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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 26, 1937)
PAGE ETflHT MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUTE, MEDFORD, OREOON. WEDNESDAY. MAT 2fi. 1337. r PUQDGD OD THE DILUaTIF i i mmwmam Fir SYNOPSIS: Auractiv Juit Blinjhop it mysteriously shot to death on a wild, ttormy night at Farrington Bluff, home of Mi chael's aunt. Eieryon ma rooned on this Island is suspect; Mike, who talked with Judt alone that night,' the Skipper, hit tall and tweedy younger aunt; Aunt Martha, ttout and prudish; Gay Palmer, Mike's red-headed sweetheart; Niggint, the elderly butler; William, the chauffeur; Cook; Annie the maid even 1 viho am picked to lead our group investigation. At wt search the house, finding Aunt Martha't room in bloody chaos, the Skip per faintt. Chapter la Could William i r THINK 1 helped William carry the I Skipper into Gay's room, but I'm not sure. I distinctly remember pour ing out a liberal dose of mouth wash, and being prevented by main force from administering It to her. It went on for eternities. When It was finally stilled, the Skipper was itting up. M. Farrington lay sobbing in a big chair, supported by both Michael and Hlgglns. William stood at the door, his arm around Annie and a stern eye upon Cook who was seated ignominiously upon the floor at his feet, her eyes staring Into space. 1 stood by the bed, holding up Gay who seemed on the point of falling. No one spoke for a long time. Then Wil liam in a hushed voice:, "1 think, sir, that this Just about does up our searching party." I said in a voice Intended to be steady. "We are all absolutely safe here as long aa we stay together. We have a revolver. That bathroom door can be bolted. The windows are out of reach from the ground and there Is absolutely no danger. William and I are going to leave you here for a few momenta while we look around. You can lock the door the minute we go. And don't unlock It until we tell you to!" "Nol" cried Annie. "Oh, please" But William turned to the door. "Let's go!" he said. Michael never could take orders. "Look here," he exploded. "I'm not staying here while you do the dirty work. What do you think I am? I brought you here, and I'll take the risks. You and William stay where you belong." M. Farrlngton's voice rose In hor ror. "James don't think of allowing It. He's weak! He has feverl He " "He's staying right here," I said bluntly. "The hell I ami I'm" "Shut up!" I snapped. "Any more out of you and I'll push your face In. Someone has to stay with the women. They're your responsibility. See to it, for once." I didn't give him time to answer. I strode out the door with William at my heels. We could hear a click on the other side as someone shot the bolt home. One room remained to be searched on the west end of the hall Jude Bllnshop's. Before that door 1 hesi tated. It was quiet. All the mad ex citement oozed out of me. The one reality of the whole wild, gruesome nightmare Jude was dead. I would have given something just to lean against that door and blubber like a two-year-old. William spoke softly In my ear. "I'll go In, sir, It you'd rather not." "Thanks," I mumbled, "I'd rather. Watch the hall." I'm afraid I didn't notice for several minutes whether or not the room was occupied. A low lamp burned beside the bed. The figure under the eheet was very still. William's cough In the hall finally roused me. I didn't move the sheet The memory of that disfigured face was too strong. It took a definite effort to stir myself to the point of crossing to the closet and making sure it was empty. Looking under the furniture was a little worse. ( closed Jude's door behind me very sofily. We Lock The Roomj "TWAT finishes this end of the hall, 1 William." "Yes, sir. It might be a lot easier If we could lock up these rooms that we're sure of. Shut the the him outl" I liked the Idea. On the Inside of the three doors, we found keys, and we locked them all. I pocketed the keys. The Farrington hall Is perfectly straight and rather wide. On the north side. Just beyond the head of the stairs, was my room, and, next to It, Michael's. Opposite them a swinging door opened into the narrow corridor of the servants' quarters. My room was Just as I had left It Standing In the hall, I sent William through Into Michael's. "All right here, sir," he said from the door. A swift glance over his thoulder verified the statement. We were now confronted with a ... in order search 1...- - quarters properly with out r.. '.:.n the approach of someone from downstairs, we had to cover two staircases and two corridors, the smaller one running at direct right angles to the main ono. There seemed nothing for It but to station one per son at the Junction of the two nails and let the other one search. It lefl a very definite risk for the sentry, should his eye be even momentarily dlstiacted frcm either staircase. 