Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, June 15, 1934, Image 14

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Medford mail tribune., June 15, 1934, Page 14, Image 14

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Newspaper Page TextPSGE FOURTEEN 1IEDFORD MAIL TRTBTTNE, MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 1931 hCFMOCKING HOUSE .BY WALTER C. BROWN. Kl. .rgeant trarpor has prut' t the stranger and the polio ; ound dead in Pierre Dufrcsne'e house vara murdered end did not shoot each other. But the motive of the crime, the lien tltu of the stronger, and the meane of 'escape wed by the murderer ettlt ore a mastery, llarper has discov ered, however, the print of flu fresne'e butler's thumb on one of a set of threatening letters received hy Dufresne. Andrews, frightened, , denies all knowledge of the letters. Chapter 38 ANGER ANDREWS, fingerprint! do not "These must I tell yon, I knew nothing ahout It Besides, I was at the Auatorlltz last night. You know that." '. "Sure. I know it. You're got an Ironclad alibi. Quite true, but there -was more than one In this plot. "When I got to the Austerlltz, Thy were yon so nervous. Andrews? I hadn't yet told my news, but you were already upset, lumpy. Why I were you so agitated when I Insisted on rousing your master? Why all this, It you knew nothing about what had happened?" Once again the man exhibited all the signs of an Intense Inward strug gle to repress an emotional strain. iBy sheer force o( will Andrews pulled himself together. "I bad strict orders not to disturb Mr. Dufresne on any account" He faltered on, "You see, sir, I knew he was Intoxl- eated and didn't want a stranger to see him In that condition." "You're lying, Andrews. There's something else. Mr. Dufresne was more than halt drunk when I left him the drst time." : Sergeant Harper spoke out of the certitude of his conviction. The but ler's words wore plausible, yes, but there was that Indefinable some thing In bis tone that convinced the detective that Andrews was uneasy t mention of the Austerlltz surprise irislt 1 "Furthermore," Harper continued, faome one spied on ns while we were soarchlng Mrs cellar this morn . tag. The result was the biding of the gun that had been In Mr. Du fresne's room. Those are overt acts and some one Is going to answer for them." i Andrews' eyes glinted as ha squared his shoulders and faced the detective squarely. "It you think I am guilty, I'd prefer that yon repeat those charges before Mr. Dufresne," he challenged. ; i "That's not a had Idea," Harper napped, and strode over to the bell. Ihilresne made a prompt appear ance. The detective repeated the ac count of his discovery and placed both letter and goblet before the dapper man, silent and attentive un til Harper had finished. Then Dufresne pushed the exhib its aside without a glance. "I'm not surprised that you've come to some rich ldlotlo conclusion," he said. f There Is no question as to Andrews' loyalty. I would as soon accuse my self." .He put his hand on the old nan's shoulder with a gesture of at lection. I Harper's anger mounted, too. "This mutual loyalty Is very touch ing but It still doesn't explain how lAndrews thumb print came to he in this letter. That certainly calls 'for an explanation." t Dufresne turned to his servant. 'Have we any stationery like that n the house?" "No, sir. We've never used tinted (papers of any kind." "IT'S strange that every letter Is a j different color," Dufresne com mented thoughtfully. "Stationery la ;Bot sold that way. It suggests sam Iple specimens." I Andrews started up. "I remember bow," he cried excitedly, "these are ample sheets. They were sent here by some printing concern soliciting business. Mrs. Whltmore turned them over to me a long time ago and I stuck them away In a desk. Last autumn I cleared out the desk and threw them Into the waste-basket That's how my finger mark got on the sheet." "There yon are, Harper," Du fresne announced triumphantly. This time Harper believed the but ler's explanation, for his tone had the spontaneity of simple truth. "If we accept Andrews' explana tion," he said, "then any one could have taken them from the cellar. But It establishes a strong point, Mr. Dufresne those letters originated In this housel And now, It you'll ex cuss me, I have other matters to go over with Andrews." Dufresne accepted the Invitation to withdraw but went away wltb a slow step and a puckered frown be tween his brows, as If absorbed by lorae wolkbty problem. When be had tone and the door was closed again, 'I have a tost to propose, Andrews," me