Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 11, 1934)
PAGE SIX MEDFORD HAIL TRIBUTE, ilEDFORD, OREGON, MONDAY, JUNE 11, 1934. DM?" MOCKING HOUSE BY WALTER C. BROWN m'SOPSIS: Serjeant Harper has at laet explained to hie own ealteactton how a murderer killed a etranper and a policeman in Pierre bufreene'e houee. Hut he cannot make a case until he aan identify the etranaer, and deter mine how the murderer escaped. has reconstructed the crime or Laflert'i, his helper, and hn reached one email paw In the plan. Chapter 34 BANGING DOOR "XJEXT, the murderer rinsed and dried tha second liquor glass and put It back In tbo cabinet," ex plained Harper. "The dead man's pockets and clotblng were emptied of anything that might establish bis Identity. But the killer over-reached himself there by making too thor ough a Job of that A couple of keys, a pen or pencil, two or three things like that would have created a more normal appearance. By means un known to us, the murderer then made his escape." "But what about the banging door?" Latterly Insisted. "The killer took a. big chance there. It might hare drawn some one's attention while the murderer was In the mid dle of all those details." "I've got an answer for that, too. The lock-bar was let down Just be fore the get-away. There was a pur pose behind that banging door. It wouldn't have been fooled for more than ten seconds, unless this man came here to meet them. Which only substitutes one set of absurdi ties for another. Besides, I am quite convinced that tha Wbltmores can be dropped from our calculations. "The next real mystery concerns the threatening letters. What was their object, If action was really contemplated? The letters really meant business, as the ambush proved." , Lafferty thought It over. "You can't dodge the Inference that there was a conspiracy afoot to do away with Dufresne. Those lettors made no demands for money. Just the threat to kill. That backs up my theory Mrs. Dufresne teamed up with some one to get rid of her bus band. The letters were sent first, as a blind to give ue a false lead to work on." "TV Mrs. Dufresne teamed up with I some one here In the house, where does our dead man enter the picture? And If not, then who bid the gun this morning? Certainly she did not" "Just the same, I'm holding out for my theory. She's back of It and her husband Is foolishly trying to cover up for her. We don't know what's been going on in their private lives." The door was supposed to draw attention. was supposed to draw attention to the crime!" "The tnurdorer wanted the bodies discovered right away?" "Exactly." "But why was It so Important to have the bodies discovered at once?" "There can be only one answer o that the murderer had a good alibi and he didn't want to waste It Had those bodies been lying here all night, discovery would not have come until tbe Wbltmores en tered this room. That might have been some time today, perhaps not until tomorrow. But that would not do. The killer wanted It known that the deed was done early last eve ning. Why, unless he had prepared t protecting alibi?" r AFFERTY was interested. "That M sounds as It you wore aiming at Dufresne, lie certainly has the glassiest alibi of the lot." "Yes, he was practically a pris oner, under lock and key. But aside from his Ironclad alibi, tbe faot that the gun was lott In his drawer, un cleaned and not reloaded, seems to point to bis innocence. X guilty man would not have isoo so careless." "It's pretty cart lo reel sure about anything ao loaf as we aare aa Idea of tha motive behind the killing," Lafferty eommeaied. "That mates It dlBloult." Harper agreed. "Anl It w go sack a little in point of time, wt'ra op agalael some erratle behavior. Ths earliest eraat ot which we have any knowledge shows us the masqaerader baying his disguise In Ootober, while the Dufresnea were at 111 away. Why did ha do that? Why did he want to look like Dufresne? We don't know and It's an Important factor." "Perhaps he counted on being taken for Dufresne," lafferty has ertled, "Id oase some oe