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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 1934)
PAGE TEN MEDFORD. MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD. OREGON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER V,, mi. By VICTOR BRIDCES BYSOrnl8: Nichola Trench ha been acquitted of the murder of John Oeborne, hat almoet been murdered hlmeeif, and hae fotned foroee with a perfectly etranoe girl named Molly O'Brien, alt within IB houre. For It develop that Oe borne had etolen a formula worth mtlltone, and that it belonge to Molly, and that the men who eet upon Nicholas aleo want to find the formula. Sow Nicholas' friend, Jerry Mordnunt, has arrived and ieen preeented to Molly, Chapter 15 NICK'S STORY WITH that delightful half grave, half mlscblevoui smile of hers. Molly roie from her chair. "I am glad to meet you," the aald simply. "I know you must be very nice or Kick wouldn't be so fond of you." Jerry achieved a highly creditable bow, and then straightening him self, looked at her admiringly. "You'll forgive my being a bit dated," he remarked, "but you see I wasn't exactly expecting a party." "Molly's not a party," 1 explained: "she's more In the nature of an ac cident" 1 pulled up a chair. "Sit down, Jerry," 1 added. "You're go ing to listen to tbe most amazing yarn you've ever heard, but that's bo reason why you shouldn't be com fortable." "The difficulty," I added, looking from one to the other of them, "Is that I'm banged If I know where to begin." "I want to hear aa much as I can.' Jerry thrust his hands Into bis pockets and stretched out bis long legs; "At present all 1 know Is what 1 saw In the papers last night and tbls morning. I've read the Judge's summing up, but outside of that I'm absolutely In the dark about tbe whola business. You start right at the beginning and tell me everything." 1 reflected for a moment. "The beginning," I said, "was when 1 ran Into Osborne In VUllera Street, it was lata one night, about a week after you'd gone away, and I'd been dining with a pal of mine at the Savage Club. On my way to Char ing Cross I saw a chap standing under a lamp-post lighting a clgaret. I thought bis face was familiar and when I got up close 1 recognised him at once. Except for looking a little older he hadn't altered In the least. You remember wbat he waa like a tall thin bird with a tight mouth and very black eyes." Jerry nodded. "I remember him perfectly. Bit ot a dab In the stinks line, wasn't he always messing bout with test-tubes and Runsen burners?" "That's the man," 1 said. "We were never particular pals, but I used to play him at golf sometimes, and you know how It la when you come across anyone you were In school with. Ot course I atopped to have a chat, and In tbe end we went along together by the same train as far as Tottenham Court Road. "He didn't talk much about him self. Said he'd been out In the Slates for some years and was back here on a holiday. He asked me If I kept up with any ot tbe old crowd, and 1 told him I saw a good deal of you and that we did a bit ot sailing together in the summer. "HEN ''him n we said good-bye, I gave ' him my address and invited Jitm to look me up. I heard nothing more of him tor three or tour days; then one afternoon he sent me a note trom some house in Holland Park asking ma it I'd come round and see blm that evening. "1 wasn't keen about it, hut hav ing nothing special to do I thought I might as well go. Well, after I'd bad some grub I walked across tbe Park as far aa Portland Road. It came on to rain then, so I took a taxi. I must have got to his place Just about nine o'clock. It waa a small house with a front garden to It, and when 1 rang the bell he opened tbe door himself. I could see at once that he waa aa Jumpy as a cat." "How do you meant" asked Jerry. "All on edge," 1 explained, "keep ing himself In like a man who's frightened and doesn't want to show It. He took me along to his study and gave me a drink, and tor some time wa sat there talking about old days, and tbe fellows we used to know and all that kind ot thing. "Then at last he came to the point. He told me that be waa anxious to buy a boat, and aa I knew a little about sailing, he thought that per haps I wouldn't