aeiecuve amieu, .j uuieiuim. who did write the letters." The butler made a free gesture with bis hand. "I have no objection, sir." Harper handed him a blank piece of paper and a pencil with a soft lead. "Hease print, not write, what I dictate." Andrews nodded, whereupon Har per began to read the letter which bore the butler's Imprint He read leisurely, giving the man ample time to draw the letters. When It was over he placed a fresh piece of paper before Andrews. "Now," he said, "this time go as fast as you can." His dictation doubled in speed snd his repeated admonitions of "Faster! Faster!" sent the butler's pencil scampering. Harper compared the two papers. "Please do not mention this test to any one In the house," the detective ordered. "Only the guilty person need fear the result" A long look passed between the two men, a profound and searching look on both sides. "Yon may rely on my discretion, sir," said An drews gravely as he turned to leave. As soon as the butler had gone Harpor brought out the test papers aaln and compared them, not only with the original letter, but wltli each other. Andrews' speclmenr seemed to be quite genuine and to substantiate his denial of author , ship. THE sight of Mrs. Dufresno'i) ruined slippers, rescued from the rubbish by Lafferty's zeal, sug gested an easy way of checking that lady's writing, with no one the wiser. Harper locked the door to the breakfast-room and betook himself to the cellar. Two square rubbish boxes stood under the stairs. One contained crumpled paper bags, discarded advertising matter and waste paper of various sorts. Scattered here and there among these were slips from the pad Mrs.. Dufresne used for writing out ques tions and answers since her surgical wrappings had enforced muteness. There were about a dozen In all and Harper quickly gathered them, not stopping to read them there. He had snapped oft his light and was ahout to ascend when he heard toot steps on the stairs and placid-faced John Whltmore appeared, carrying an armload of empty boxes. "Whltmore," Harper began, "have you the time to do a little job for me?" ; The handy man nodded eagerly, delighted to have a finger In this most superlative of thrillers. .The detective lowered his voice' to the proper conspiratorial pitch. "I want yon to go to all the rooms up stairs, empty the waste-baskets, and bring direct to me what you find In them." ,; "But I emptied them all first thing this morning," Whltmore whispered. Harper nodded. "I know you did, but do It again. That Includes Mrs. Dufresne's room. Act very casual about It, so no one will suspect any thing. Understand" 'Oh, yes, air, Whltmore respond ed with alacrity. "I'll go right away." Harper followed blm upstairs and was walking through the dark-paneled hall when he saw that familiar figure In the huge fur coat making toward the front door. "May I hare a word with you, Doctor 1" he called, and Dr. Ulrlch swung around. "How Is Mrs. Dufresne today?" Harper askod. 'Doing well, enough," Ulrlch re sponded rather curtly. "When will she be able to talk? I have some questions to ask her." "She Is not to talk for several days, at least. That Is final, It your quostlons can't wait I'll arrange an Interview. She can write out the an. swers for you, but I Insist on being present" "TbaBkj, hut I prefer to hear the answers from her own lips." "Well, then, you'll have to wait." Ulrlch snapped, his waxed mous taches bristling and his black eyea glaring behind the gold-rlmmed glasses. Harper watched his brusque de parture irom the vestibule, curious to know the reason for the big doc tor's animosity. He returned to the breakfast-room and sat down to study the salvaged slips that bore Sylvia Dufresne s writing. Then was absolutely nothing to be gleaned from the contents themselves, and the detective could see no points ot similarity between Mrs. Dufresne's swiftly paced and essentially femi nine style and the broad Incisive strokes of the anonymous penman., The longer he pored over the let ters the firmer became his convic tion that a man had written them. There was something about the sequence ot events that baffled pen etration. (Copyright, if JJ, By Walter 0. Broton) Tomorrow. Harp.r unearths an Important faot about Donaahv l.innttrrninn MrnntlPd Cougar tONCIVIEW, Wash. (UP) Clyde A. Cornman. assistant logging superin tendent of the Weyerhaeuser Tlmbor company here, grappled with a wounded cougar and strangled it to death. Two years ago he bulldogged a book deer and killed It. NORTH BEND LISTS HEAVIEST LOSS BY FIRE DURING YEAR SALEM, 'Ore. (UP) North Bend suffered the