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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 17, 1934)
PAGE EIGHT MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OREGON. SUNDAY. JUNE 17, 1934. P emeus MOCKING HOUSE BY WALTER C. BROWN .1 Ulrr.lDJ D.lp.U.t ,. not much closer to finding the ..u derer of a policeman and a etrangi. in Pierre tiufreene'e houee than at the beginning, although he hoe at eembled a areat deal of evidence. But he hae at leaet determined that the man who wrote o eeriee ot threatening lettere to Dufreene wrote them on paper he found in a waatebaeket in Dufreene'e 6afl fnrnf. yv(j to find the writer. Chapter 39 PUMPING WHITMORE 'T'HE Srgeant' meditations were Interrupted by the return of John Whltmore with the spoil of his tour through the house. The booty was en tirely devoid of Interest except for the six or seven slips from Mrs. Du fresne's pad. Harper deftly rescued these, pretended to poke through the rest ot the papers, then sent Whlt more to dispose of the trash, telling him to return afterwards. While he was gone Harper ran through this latest collection of slips, evidently covering the recent visit of Dr. Ulrlcli. But once again the almost monosyllable brevity ot the penciled notes defied reconstruc tion. The lady was either distraught or wary. Whltmore returned to the break fast-room with the sleek air of a suc cessful conspirator. The detective realised that In this placid-minded sandy man ot the household he had his best chance to get some genuine "Inside" Information. The detective rose and locked the , door with a theatrical flourish. "I don't want any Interruptions for a while," he explained, as be returned to his chair. "Sit down, John, and make yourself comfortable. What do rou say to s, friendly little chat?' Whltmore hitched his chair i bit closer. "Yes, sir. Anything I can lo " . . "Oh, before we talk," Harper la terrupted, "there's a little test I want to make." He then explained about ' the hand-lettered warnings and put Whltmore through the same paces with the dictated notes, first leisure ly, then rapidly. "Jiist as I expected, no similarity it all." Harper announced heartily, putting the sheets aside. "Now that's out ot the way, we can relax." He drew out bis pipe and tobacco pouch, "Do you smoke, John?" Whereupon John produced a lurved briar pipe even more scarred ' from use than Harper's own and ac cepted a filling from the detective's pouch. For a few momenta they puffed sway in silence. "This Is good to bacco, sir," Whltmore commented, nodding his head sagely. Harper smiled. "I have the mix ture made up specially for me," be - explained. "I smoke a lot and It's worth the difference In price. There's nothing like a pipeful ot good to bacco when you've got a bit of think ing to do." John nodded agreement "I guess this business has given you plenty ; ot that, sir. It's a Queer one, all right." "As queer as any I've ever han ; died," said Harper, gating thought , fully Into the circular view ot the room projected on the Olrandole mir ror over the buffet . "Two murders In one night right here In this room," Whltmore almost whispered. "It doesn't seem real." "It was real enough for the poor devils who were killed. Tou knew Officer Harnlll, didn't you, John?" "Yes, I knew him. Talked to htm lota ot times, last summer. A nice, pleasant fellow." "TIB was a fine man and a good 1 policeman. Everybody liked . htm, John, from his Captain down. , He leaves a wife and children and It's going to be hard on them. The other fellow mav have been a croo'.:, or a blackmailer, or a gunman, and the world's better off without him, as Mr. Oufresne says, but tbe family ot a man like Ham 1 11 has to pay tbe price for It" Whltmore nodded In sympathy. "I've heard what they have to say about the murder upstairs," Harper ' went on, "and that's very little to go on. What I have been wondering. John, Is what the staff thinks about It?" "They're not ssylng very much and that's a tact," Whltmore an swered, and chuckled. "Between you and me, sir, you've got 'em all sus picious of each other. They're going around watching each other out ot the tail ot their eyes." "Have there been any arguments or bsd feeling lately?" "Nothing to speak of, Sergeant. We all get along together pretty well, better than In most places. Ot course, once In a while old Andrews gives Joe a