mind giving blm my help and advice. Ot course, tbe first question 1 asked him waa wbat kind of a boat be was looking tor. "He said be wanted one in which it would be aafe to cross the Channel, and one which, at the same time, two men could handle mora or less com fortably. Something about twelve or fourteen tons, with an auxiliary engine. Now, as It happened, I knew that there was a yawl ot ex actly that type for sale at Bright Ungues, The price was three hundred and fifty, and tor a man who could afford It she waa well worth the money. "I gave him the particulars, and then he asked me as a great favor whether I'd go down there myself. Ox the thing up atralgbt away, and And htm a paid hand who would sign on tor a trip to tbe other side. "It struck me aa an odd sort of re quest to make and 1 began to wonder whether he'd been doing something Ashy, and wanted to sneak off out of tbe country. However, that wasn't exactly my business. After all Here's nothing Illegal In buying a y,icnt for a man, and, he seemed to be in sucb a atate ot nerves and so desperately anxious for me to say yes, that In the end, like a tool, I agreed to act for him. "He lugged out Ave hundred pounds there and then. Of course, I didn't want the responsibility ot carting about all that money, but bs absolutely Insisted on my taking It. He said that 1 should be able to put the deal through much quicker If I paid In cash, and that after I'd de ducted my own expense I could send him back the rest. "ITELL, that waa that, so to ' ' apeak. 1 came back here, and next morning I took tbe first train down to Brlghtllngsea. The owner of the yawl was a very decent fellow; be let me examine ber thor oughly and I could see that she was in Brut-class condition. I made blm an offer of three hundred, and after a bit of arguing we closed the deal at three twenty-live. "I'd Just got out tbe money to pay him we were in the local pub at tbe time splitting; a half-bottle when the door opened and the police walked in and arrested me. I was so staggered I never even drank my fliz." "It must have been a bit of a shock," said Jerry. "Still there'a no excuse for such carolessness aa that." He began rummaging In his side pocket tor a pipe. "How had they got on to you so quick!" "It all came out at the trial," I ex plained. "They'd found my name and address on Osborne's blotting pad; that note he'd sent me must have been the last thing he'd writ ten, and then the tail man who'd picked me up came forward at once and Identified me by my photograph. "Ot course, they'd no real evi dence against me up till then; what did the trick were tbose infernal notes. Osborne bad drawn tbem out ot tbe bank that morning, and there I waa wltb the whole packet actually In my hand." "But bang It all, you'd a perfectly good explanation!" "It didn't seem to cut any Ice with the magistrate or the coroner's Jury," I observed bitterly. "Old Cresswell did bis best but be couldn't even get me out on ball. I was flung Into a dungeon cell for three weeks, and then hauled out last Monday and charged with being a bloody minded assassin." Jerry began to laugh.' "Sorry to appear unsympathetic, but aomehow or other the whole thing seems so deucedly tunny. Why, one's only got to look at you to see tbat you're the most good-natured chump in Eur ope." , "Thank you, Jerry," I laid. "Un fortunately tbe British law Isn't run on those sound psychological lines. As a matter ot fact, they put up quite a good case against me. Suggested that my story was all bunk that I'd had a row wltb Osborne, bashed him on the head and then pinched the money out of his safe. I tell you, It was touch and go at one time. If Barrett hadn't made such a corking fine speech I believe the Idiots would have banged me." (Copyright, IflJJ, Venn Publishing Co.) Tomorrow, the "ByndlcaU" otti another mimbir, t Y PROBES BY NEXTJGONGRESS 'Smelling Committees' Ga lore On Capitol Hill These Days Munitions Query "Tops Present Interest Br HKRBKKT PLl'MMKR . WASHINGTON. fp) "Smelling committees" the term applied to congressional Investigations In th-5 post-world war years are being out done In numbers on capltol hill the.se days. Probably at no time In the nation's history has the government shown such curiosity