heaviest per capita fire loss during 1033, I1B.80, of any Ore gon municipality, State Fire Marshal A. H. Averlll announced today. The Coos county city also suffered the second heaviest lire loss of the year, $70,014. Portland damages, to taling 1082,340, wen Highest. The North Bend total was high princi pally because of a fire last summer which destroyed several large build ings along the waterfront. HUlsboro per capita fire losses were second blgheat, $13.31. Albany third, $11.54. Many smaller towns reported no loases for the year. In moat caaea the 1033 fire damage was less than that for 1033. Per capita losses 1n various cities for 1033 and 1033 were: 1033 1033 Albany . $11.48 tllM Ashland . . .78 ,11 Astoria 0.17 Bandon ................. 3.48 3.17 Bend 1.02 .60 Burns 6.42 0.30 Canby .............. ...... .31 Coqullle . 3.78 .OS Corvallla 4.07 .80 Cottage Orove -.Hw.m 1.00 Creawell 11.07 .07 Eugene - HW-.HW.. . .08 1.17 Klamath Falls ....... . 4.37 4.47 Marshfleld . 3.00 3.03 Maupln 3.41 ..... Metlford 8.24 1.48 Myrtle Point North Bend . Oregon City Oswego Philomath Phoenix Portland . Redmond Reedsport Roseburg Salem Springfield , Stayton ...... The Dalles , West Linn . Yoncalla ..... .04 1.49 16.85 .47 34 M .05 4.33 1.80 .47 3.23 3.10 1.30 10.08 .11 0.12 8.1S 7.23 .53 5.70 1.37 2b .00 .18 3.08 -Unreported. ALL-DAY SUCKER IS CAUSE CHILD'S DEATH KANSAS CITY. Mo., June 14. (UP) Ward Hasdall, 19 month old. per suaded hi mother to give him an alNdny sucker, went out on the sldo walk to piny. He stumbled and feU, the ball of hard canay lodged in tsia throat. He died before It could be removed. Fifty-two per cent of the gradu ates of the University of California arc eiigoRed In profewlonal or semi professional pursuits, a survey disclosed. MIM y Do you know of) S AimdMw'f, ANYTHING MORE. (. S . f . BREATH TAKING- JTM XlArSL )' k- MORE SILENT li if r?nnuw?A ' THAN THIS JSI DIFFICULT DECISIONS By GLUYAS WILLIAMS YoU SUDDENLY VSmtt THAT V00 HWEH'T THE FAINTEST IDEA WHERE TO CALL FOR YOUR. WIFE, AS YOU 5AID VOO WOULD DO. BECAUSE VOUR MIND MS ON THE NEWSPAPER, while SHE Was telling mdo Where her committee meet ikg WAS To BE WELD T Sma (OopTrfrht. 193? br The Bell Syndicate, foe.) VVIU-lftn? 8 'MATTER POP By 0 M. Paynq vw -p Ti i- f . ""v! rtp tt: . s I S t n . ' 1 ' ' ' . V 111 I ' ' ' 1 l I - IW AHftft ITTC " I I 7 . . -1 WW . w . V f( WrtAT 1 6 J ' ISA CIZOW AWAV 'FPoM ' -iSjd Mlft IT LOOK" Utrfc j TAILSPIN TOMMY Confessions To Save Betty! I Oiirttij GSTEE', N, i-s4SgSsa ) OOVr AT.VO tO -rA A WOW TWVWr TO ) gg W rtt AeTVtT9 Xr MJBBS NCLUDEO, I SiS- ssT" Z THATi- UHIT &D OVt-zV' HACTL'-- MmV THfS CXVWCS, s?9 51 BUEVE GETTY TOO YOU KVOOO ) -S55iESf M fe S SrtT 3 U7 SOME - Ofif 967TY fit, J 0AO T- 9iT ? S Ve BOTH THR A TEMlOf-- M K I . 5 '0r S THNG LIKE- COAttsS TWAT JZZily pi "1LL- lOCA'T lVOf- OUT ONLY A jiW B f? S?W 54fesi "SOUS DAY-YOU OO T AVG ) S LET YOU TAAr6 rSV V " 'W-? T&k -WMr T spot-, youio-y-rrzr- By Hal Forresf BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER What Oap'n Ike Sawl By Edwin Alger WHATRE THEY DOIN'? N!Hi I 5HIFTIN PLACES AT THE H , OARST SUPPOSE TO I ( SUITING HIS WORDS TO ACTION. CAPN IKE HURRIED TO HIS CABIN THERE, V7ITH THE WINDOW AS A SUPPORT- PIIIIHIIMIM VEIS, THAT WAS 1T NOW WHY WERE THOSE THREE SO SET ON HEADIN FOR THE RUINS O' FISHTOWNPSZP MB DOWN, WHAT'S THAT? J Olrl Wlm Marhls ronlnt CLm'ELAND ' (UP) In district msrbls DrcllmlnarlM of e, Qtvatr Clsrelsnd tournsmcnt, a girl was BRINGING DP FATHER winner among all suburban entries. The "mlbstress" Is Ruth White, a real "strelghtahooter" of East Cleveland. (e&M$&ki. I W HP SKIPPED AS SOON AS iHl TOWffirV I H THEY LANDED HE DIDNT yrSwS I I WANT TO BE 6EEN SO I. I i?&m I'lllllll I X I!" I i THERE'S SOMEONE ON THE NEBBS Oh Happy Day B f twat ooeswr look uxe X t-sTlll f w uuill pikjoN ' Z' come om, " "i set tmccxisw hereX Q f A. BAO PLACE . 1VE Serf AS J.-fcW TME POT ROAST SET VOU COAT ,f TESJ rUL, MEET r, I-" WWC" APPETITE AS A SICK L,1t VEW SOOQ SIR. ) CM AMD LETS SO 4 . 7- I Aur, l ) NN By So) Hess QUAUTV' CvVt By George McManni MAGGIE! I-M GLAO VOJ EET MY WAV AM' THAT VOUVE GIVEN UP IKE IDEA OF LOOKIM' FtM AN APARTMENT- WE'D BE CRAMPED AN' BE BOTHERED WITH THE ELEVATORS k il.. C TTIN ' r vT OUT OF L ....... - riv.cjl..,irrr.)!!iii!,,; POl ONCE TOO ARE ABSOL.UTELV WELL.- 1 GUESS PUT A -OTOO TO THAT ALL RIGHT- I THINK I'D MAKE A VEW GOOD if MR. JIGCo-1 AM THE REAL. ESTATE AGENT WHO WAb TRYING To GET AN APARTMENT FOR, VOUF? WlKE- AN". OF COURSE. vou heard! SHE HA Changed HER MIND ABOUT a ? T r - VE5- SrlEWANT TO BUY A MOUSE SO I'VE BROUGHT "YOU A U?T-