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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 13, 1936)
PSGE EIGHT - raPFORD MAIL TRIBUTE, 1MEPFORD, OTtEGOy. THURSDAY. 'AUGUST 13.' 1936. Chapter 87 ' THE ANSWER "rEAR INSPECTOR," the Ser geant's letter began, "I am lor ry for all the official flapdoodle there will bt about this business. "I don't know whether you are be ginning to guess it or not, but I killed Arthur Burdett; an action for which I wasn't sorry at the time, but which I am inclined to regret now. "Burdett was not only a miser but a rouS as well I had reason to think some time ago that he got various women up to the Court on one pre text or another, but It had nothing to do with me and so I didn't take much notice. But lately he had bis eye on my wife; twice be rang her up when he knew I was away and asked her to go up there to take a message for me. I thought, until to day, that that was why she went up there, but I know differently now. "It so happened that the second time she was there (or at any rate the aecond time I know of) I was on some of his land beyond Nyeton, see ing about a tree that had blown across the road and that bad to be cleared away. I called at the Court on my way hack and as luck would have It ran into Alice just as she was leaving. "She looked a bit upset and flushed, and I suppose she was frightened at seeing me there. Any way when we got home that evening she told me that he had rung her up on an excuse of having aome mes sage for me and asked her up, and when she had got there there was no more talk about any mossage, he ended up by trying to make love to her. I suppose now that she told me all these half-lies because she wss thoroughly scared by my turning up there unexpectedly and was afraid that I already knew something. "I thought It over a day and de cided to go up on Monday, when I knew bis man would be out,' to thrash the whole thing out with blm and see where we stood. So as not to worry Alice, I told her I was going out on my usual Nyeton round after poachers. "Actually I went up to Enderton Court; I used the back drive. I got to the Court at about live minutes to aeven, I should think.. I knocked on the front door and the old miser came shuffling across the hall just like Lumsdale described. He opened the door as far as the chain would admit and peered out. I said 'I want a word with you Mr. Burdett about a little matter.' "He hesitated a moment and tben took the chain off and told me to come In. I followed him across the hall Into that little study sort of place where he always used to sit. we sat down and be croaked out, What do you want at this time of nlglitr "Itasked him straight out what be was doing with my wife. "TTE burst out Into the ususl tor rent of abuse which he used whenover he lost bis temper. What the hell did I mean, and how dare I have the bloody Impudence, and all that sort of thing. "Of course I took no notice of that, except perbaps that It made me even angrier than I was already. When he had run short of breath I told him quite quietly that my wife had com plained of being decoyed up there under false pretenses and of having been molested, and that unless he bad some satisfactory explanation to give I Intended to make an official case of It and prosecute him. "It was then that the whole at mosphere of the thing changed. I didn't speak at all for the next ten minutes, he had it all his own way. He told me, amongst a lot of other things, that If I really Imagined my wife went up there unwillingly it was sbout the richest thing he had ever heard of; that his great diffi culty had been to keep her away once he had first got her up there; that he knew well enough what I was after, that the whole thing wss a plant that 1 wanted money. "I couldn't stand it anyway and when he said that about Alice I lost control of myself (damned fool that I was). I bad my truncheon