raking over the coals, but that'a only when Joe ha. been too flip with his tongue. Joe's young ' and hot-headed, not aa well broken ; to the harness as the rest ot us." , joe you mean Liooagny, the I chauffeur?" j "Yes. He gets a bit beyond himself I dt times, talking up all kinds of wild Ideas about capital and labor, and plutocracy, and that sort of stuff. Joe has It In for the rich, all right." Whltmore snickered. Harper stretched out more com fortably. "Donagby struck me as being a pretty lively lad," the detective mur mured. "He's a good-looking fellow and he acts as It he knew It." Whltmore winked heavily. "Sure, he's a devil with tbe ladles, anyway, to bear him tell It. He's going to find a rich young widow, says he, and then he'll marry and live In style. He says he can double her money over and over, but he'a more likely to run through It In six months, him and bis 'parlay' bets.' " Oh, so Joe likes to bet on the horses?" He does. I never hesrd of a man ever took a dollar away from the races In the long run, but that doesn't stop 'em from betting. Some times he's lucky, though. Just today I saw him counting over a roll of bills as big as your list. He said be'd got a bet down on tbe right horse at last Came In at 100 to 1. But that's once In a lifetime." "That's right," said Harper soft ly, looking out at the snow-covered grounds, "It's once In a lifetime." Then, after a few momenta of si lence he resumed, "Andrews is real ly devoted to this family, Isn't he?" MAKE no mistake about that," Whltmore quickly affirmed. "He's gruff and old-fashioned and as close-mouthed as a clam, but he's the family watch-dog. You won't get anything out ot blm." The detective cocked an eye at John Whltmore. 'Why, Is there something to be got out of him? That sounds as If he's hiding some thing?" . 'I shouldn't have put It that way," Whltmore hastened to amend. "I've been In service thirty-five years and I have yet to see the family that didn't have trouble of some sort they wouldn't like to have made pub lic But murder Is a horse of another color." Harper smiled quietly. "Of course, John. I know you're not the kind to carry tales and I'm not asking you I ve hesrd some stories, too, so tar as that goes." It was the detec tive's turn to give a knowing wink. That was a pretty stiff row they had last November, wasn't It, just about the time Ellen Becker left?" Wbltmore looked relieved. "So you heard about that?" He accepted full value Harper's assumed knowledge. "Things have never been quite the same since then," he said, ssdly, shaking his head. "For while It looked like they were headed for a break-up. Mr. Dufresne has been touchy and sharp-spoken and suspicious ever since, although why he should be Jealous ot Mrs. Du fresne Is more than I can make out'V 'Perhaps the root ot Mr. Du- fresne's Jealousy lies In the differ ence In their ages," said Harper. 'That often happens, you know." Whltmore took a long pull ot his pipe. "Well, then, take Mr. Croyden. He's In about the same boat He's not worried about getting old, like Mr. Dufresne. His trouble Is that his wife has r,o much more money than he has. So they're at It hammer and tongs half the time. Their maid, Hannah, cornea over here a lot and some fine stories she brings with her." . John Whltmore warmed to his subject and proceeded to Illustrate his philosophy with chapter and verse. Harper llsteued to It all with half-closed eyes, nodding at appro priate places. John's tongue, sub dued for many a moon by the auto cratic Martha, rambled on and on, spurred by the honor ot a sympa thetic ear. He seemed not to ques tion but that the detective's duties had already made him acquainted with these highways and byways ot the household at 3 Powhatan Terrace. Harper listened, careful not to i break the spell by Inept questions. He simply sat there In smiling, friendly ease, smoked his pipe and listened to the thousand and one de tails that gave him a keener Insight than he could uate obtained by un- lln Jd cross-examination. Only once did he Interrupt "Who was this girl, Ellen Becker, and why did she leave?" he asked casually, following Whltmore's chance men tion of the former housemaid. I don't know aiuch about her," John replied. "Nobody did. She was the hoity-toity kind, not very so ciable. CCopvrtoJit, Jill, hi) Waller C. Brownl What It the myttery ef Ellen Btoktr Heroer wondtrt tomorrow. Blowout Dangers Increase During Summer Driving Bqueesing the list mile out ot thet badly worn tire la a costly and hes srdous practice, according to 0. 