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
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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- ; '