out be fore I knew what I wa doing. When he had said what he did about All-e he leaned across the table and apat at me. I had my hand on my trun cheon aa I've told you and when he leaned forward and opened that scrawlng mouth of bla I hit him with out knowing that I did It, "It killed him at once. I bit him on the bead whlcb I didn't mean to do In a sense you may say that I didn't mean to hit him at all. It all hap pened quickly and under the stress of temper. However, all those thlngi don't matter, i did hit blm- and killed blm and It was murder. "I lost my head for a few minutes and damned nearly turned tail and ran, leaving everything just as II was, but, of course, that soon passed I knew nobody could have heard any thing and I was certain no one had aeen me going up the back drive My truncheon waa the first anag. I thought I would provide a weapon to make It easy for everybody. "Those two Indian Cluba took mj eye ao I Jumped Up on a chair anil got one down (the second fell down with a hell of a clatter, it made m jump a foot, and I realized how nervy I was), "When that was finished I put tb chair back in lta place (the one 1 had stood on to get the clubs) care fully brushed oft any evidence of ll having been stood on and bad a good look round. "One club was on the floor and i picked It up and hung It on a nal! on the wall. It just shows how mis taken a man can be about tho siau of bis mind and how eaay It muat b for murderers ,to make silly mis takes; I could have sworn I was per fectly cool and collected and yet 1 never realised that I was putting that club back on Its wrong nal); 11 Just didn't enter my head. HALFWAY down the back drlv I did exactly what you though! the murderer did. I stuck my trun cheon well Into the grass at the fool of the hedge and wiped all the meal oft It. Then I slung It In place again and went on. There waa no one about so I turned left and made oft sharp ly through the lanea to Nyeton vll lage. I was back home by half past eight and sat there pretending to read with my eara nailed to the dooi aa you may say. "Just after nine Lumsdalt knocked, I let him In and he told mc bis alarming news. I hope my face looked serious and official enough, I tried to make It so anyway, and I walked up with him to see the firm murder of my life (but my second view of It). 'I want to make It clear, Inspec tor, that I didn't want anybody else to be charged with the crime, but I didn't see how there could be any evidence to charge anyone else. 1 don't pretend to know what I should have done If the circumstantial evl dence had gone on mounting against Shipley the way It did. "However, you feel a damned fool, Inspector, when you've Jumped Into the river to rescue someone and It turns out to be a dummy. I found out today that what Arthur Burdett said about my wife was absolutely true so I needn't have killed him at all really, which is a pretty good Joke on both of us when you corns to think of It. "Well, Inspector, that'a the way of It I knew It all before; abut my eyes to It and have had It proved abundantly again: do your own way In life and trust yourself, nothing else Is worth while. If you hadn'l come In when you did this evenlns I should have killed Alice. You saved her. and much good that will do ths world. I shan't kill ker now, I couldn't very well hope to get away with that, and yet It I let her live she'll get me csught over the other thing, somehow or other in the devil Ish way women have In their mlndi aha knowt. Well, she won't have that pleas ure. I've always lived life my own way and I'll go out of It my own way Jamea Clewley White." Inspector Hylton read this re markable and eminently lucid docu ment through slowly and with a series of mingled feelings such ai he had aeldom, if ever, before ex perienced. When he had finished it to its last syllable ha gathered tht loose sheets together and took them Into the office, not caring particu larly to share the company In tin kitchen sny longer. Poor devil" Hylton thought with compassion. Then lifting up the re ceiver, be asked In a weary volet for the Morechester Police Station (Cttr"tl. IM. Lnrno It'. J)) THE END L E PORTLAND. Aug. IS. (API A warning to parent against allowing their children start school without a thorough examination, so that they may b free from avoidable handi caps, came todsy from the Oregon bosrd of health. 