aaw htm prowling around tbs hooaa. The resamblanre was remarkable, al though without the disguise there was practically no similarity." "That may aa the reason, but If so, whom -lis at meat hare? The Da tretnes, Andrews and Donagby were at Mooee Read Lodge. Tha said, Elian Becker, bad bean seal tway months before. Tbe Wbltmores, knowing Dufresne was In Maine, "But, Jack, haven't I pointed out that there's a break In the link be tween the dead man and the crank letters? I don't say he didn't write tbem, but we can't prove that he did, and the fact remains that none of hie fingerprints appear on any of the letter sheets. "Dufresne himself smeared ovei some of the early letters, but latei he was more careful In his handling of them. , There Is a pretty tali thumb mark on the left margin ol No. 8 letter, but we've combed out own Ales and submitted It to ths U. S. Bureau, with no result That thumb la not down In the archives nor Is our uuknown visitor. Which la not very surprising, tor from the start It did not seem to be the work of habitual criminals. We'll hare to read those letters over and over and try to deduce something from ths contents as our knowledge of the case expands." Harper was Interrupted by the entrance ot Andrews, who an nounced that luncheon would be served, it they were ready, Behind Uim came John Whltmore carrying a small table, which he set up. Tha butler spread a snowy cloth and proceeded to place the china and silver handed him by his docile assistant Sergeant Harper and Lafferty lln- gared silently by the fireplace while these preparations were going on. Andrews drew up chairs for them and when they were seated Whlt more lumbered In with the sliver lidded platters on a tray. The butler arranged tbe various dishes, then retired noiselessly. "Service de luxe," remarked Laf ferty, peering interestedly under the silver covers. "Dm. That looks good." He had uncovered a dish ot eraamad cbleken with mushrooms. Is a ring of rarranl Jolly. "And hot blsoulta, el anag tn a blanket Steve, yoa mast hare a drag with our host I thanght a little snack in the ser vants' quarters might be the peak of his generosity. He has to toler ate us, but he Is not obliged to do us so well. He must be trying to soften our hearts." (Copyright. IHU By Walter ft Brown) Mrs. Croydtn reenters ths grisly mysttry, Monday. Cans nuy Music l.tytsoni. BASTROP, Tex.- (UP) Catherine Ivey, whose mother Is a member of a home demonstration club, pays for music lessons with cans. Home canned products are bartered for mu sic lessons Miss lvey said ahs would have missed otherwise. DIAMOND LAKE, Ore., June 11 Limit catches of fine rainbow trout were caught by many at Diamond leke Sunday ss the largest croail of the season enjoyed the perfect weather and fishing. Among the many Medxord people at Diamond lake were: Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Bates, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Walker, Mr. Wllker, Frank Ames, L. E. Clcvenberg, Dr. Howard. Mr. Miller, O. W. Kolth, Leo Wll llsms, Tommy riymer, Mr. and Mrs. E. c. Ferguson, and Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Xoozer. Out of state guesta Included: Dr. and Mrs. H. w. Edws-ds, Los Ang eles? Mrs. M. Simpson, Los Angeles: Mr. and Mrs. carl Otto, Stockton, Calif.; Mr. and and Mrs. B. J. Bur nett, Oakland. Calif., and Mr, and Mra. Keleey, Los Angeles. F. D. Used Same Key as Wllfinn. CINCINNATI. (UP) When Presi dent Roosevelt pressed & key In Washington to signal the formal opening of Station WLW's 600,000 transmitter here, he touched the same gold-plated telegraph key Pres ident Woodrow Wilson tapped 20 years ago to signal the formal open ing of the Panama canal. Antl-Hands-ln-Pocket Rule. BOSTON. (UP) An Antl-hands- In-pants-pockets campaign was pro mulgated by Folic Commissioner E. C. Huttman to rid his officers of the habit. He said that he was tired of seeing his men standing in public places, with their hands In their pants pockets. E E Word from Washington, D. 0., was received recently at the local fort service office