0. Pumas, Ooodyear desler here. "Especially Is this true In the sum. mer months." Mr. Purnsa says, "The dinger of blowout Increases with the rite in road temperatures. Hot rosds ssp the elsstlclty and lite from the fatigued cords In old tires. Cuts snd bruises that have escaped not Ice are very likely to announce their presence with a loud bang at the most inopportune moment. "The Bupertwist cord used In con struction of the Ooodyear "0-8" All Weather Alrwheel, Pathfinder snd Speedway lines. Is the best protec tion sgslnst blowouts thst has yet been devised. This cord hss up to fi fi fA U9L tJMittUX SAW SlU' Society and Clubs Activities of Legion Auxiliary "Peace with security can be main tained for the United States under present world condition only by means of defensive preparations strong enough to prevent aggression." This was the contention submitted In the American Legion Auxiliary's national Fldac essay contest, written by high school pupils on the subject, "Peace With Security." Results of the contest, conducted by the auxiliary as part of It par ticipation In the program of the Women's Auxiliary of Fldac, the in terallied veterans' federation, were announced by Mrs. W. A. Holloway, chairman of the Fldac committee of the Medford unit, following the re ceipt of the Information from the auxiliary's national headquarters. First prize was won by Harry Ter hune, of Martinsville, Ind.; second prize by Beatrice Y. Black, of Wash ington, D. C, and third prize by Viola Andrus, of Blaine, Washington Honorable mention went to Anna, Louise Kettler, of Kansas City, Mo., David Sung Inn Nahm, of Honolulu, and Ann Mae Taggart, of Mllford, Conn. The three prize winners will receive sets of the Official Source Records of the World War, published by the American Legion, and their essays will be sent to Fldac headquarters In Paris to compete in the International contest. Essays from 40 states, Dls rlct of Columbia, Hawaii and the Panama Canal Zone were entered In the national contests. Only 50,000 more enrollments were needed to give the American Legion Auxiliary Its full strength of 400.000 I members for 1034 as the organization j entered Its June activities, according to Mrs. E. J. Leach, membership : chairman of the local auxiliary unit. A membership roll call of depart : merits, conducted by Mrs. William H. Blester, Jr., national president, May 31, showed 353,821 members actively enrolled for the year. Twenty-one of the 63 departments reported In creases over their total 1933 enroll ments. A national increase of ap proximately 40,000 members is Indi cated for this year. With one million glasses of Jelly and Jam as their goal, the women of the American Legion auxiliary are working in a nation-wide "Jelly-making bee" to preserve the nourishing goodness of the summer's fruits and berries for the country's needy dur ing the coming winter, Mrs. W. Olm Beheld, president of the local auxili ary unit, has announced. Individu ally and In groups, the auxiliary women are making Jelly and jam for their local units wherever home grown fruits and berries are plenti ful and cheap. The products are be ing stored for distribution to needy families of the community next win ter. y Royal Neighbors Plan Business Session The Royal Neighbors will meet for a business and social evening Thurs day, June 21, at the K. P. hall. All Neighbors urged to attend. Degree of Honor To Gather Monday Members of the Degree of Honor will gather on Monday evening at the city hall, for a social and business meeting, the date having been chang ed from Thursday, as lectures being given there will extend Into that date. Following a brief business session, a social hour will be conducted, and refreshments served. All members of the order and friends are Invited to attend. Hundreds of Tests Made On New Tube Hundreds of tests were made by engineers of the B. F. Goodrich com pany In laboratories and on tbe com pany's Silver Fleet of test cars be fore the new Oold and Black Inner tube was released for sale to the public, according to W. L. Lewis of Lewis Super Service station, dealer for the B. F. Goodrich Rubber com pany in Medford. "This new tube, Vjfhlch resists pinching, cutting, tearing, or