about so many differ ent things aa It Is showing at present No fewer than 11 separate Investi gations are either now being con ducted or authorized by the senate nlone. And the house has Its share as well. Topping the list at the moment In point of Interest Is the Investigation of the munitions Industry being con ducted by a committee headed bj Senator Nye of North Dakota. Tils Inquiry may be prolonged indefinite ly. Nye Is prepared to go before tne senate In the coming congress and request more money to continue the Investigation. Mall Contracts Scanned. Airmail and ocean mall contracts have been scanned thoroughly by the senate, and further probing of tlw latter Is to be held. In addition the postofflce department is looking Into Its own mall contracts, which may result In liner cancellations or modi fications, and the Interstate com merce commission U endeavoring to find out whether existing airmail contract rates are fair and reasonable. The senate's investigation of crime and criminal practices Is to be re sumed shortly. Bankruptcy and receivership prac tice axe due for an airing. Senator Byrnes of South Carolina shortly will lead the members of hla special committee Into an Investiga tion of senatorial campaign expendi tures in Tennesee, New Mexico and possibly Pennsylvania. The Philippine Islands are also due for a periodic scrutiny by the senate. There May Be More. A senate Investigation of PER A, as a result of charges by Senator Borah of Idaho, appears certain. The house Is as busy with Its In vestigations as the senate. A committee Is busy at work In quiring Into un-American practices In this country. Profiteering In war department contracts are being In vestigated as well as veterans' guard ianship practices, the tin Industry, civil service and alleged abuses In real estate and bondholders' reorgs nlzatlons. A sub-committee of the house ways and means committee has been at work for months In an attempt to find a way to get more money for the treasury without slowing up recoveiy. These are only a few. The presi dent has hla own agencies at work Investigating end seeking Informa tion for him. Various department of the government are doing the same thing. Hundreds of thousands of dollar have been spent. Prospects are that the coming congress will Increase the number of Investigations. - - MONTANA, YIELDS f FOR PAINT BETWEEN MEALS SIDNEY, Mont (UP) From the steaming, tepid fields of the tropics has come Montana's newest crop saf flower. Because the saf flower yields an oil valued highly in manufacture of paints and varnishes, and because It appears to thrive In soil and climatic conditions of the northwest wheat belt, agricultural experts pre- 1 diet a bright future for It. Alfred R eh be in. a painstaking farmer near Lambert, pioneered de velopment of safflower growing In the United States and this yesr ship ped four carloads of the seeds to a Milwaukee paint company. Safflower oil has proved unusu ally satisfactory In drying oils, has many characteristics of linseed oil, and Is superior to the latter In many respects. The U. S. bureau of plant Industry has been studying Rehbein's experi ment with Interest and now proposes to encourage safflower growing wher ever feasible in this country. It Is reported. Cash value of the crop depends upon prices paid for paints and var nishes, and for safflower cake, which. It Is believed, will make a satisfac tory cattle feed. Substantial production of safflower may fill the gap between present production and consumption of lin seed oil and would not compete with U. 8. flax production. Inasmuch as about half of the latter cil used in this country . Is Imported. By GLUYAS WILLIAMS (SMYAS is Told ft$ Nt use twite FOR SoMffUlKfi 16 EAT; HE!S BEEN UrTOER THE WEKfrlER AND HE CMSfNf W BFtWEEN MEAL'S SlMkS 6100MI1V 76WW o)J BACK S-foDP, WON KHWb HOW MUCH L6KR if 15 UrtflL SUPPER MOVES OFT, F1NDIK6 1H AROMA OF BAWK6 ?)