the. week In Med ford visiting friends and attending the Diamond Jubilee. Mrs. Florence Watson was home over the week end. Bhe is staying at Mt. Stella, where Mr. Watson Is stationed at the lookout station for a few weeks. Mrs. B, Scott and daughter, Ger ald !ne, were In Med ford Monday. Word received here from Mr. and Mrs. Howe and daughter, who are visiting In Michigan, reports they are having a wonderful time but will be glad to get home again. They ex pect to return about July 1. A large majority of the people here attended the Jubilee parade in Med ford Thursday, Pink Thomason of Central Point and Mr. and Mrs. K. E, Hutchinson and daughter, Bhlrley, of Klamath Falls, were guests at the S. W. Hutch inson home Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. King of Long Beach, Prospect THE MOSQUITO LISTENER By GLUYA5 WILLIAMS PROSPECT. June 9. (Spl.) Wil liam Jantzer and son, Billy; Mrs. Frank Evans and Mrs. Prank X. Jantzer drove to Grants Pass May 30 and visited Mrs. William Jantzer and Infant son in the Grants Pass hospital; also Mrs. Frank Jantzer's father, who Is a patient In the same hospital. Mra. Frank Johns nt rvri.n to caring for the William Jantzer mauij during rs. jantzer's absence. She Is Mrs. Jantzer's mother. Mr. end Mrs. George Jantzer and family spent May 81 In Grants Pass on bulsneas. - Lewie Jantzer, son of Mr. snd Mrs. George Jantzer, cut bis hand seri ously with an axe May 30. Mrs. Ludo Grieve underwent a ma jor operation in a Medford hospital Monday. Qua Dltaworth. Dnharf m-. n.j Vaughn and Richard Dltaworth left muuuajr wita a largo Bunch of cattle for the range . above Union Creek. The;- returned Thursday. Mr. and Mra. W. T. Grieve, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Carlton and sons and Mr. and Mrs. Haines inn HnM grandson, Keith, and Mr. and Mrs. mui nooeraon and family were in Medford' Thursday attending t.n in. bilee. Mr. and Mra. Nelson Mvm mnA fam ily gave a dance Saturday at their home. Mr. and Mra. Boh Ntntmi. BV moved to Ashland. Bob Is In this year'a graduating class at the Normal. sits sEWir6 comneo' tt WMIDSfOFHtVPfV FAMIlf CIRCLE . SOtDEMW HOIDS UP HAKD TOR SILENCE, EyaAK)lN6 TrCRE-S A rWCtUtrO IK THE ROOM RELAXES , ADMlTilN6 SHE CANY HEAR rf MOW JOSf to TAMlW Hfr.5 SETTLED BACK Tb QBS WL CHATTER A6AIM. SfWtfS UP WITH A S-H-H. THtNfc ir 15 AeflIN FOR "TWO MIHWfcS Sift BOtf UPRI6HT JJSfEW m IHttrfelVECC, WHILE FMULV MNNfAJH-o ' SILEKCE HUSBAND STARfS t MURMUR HE poESNT IrllHK THERE IS A. MOS- cmo and is PRonpr- LVSHUSHEP Sfft5KE,CAKrt' EERVBOBV HEAR if WW? IrffER SILENCE RESUMES SEiaIKCj REMARK 1N6 SHE'S SORE 6HE HEARD rf W4D KEEPING. ONE EAR COCKED. AND SO ON THROUGH THE