'ino board pointed out that the average child loses about seven per cent of his school time, or two weeks, because of preventable defect which not only hinder hi school progress but cause Injury to his future health. These are listed ss the common cold, dentsl defects, sdenotds, defectlvt vision, poor nutrition, and certain constltutlonsi disorders. The weekly chart of communicable diseases throughout the state reveal ed whooping cough to be the most prevalent ellment. There were n new esses, concentrated principally In Multnomah. Washington. Marlon. Polk and Denton counties. Pse Mall Tribune wan.', i. In exchanging spproxlmstely 17, 000.000 sir mail letters during the first six months of this year. Med ford and other Pacific Coast cities surpassed sny other sectton of the country on a per capita basla for sir mail use, according to advice received todsy by L. O. Devaney. field man ager of United Air Lines here, from bis ChlcaKo hesriqusrters. The total given. Devaney ssld. wss chalked up on both the overnight snd daylight schedules Qf United between Seattle. Medford snd San Diego, with a substantially better showing on a per capita basis thsn that recorded by sir lines of the Atlantic seaboard. Under present coastwise sir mall schedules, elapsed times Irom Med ford to other cities sre ss fllows Portlsnd, 1 nr.. 33 nun : Seattle. 3 hrs.. 63 mln.; Sacramento, 1 hr.. SS mtn.; Oakland. 3 hr.. 8 mln.: Sn Fran cisco, 3 hrs., 28 mln.: Fresno. 3 hrs. 45 mln. I Bakerslleld, 4 hrs,, 37 mln.: Lot Angeles, 4 hrs., 43 mln, snrt San S:to, B hrs., 4S mln, Ethel Barrymore Through Acting NEW YORK, Aug. 13. (AP) Ethel Barrymore, who came of a family rich In the tradltlona of the drama, but who attained fame In her own right on the stage snd screen, looked for wsrd today to a life of retirement In the country. "I have made up my mind that I'm never going to appear In another play again," ahe said last night during a radio broadcast. "I live In the country and I never want to live anywhere else." The actress, who will observe her 57th birthday Saturday, la a sister of John and Lionel Barrymore of the movies. BERKELEY. Csl., Aug. 13. (API Lee R. Dennlson, South American mining man, aald today he planned within 80 days to lead an airplane ex pedition In search of the wreckage of the plane' of Paul Redfern, Geor gia aviator, who dlssppesred In 1827 on a flight to Rio de Janeiro. POEM BY EX-WIFE IS FEATURE ON BIRTHDAY ST. PETERSBURG, Pla., Aug. 13. (AP) When friends gave a surprise birthday party for Judge M. B. Hub bard, 87, his divorced wife, Mrs. Alice M. Horton waa among the guesta. During the celebration she recited a poem. It waa "That Old Sweet heart of Mine." Buckingham's Ice Cream, Candy ft Party specials. The Crest. 330 8. Cent. STRANGE AS IT SEEMS By JOHN HIX For further proof address the author, Inclosing s stamped envelope for reply, fteg, TJ. 8, Pat Oft .BPlSCrtrYSIHfi ORl6IH(STe9 rVS ft Pi cAURCrt STEEPLE (fe 60M.,,, a l ... i i . vinrrvrm Lauren To cnurcn, p Ireland m 1 KAHEMTM'z- NebRSST RftlLROM), More PfifaKr m oThW IbWH IN "We U.4. Unv SEft PIjWS of wriicrt loo i ChNFlTOrtTrtEfffAP OF A PIN. ftREO MfAtTRichLlHe M?E USED TO TESTTHE FINEST MICROSCOPES' L"' "'"r" THE FAMILY CAR By GLUYAS WILLIAMS f CWllWM?W5rA6EMefife . WERE Fought ftT g-l2-3fcj " tlattle Town Strange ss It seems, though only one battle In the history of the Civil War Is now officially denoted aa the Battle of Franklin, no lesa than 14 different military clashes occurred In this Tennessee town. Two of the battles fought there were of great Importance the first occurring on April 10. 