$ MORETftAN HECArJ BEAR. MEEfS frZ Wff CHILD MUNCH1N6 COOKIES. WATCHES HER WITH PAIrJfW LOOK, THEN HURRIES Off 60ES OVER To EDDIE SO: ZER'S Blrf FINDS HIM HELPIK6 HIS MOTHER. " LEAVE'S ABRliPflV RUriS INfo THE LITTLE BEMIS BOV, NOISILY EATlrJ6 A LAR&E REP APPLE 1 Turns for home, re- RECliNS HE'S NEVER-' SHELLED 50 MAtWTlMP1iN6 ODORS STEALW6 FROM KICHEK W1WD0WS FUH65 HIMSELF ON BED AKO HA5 A FAIRLY GOOD Time mNRiN what he WILL PD 10 SUPPER WHEr) The time toes come 2-J3. (Copyright, 1934. by Tie BtH Syndicate, Inc.) S MATTER PO,P Bv C H Payna E NEW YORK. Dec. IS. (T, TH deaths of Dr, Harmon Smith, 8i throat specialist, and Ms wlf. weru Investigated today to determine a mo tive for what police called murder and suicide. The bodies were found in the lib rary of their 62nd street home where Dr. Smith had a collection of hunt Ing knives end other weannn. m,r Smith's throat had been slashed oy an eight-Inch hunting knife. Her husband was found with a dagger n his bared breast. No note wer found, but the police said It evident Dr Smith had killed his wifr snd then himself Dr. Smith waa surgeon-director t me ni:tnuaiian eye ana ear nospii4t. And was a former president of tn American LaryngoloKical sssoclatl -u Mrs Smith was the doctor's second wife She was the former Janet Wfi lUms ot 8a il Diego, Csl. Captain William Sidney Fltchett 70-year-old tugboat master of Nor folk Va . has rtorked more than 000 ships of all nationalities during his loutf a j vice, hla tmplojcra say. MEAL WORM DIET MIGHT HELP MAN WARHtNOTON. Dec. IS i,V) A I diet of mewl worms might help cure human sllmenta. At least they ought to be givd for human, for they've restored many a slcWy animal in the National Zoological park here to health, says Ernest P. Walker, assist ant director. He suggests dtetictani might levn a goM defll about whats gov) tor humans by studvtn the diets fouivl ood for boo animals. Although the meal worms aren't found on human menu cards, they seem to cont itn ' something of considerable aiue a nourishment, for animals thrive on them. i Meal worms are the larvae of a beetle that sometimes infest meal and flour. They don't look any .mere repulsive than many other foM which many human eat with rellaY Walker says. , 4 Traffic Judge c. B Pox fined U- torney Frederick Uubovsky t) M.n on six parking notation tags and pave him a suspended sentence on 21 others In Oakland. Cal. One ir was for double parking and the other 16 lor overtime paijuuf. - c4er )( 4.. ) ( n f TSo-rtf J ,! liif-H WiftP S BiSr '-JkS ! jc Sflgi5l) ' (CPy"gfrt, by T Bell Syndicate, Inc.) TAILSPIN TOMMY The Persistent Pilot 1 By Ha Forrest 3 E kl4i - . ' i 1 irga----"wffr, r,j r iisva BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER All About Willie .. r, snwm m.GER ' wiu-ie puttv vw ivte . f ' pon my honor., I'm not, EiiS Y AfJD swR"r to rub A , ( peocv screwed and looked at ) I Cine-iT W8Y VOO EVER LfllO ..A ( ONHV OU HEmR ME OUT 5 15 HlMt WITH WHffT AWE THOUGHT WW J THE BOTTLB-SHE'D GOT THE WRONG 1 I eve? ON, MM.' BUTHewA I 'I OH THW-PEOGV PUTTY WA4 lS2T3 11 MEDICATEP OIL-HE W A LITTLE ONE-5HE1D GOT PETER PUTTY' BALD t I -iHAVIN' RECULORLY BVTHeTWl I A OOTIN MOTHER, IF EVER Hf I ' OFTmkEETHEN-WELL.THE I I HEADcP MECTCINE, AND THE OEED WBS H6 WA-i N YeAR OLO- Mty TWERE WA4 ONE BUT ONE W I NEiCT MORNIN TWERE WAS I I DONE-BCN I'M 71riUN' I Q-j NlWre l! THE NEBBS Cawn t Be Bothered - 1 :s, i, 1 1 hi ,. - SOU MvetO'T CALLEoXi kk10x) I HELLO, MRS. ME1X, . OK, wELLO IT'S WICE. v AsxE CA.UJSJT BE BUSHED- MBS. MEIT VET. DOM'T X-OULO BUT IT5 THIS,' IS FAWMV ME58. OP VDU TO --AU BUT SME5 30IKJ3 TO BE ISJ MER ROOM VOU UliMK VOU OUSHT AW ORDEAL 1 VD LIKE TO SEE YOU.. ) ( CONJT RUSH ME -TM WOT fOR, A, FEW CAVS AluO THESE V. TO?. SHE'S VISITIKJ& DRe&D YLL GIVE VUOMT VOU OOINJ FEELIM& tOELL V 3HA.VAJAJTJ 1 WAg FROST NJ THE RECEIVER, IVHEK I mere y "ER R.ja . us for dikjjerJL leave mv room for a , uu-ia up vnjd i hadto put J -rjr n Vri.ut A.UJA.V . Vew dw.wmjw V aw ice bas om mv ear. to I W--l 1 -1AJ ,V y. I VW l -r"!1'--' I' 'gifeA V-V-l, J Mmii.v, I BRIN0IN0 DP FATHER By Oenme Mnajnnl I FROM MAC<,c T 1 1 WILL VOU STOO f ALL RlGHT! BUT Ju' If VELL- HE DlDNT ( " ' '' M HE ADMITS HE'S GOT ' EM 1 Uv BROTHER'." WELL. THE- M HOLLERING ? GOT A LETTER FROM STEALTHEH- I I , t W HE HA, THE NERVE in THIS "i ABOUT THE LIMIT' C3 ' TO FRIGHTEN 1 HE TOOK MV EST ADMITS HE HA VI J I vSC. . HiM Tur vMTl J & A " BEL'EVE IT OR NOT" FER LITTLE J COAT AN' PANT'S J THEMHE PROPALV I I. 1 - lrtvi , , lit NERVE!'.! , r ' -OAPHNfc'V WHEN HE WiNT V TOOK THEM BVJV f K IC r-U(UI ffF: ,P il