that tha Rogue Rlver Medford warehouse project, submit ted for consideration last month, has been approved tn full. Work will start on the construction aa soon as plana are received from the regional office in Portland. The new warehouse, with atorage buildings and machine shops, will be erected on the Mc Andrews road, and will Include equipment, repair shops and feed lots to keep pack ato:k during the winter. Announcement was made by K. P Mc Reynolds, Junior forester, that car penters and laborers will be selected from the civil service eligibility list Approximately $18,000 la estimated as the cost of the project. Phone 643. We'll haul away youi refuse- City Sanitary Service. i m a'inbMWa.riirU If NOW WILLIE IF ALL ('LP V I r-raau,, Mn-ri-iD i a-r 1 . FRONT OF A VI WERE PLACED END (TO END WHERE WOULD THEV BE? M STANDARD CrAtoLIWf nTA-rinM rrr-io aft WSOME TETRAETIM. E UNSUf?PA;Pr VXi LAY-GOER By GLUYAS WILLIAMS T7- 16 fAKM BY tWtffR. To fl "PiftV S1VCM BY H1SH SCHOOL PAY5 ATfimiiOrJ For Five min"- Of 5, Tit Erf lb ASK QUESTIONS W LOUD MCE COWPftftTlOH 16 DISC0URA6ED, Buf FlrlDS THAT BY ROCKINS BACK AMP FORTH i Wt CM MAKE CHAIR. $QS)UK LABORIOUSLY CLIMBS TO PICk; UP CAP OFF F.00R DiScfllffR?, "THAT 0N CAM Lirf SEAT OF CHAIR. AMUSES HIM SELF "RAISING AMD DR0PPIK6 if v 7i 77 RrfHER PICKS HIM UP, 5tfS HM K CHAIR AMD TtUS HIM TO BE quiet", is QoitY for a minute AMD A HALF BE6IN5 fo 6EfriD6EtV A6AlrJ, CLIMBb UP AMD STARES Af fUE WOMAN IK BACK n 77- AtYEMPT'S ACROBATIC FEW WHICH PoEgN'f COME OFF, RE5UWiHe (N 10UP CRASH IS IfO HASTILY OUT AW , HOME (Copyright, 1934, by Ths TBell Syndicate, Inc.) ftuWAS 6-11 MuiAMS. S 'MATTER POP Wrestling Too Rough. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (UP) THere la too much "rough stulf" In the wrestllns: game to suit Chief ot Po lice Smith. Unless they stop such tactics aa Incite the patrons to near riot, he announced, the bone-crush-era will land In a cell. By 0. M. Payne , , LET IAVE. A LITTLE 1 A W 9T0r7 T"1 51 WHAT IS Tf.S OKI V ' SS , TVS Jn,( &?'-LENT,'TSU-r flAfl TUB. OUTSISE.CF y ( ' E L-'L- ' SiJSsj ' V T2ow ZZVf', ir VMEvs. H-w7A- 60T !AW-v -Tr el , Trees. el. r ) us, I T3 AT? ' ' vwow ) J To AST To & ETI E.T2 ' -T ' ' liv'''5- V ' " ' " " J lk t Jrim by TO. IncQ t TAILSPIN TOMMY Was It A Man Or Woman? By Hal Forrest r fy vtqftf (i D1SCHARSED WW--BOLTS 6AIO-SOME. DAY J BRVNSm' TH' (OOMN i &W?"' rS-. ti Wi fSVOiO MONTHS VOUtcE 6ONNA BE CANNED . M M INTO THIS MVSTERX"- " 7"m?5k at m BBBatgMa-r1 vg BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER The Deserted Town gy Edwin Alger 111 Hl HURRICANE FOR THERE ISNT A CANT BLAAE FOLKS VJE WON'T BE INSIDERS? I I'iMiftlfitl. IF 1H 5URETOOK A M, DESTRUCTION-LOOK LIVING SOUL ON FOR LEAVIN'-THEM BOTHERED BV ANY tHEM'RETHE llll ipl' T 11 ''jIi V POKE AT THIS AT THESE RUINS ALL OF AS STILL HAD THEIR OUTSIDERS WHEN i ONES I'M PJ riMMmirariTI WE START BRINGING WORRIED 11 'y pi THE NEBBS I'm Tired and Sleepy Too , . j- By Sol Hess UT AoE3eV tfiet yar me.V (I PLewe.woMMM, eme.om, ST 1 1 f ,p we oiomV swore 1 coulo X "- I iSiteo to pn' Rtti LiKi't s-n-en tws pless leasve. Me alokje .' 1 celmt mim out to some UKJOER- KunUef Cr,B Jr?.: B yfOAVS VWORKIV6 V VJOUX-DM'T SO OUT TOKJISHT IC I I fTAeR ATTER 7 P.M. POR A WIWDOW ) VVOUSE COR CARDS SI OOME VM GOIMS 1 WAS A LICE SAVES AMD I ATTRACTION IP Mt WAS AS 6USV I ST" TOK1ISMT. sa0,& MVSEUC (1 PEOPLE WERE SWRIE1NJS S AS WE TWIkJKS WE IS, TWE M.R.A. III !) ya I I lj IZ It ,11 1 I (J,v.Mi., osy BEINOINQ UP FATHER 1-1 . , , , By George McManua fWEV-L-DOGGE'. IT SO I WEAR MACGlE AN' BUT MOTHER". THINK 1 MUH'.JUSTUKE II I ' - QUIET ARQUMD WERE DAUCMTER TALKIN' we SHOULD GO AWAY TOU. PAThER s TO-DAY I TEEU Ab IMTHELlBRARY I'LL FOR THE SUM ME PI - ONLY THIMKIMQ I'LL WAV UP 1 THOUGH I WUZ J A GO AM' JOIN ItvJ OM WE CAM MOVE AFTER OF TOUR5ELF- MEUE UNTIL. ; X 6TRAWGE HOOSC- THE LITTLE CHAT- WE COME HOME- I'D WE'LL MOVE FIRST THAT LITTLE ST'e,rt V W j J V ) LIKE TO CO TO THE AMD GET SETTLED- CHAT X nuco & il J;. L MOUNTAINS- THEN WE'LL DEO DE OER- , V WHERE WE LL GO- ; '