EVENK6 luopyi-ighl. 1934, by The Bell Syndicate, Inc.) S 'MATTER POP- By 0. M. Payne ill . J' J w J g - W Wl ftjj - (Copyright, 1834, by, The Bell Syndicate, Inc.) K2X TAILSPINJTOMMY Summing Up Evidence ! THEN IT'S AU ) NOT ANY MORE THAN NO--6UT A DOZEN PtTOPLG SV SOUV"3AV TOM, AND I 8UWED BUT MARJORIE WAS gOHAT ABOUT CUT AN' DRIED-OS OOUSLAS, BUSOMSiLT. NOT QRAC6" )1 HEARD HIM SAY TO (OILK-- I JUST HAPPENED TO S' INTO MARJOR1E MIL WIS GfRl FRIEND-TjTHlS OYSTERY FOO WANS S R BRACE--- HE'S NOT A t'lL ST VOi fO RGMEMBER."VflU K'NOlO"' DECK? R AND THEY WERE GONNA f EIRL FROM. ISTH'UUILTY T- klLLER- dl ? F TSTtE Atsr TVYS TH' N1SHT WE TRIED A -H HAD A 8E. tOE.0 -S HE CHICAGO. VIOLA ?uv,Ton.' w?MfoMM Mb ,-rlP do-"- r to catch th'guy s z sun in her. wouldn't i a crisp-- -she. " ll 'tt Cui By Hal Forrest BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER Cap'n Ike's Triumph! By Edwin Alger THE YOUNG SWAB TELLS ME IT'S All BUT WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW i r PITCHER TAKIN' EXPEDITION WHEN HlrA AN' JEPPARD CHARTERED THE AAAGGIE" BUT JACK SCR06GS KNEW TWAS "SUNKEN TREASURE. AM' NUW Wt KNUW THAT JACK WAS RIGHT 'TILL NOW. MY HEARTY. WAS THE WHY AN 1HC WHcKCiAN THc'slZc O'THE TREASURE -THERE'S MILLIONS IN IT FOR US NOW. SHIFTY GOOD OLD CAP'N IKE WILL SEE TO THAT Bv So Hesg Wain-t we goin'to nJ Four nibblin's ended, shifty- r lock it, an' nibble around all that was old man jeppard's put it back-ieit longer? here. i undersea camera that's i ITlSiSiliSSf I CARPET NOW SO IT'LL BE r-rM KNEW TWAS SUNKEN TREASURE, B BSte rilllMiMl BACK I Ni PLACE . -flfl TH AN' NOW WE KNOW THAT JACK WAS I THE NEBB8 And So To Bed f mw poor, peerr! it looks like r"S T a lflljir A cwair.. is neeitowiMG to- look f was e-rnsi awmg before this i I'M GOIKJO, TO AEASl OUT A LOT III j. ,1 I IIIIB) WS. 'A LIFE PRESepVER OM THe A SUV, 6UOER, LOft.OEO AL.L. TMIS BUSI MESS 1, 'l! ill I OP. SHOES UJHILE THE SEAT II I MM Pl SHP Op TOO-MUCW-BOSIMESS I 1 OKI MS AvlOO IT SEEMS LIKE ALL THE JM ll OF MV PtfMOTS LOILL LAST Jl t U 'ffl I I ri ft EveV OLD Tl RED BOKJE. I M MV TIRED A CUSTOMERS ARE DISSATISFIED IF flV.I FOREVER..' S 1 W W l M l BOCfV IS AKiyiOUSLV WAITIMG THERE'S EVER ONE COMES HERE WITH Jl 'A ll i ?wJ3Sa 1 fT ,raBPl fJ for. me to ojhisper. mold .a,kimdlv look im his eves, mam or A i nt" i f r-i - ii iai -daj stkr u lfcis - --.sssty r , BRINGING UP FATHER . ' By George McManu. II :S"iP DIDFIEL.D WAA HERE AMD, I 1 I If LORD DIPFIELD IS A. Vj III I . II I MRS. JlGGS-THE CHIEF OF l I , 1 li I OF COUCLSH. VOU HAD TO BE OUT ( SOCIAL. LEADER AM5 ( POLICE HAS ARRESTED f I VOL! SIEVE R. VAMT TO MEETT-'l... . . VOU HAVE FIXED IT SO 1 KMOW rXo o.oc:, TJT,?i