1863. when the Federsl forces under General Granger defeated Confederate forces led by Oenersl Vsn Dorn. The historical Battle of Franklin wss fought on the outskirts of the war-torn town on November 30. 18b4. Heavy casualties were Incurred on both sides snd aa a result, oddly enough, the lesders of the Confed erate and Union troops, General Hood of the former and General Wagner of the latter, were both re lieved of their commands. Steeplechaslng Leading sports suthorltles vary In their oplntona regarding the date of the flrat steeplechsse but sgree that lta locality was In Ireland with the rscs being run from BuMevent Church to the spire of St. Leger's Church In County Cork. It waa from thta horse rsce that the name of our modern obstacle race was derived, for the orlglnsl was run across country, over fences, hedges snd streams In the course that waa run between the steeples of the two churches. Mlscroscope Diatoms There are over 6000 species of the tiny dlitom plant, each having a dif ferent pattern Including almost evory possible symmetrical figure from curves to strslght lines. So nearly perfect Is their proportional struc ture that they have come into wide ussge as a test for the accuracy of microscopes. Tomorrow: ment. Post Mortem Experl- SfEPiBRISViytJlK-fefift- RA&r 10CMN6 forward H).6HlrllK6CftRWHIfHHE CLEAHEP YESfERDAV, IX S)T)E AKD OUT RFfORNS -fo H6U5E 1b ASK HOW H lta WORiB Did rf 6Ef mupaucaer. if riHD5WfirREPTbpf50f CARRIES lM1b H0U5E A lb Si-OrV UP TOR AWtattE CDrVf, fEKKlS RACWJTf, SMC" COMIrfe BACK FROM THE WHOrJE AND VARIOUS ODDS BAaWME. RETURNS AlJD ENDS FAMILY1 HAS Co CAR VEPi IK CAR- Ktfilput -To SARA6E (5UJVA5 15 BACK PRKEMW FOR A 8R05H 1b SWEEP OUT "THE SAND, REMWMtfS OF CONK AKD CANDV PAPERS MILDRED AMD HEP. SIR1 FRIENDS lEF IN CAR- CLEANS If OUT AMP 01M&& IN mom GLOOMILY" fo HOUSE UNABLE 0 tfARf ; CAR, BECAUSE WIFE STflLlED WHEN rWlN6rf AWAY AND rOR6uf16fORN OrTleNrfiOrJ (Copyright 1936, by The Beg Syndicate; Sc.') S 'MATTER POP- By C. M. PAYNE TTZ ) To KUL Y4a 1 jgSA I MVPePTAKBS Mt ' VteoMrVM I J f Vcc I -, ( T AMrTS 1 TAILSPIN TOMMY An Interruption By HAL FORREST OonjMinisB THAT'J ABUi DARN.. E-VtRYTIMfc- I Y COME" Ori.... Ay" WAT ABOUT 1 lWt'LL ATTtMD 1 YtAH A..An OlVt In A nTuWnm nV C-"OUMDIMO l START TO HAVfr SOMEr Vj-fcT'S viCRAM V THIS GUY., Uo HIM LATtR..JV CHAMCt TO TALK.'... MOT ) BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER Ben's Plan To ?WWrAAL AWO AUVXW AMP VJE HAVE OVJevfll LCOME HERS ,SRlARg.lE -WAIT A SECOMP?) f-THEU I CAVJ (YOU'lL DO U0TWIU6' J"' CUVOE HAJE 6EEU WOUAPEO.' I OF THE AWFUL Y ....... jA AAOMTRO&E -TOMORROW , LET'S C COME &ACK J OF THE WUO Y0UK16 CW.WU.THObERUFFlAUS J V CREATURES UPSTAIRS.' j r HU I PRETEMD WE'VE BEEK1 FRIOHTEMEO H ALOUE I MAU ,' I'LL COME jT j ?g?p p JQ iJ CC-K JITH YQuy By EDWIN ALGER THE NEBBS Unwelcome Guest By SOL, ctiSS j ILL GO IKJTO MV CCM V TV4EKE S A KJlCE COOU WE5r BREEZE ) TONJISMT-ITS TVtE ' COOLEST ROOM ISJ KTHE. HOUSE r SVWEETT CIN4MA.MONJ THERE H6 IS AMD IM - - : i: ! m j-T i l ."cc ri toju ir- ( r yey DEJvl WObbm j III II I J r i 1 i "a s w I 1 1 I ' I ii I n ,arevrr-r f K s. ft1 XV rV - VJJ iffl M fart, WMA.T DO MXI MEAM SV PARISJ(3 NOUR. BROTV-'EW. IrJ VJOMA.SJ,U)E HAVE LIVED TOGjETHER FOR VEAR.S INI SE-MI-COMESTICTRAsJOUILITV eoT TWE.I5E. ISMT ROOM FOR. THAT GUV AJOD ME EVEM IM THE. SrATG OF TEXAS, AMD IF' V4IM OUT OF HERE. ,.fv.Ei.L ee MAxisja FACES AT EACH i sv crru&K iu r'URPOSELV VOL) PARX ISJ A ROOM A CROCODILE UJOULO SUFFOCATE IK1 AMD WHEM I MAKE. MIM A BIT COMFORTABLE IT'S GROUsJDS FOR DIVORCE .' .' SO THAT'S ALL THE AFPECTIOsJ VOU HAVE FOR. ME ? IT COST VOO TLOO DOLLARS FOR A. MARRIAGE Licesjse: fou canj OOT OF IT OR WOTWIWJG VOL) V f, 1 XA-ICENJ-Se. fCXJ CANJ oET I