abras ion when An flat has taken the motoring public by storm," Mr. Lewis says. "Drivers who have had trouble and expense when a tube has been cut to ribbons when run a short dis tance after a flat tire occurred have welcomed this new Goodrich devel opment. "One of the tests was to run a tube, one-half of which was composed of the ordinary construction, and the other half of the new Gold and Black combination for a mile in a flat tire. When the tube was removed, the half of ordinary construction was chewed up, the Gold and Black half had resisted destruction. "Made of specially compounded black and gold rubber, the new tube Is made In two sections. The entire tube is first constructed of a tough rubber stock and then a layer of abrasion resisting rubber la placed over the inside periphery of the tube. It is this base strip which not only prevents destruction when run flat for short distances but affords dou ble protection from the common causes of tire failure." 'TICKETS, PLEASE" By- GLUYAS WILLIAMS Boards tRaitf aud opms UP PfPER It) READ Wr NEWS HEARS COrlDlJCfbrV CQMlKS AND HftSTilV 66fS TiCKEf OUT Picks newspaper up off rum . F1HDS COHDOCl'OR WASN'T COMINS TO "mt "TICKETS HOlPS TiCKEf INTirf 6ER5.MAWK6 If AWK WARD TO TURM PA6E5 OF PAPER. STbVS READING T6 7W aw thrust ticket itfib SlOf ON SPAT AHEAD Picks newspaper up off e00ra6aih, in " doiks so knocking Ticket" oof ofslot . HAS To 6Ef DOWN ON HANDS AND WEES 10" RKWER TiCKEf f If UJlLLIpCrTS b-lb Finds tf, picks paper up! OU tWOK AND BcCIPcS TO 6HE OP READING 50 HE CAN POT flU HIS MIND OKI HOLDING TiCKEf UMfit COH DUCfOR COMES R)R (f (Copyright, 1934. y The Bell gyaffltaisyjfeefl S 'MATTER POP By 0. M. Payne p low Comil va. I t lJ outbids.! Vaiw'tN I C&w PKJr Towdblis. jsBsSg " Tc- "V. , u?ou Social. J ljX jXV" 0J Ve-TS. "FACE., iWjS MArCe. M-iLP f . f TAUAVB.xJ fe'7 L- 2::: j tXj! 'X.j IeII Sffj am (Copyright, 19M. by Ths BtUByiidlestt, Inc.) TAILSPIN TOMMY Who Killed Bruce Wilkins? rM" KIUE0I HeRtS ANOTHER 6MUR.Y OP FACES FOR you TO STUDY. THY ARB PUBLISHED. . rooAV )S ClUES For you TO UIORK OV" . 7HP REST S OP TO YoU" can you MAMETHe 6UITV OAE? By Hal Forrest WSPPEED IaALTOM. N DDH'T Or UIKS u?t-A& .OUT T)LAf&Lr 4C7S.' AVE BAfiiR. P4UI 3fi77H's svtT? twss to eer FesV (ifTfV A- IGliY 'Li. ' ft ear enouinec browha goiag to eer a sg OLT--F YOU JOAr YOUR S7E-" MORTON TZHIEF RAOO OPERATOR. AT TMJRESrA IVCMWS OUT OC" AVS OFFyOtT OVC ASAV HEJgFF UM ALMOVO - -- 'DOUGiAS OA A CiVAoSE OF KU.HG HS PAL, COII.KAVS THAT SOMEOVF. ELSE HELPEO DOUG GO THE JOB.' BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER Cap'n Ike's Decision! By Edwin Alger By Sol Hess Insry tlr cords snd will atind ter- rllio sbum. "Ths trssd of s tlr must provlds trsctlon snd protect ths cord carcsss or body, but it Is this cord body! thst tires protection against blow outs. The tread may sppear in ex- I cellent condition, but It will not , keep a tire from blowing out if the j carcass Is cut Inside or If the cords srs bsdly fsttgued from long use. "Ooodyear's new "Q-J" tire was de. signed especlslly to provide long wesr for modern high speed automobiles I snd It hss s Bupertwtat body of (lie strongest and most elsstlo tire cords ! that will give maximum protection ( against blowouts. ; "A set of new tires put on an aut omobile now will eliminate the prob ability of tire trouble for the rest of the aummer. It la no pleaeant Job to change tires on a hot dusty road i and that la the mildest consequence 1 si ft tuniiV tut Vf, rums. THSySH i BRIARVJHIMPEREDWI-TH -AN WE DIDN'T ( WHAT? SLfiPME LET'S GET UNDER AVE, AVE SIR ALL THEY 6ANA WA A LAMTERN- EAGERNESS TO TRACK DOWN THE HAVE TIME TO DOWN. O'BRIEN. ' WEIGH TO DEAD li ORDERS IS BUT CAP'N IKE, WITH BUT ONE GOOD MVSTERIOUS HOLDER OF THE LANTERN, AAAKH A FULL . YOU DON'T L DOG REEF AT K ORDERS, LAD-j EVE, 'SPOTTED THE HOLDER OF tT, BEN DECIDED THAT THE LATENESS OF CENSUS. CAP'N MEAN IT j DAYBREAK, CAP'N ttJIL- AN' CAP'N IKE S KEEPlN' QUIET THE HOUR AAADE NECESSARY THEIR IKE, BUT THAT -v--fck . IKE- J7-A BECAUSE USE MAY BE MADE O' HIS RE ' ' ( ' gci THE NEBBS Yes Yes has been . y f . -i feaffMwIiyt M wrJjei Y fu . "i . n -, -cWk shw.;,' -ii: ftiri "s-Ska&. s v a-?rcw-. ' 1 ojiii sram I " i- ia,SF,.-i " r mmmrn- ' T - fAlnr.iv B Q McManu. HOUSE.- BUT MOW- WITH- T.rfi-Vr- t-rllll I I cm iir-iC. itr -i-uir f. CPIt'l y, W I (,7 T