11 also Involved a complete mutual trust on the part of the searchers. William .1 knew, had his suspicions of me, and suddenly 1 began to distrust him. "I'll match you for position." 1 said "I'd rather keep watch, if you don't mind, sir." Immediately I jumped to a rash conclusion. "No," 1 decided. "You know the ground better. You hunt and I'll watch here." I think some inkling of my Ides dawned upon him, for he eyed me queerly. "If you say so, sir. I'd rather look myself, If I was you." 1 shook my head vigorously. His only comment was, "Well Higgins' room," and he opened the door on our right The sensation of waiting before was nothing to these new ones. I tried to keep my eye on the hall with Its grim staircase on the dim narrow corridor at my elbow with its three closed doors and dark flight of stairs on the faint splotch of light that was the open doorway of Higgins' room. I could see one end of a small Iron bed and be yond it a small clothes press. 1 could hear the wind outside and William's heavy footsteps. Once 1 thought J heard something else from the direc tion of the back stairs, but either 1 was mistaken or it was not repeated. "All in order, sir." "Try the next one." He vanished across the hall. Slowly an Idea was beginning to dawn on me. William! William could have brained Annie, dashed upstairs and smeared soap on his face, shaved off half of It, heard Cook stirring, dashed down the stairs, and - "Nothing here." "Whose room is it?" "Annie's." "All right. Go ahead." He walked in the next door on the left "This is Cook's," he said, disap pearing Into it Inching Down The Corridor COULD it be that 1 was on a wild goose chase, searching the house ullh the murderer for the murderer! William could hav j smashed Christo pher before he brained Cook. The animal might have been stunned and unable to crawl down to us at first William had been upstairs. He would havu had ample time to O.K." His voice coming at me sud- denly out of the darkness reminded me that I had almost relaxed my vigil Williams own room remalned..lt wat at the end of the corridor and on the opposite side from where 1 stood. 1 thought 1 should be able to see It quite clearly when the door was opened. Good, I said, striving to make mj voice sound natural. "Go ahead." If anything was on his conscience at he opened the door, hd didn't show it He pushed it open continently anc switched on a light. As much as 1 could see of It, his room was the exact replica of Higgins. Same bed and tiny closet Small stand by the bed I could see no further. If William wat the murderer, he might be up to al most anything beyond my range o) sight There was, 1 admi no sense in m) action. 1 gave one hasty look up anc down the main hall and threw cautior to the winds. Very quietly I le- the swinging door between the passage! go. Then slowly, inch by Inch, 1 edgec myself down the corridor In the direc tion of the beam of light coming tronr his room. I kept my back well agalnsl the wall In which his door stood. Al most It seemed that the man woulc" hear my breathing. Just outside the beam of light 1 halted. 1 could see most of the room, but no William. A disconcerting thought struck me After all, should my bright Idea be entirely wrong and William find me not only deserting my post but alsc sneaking down a dark corridor to ward a spot to which 1 myself had sent him, my position might need s lot of explaining. He certainly didn't consider m above suspicion in the first place. Ha had heard me order the others to keep their door locked until 1 told them Xc open it. He had watched me lock every door upstairs and pocket the keys. His case would be rather better than mine. If he ever had reason to present one. Nevertheless 1 drew s deep breath and stepped Into the beam of light. Crouched In the doorway stood William, his ece a mask of rage and hate. He held a golf club In his hand, and as I sprang at him roaring, "You dirty devil!" darkness descended ovet me like a :ent fCopirrtoM. 1S1T, Silhsr Tyltr) I find myself hound and gagged when I come to, tomorrow. ST. MARY'S FACES SALE AT AUCTION OAKLAND. May 7t. ( API The properties of Bt. Mary's college, fam ous for Ita football teams, will i;o on the auction block June 33 to satis fy claims of bondholders, a Irgal no tlce said today. The trustee for the bonds. Central Bank of Oakland, advertised the date had been fixed and that the aale will be held on the steps of the Ala meda courthouse. In default of satis factory settlement. The original amount of the bond Issue was 11.500.000. Some 11,370. 000 of the a percent Issue remains outstanding. Interest having been In default aince the middle of 1834. ftnlem Pnfe Crnrkrd SALEM, May 2.( API Safecrack ers who enured ths Orey cigar store early Monday made away with e3QB. It waa revealed today by Salem po lice. The burglary was not discov ered until the store was opened yes terday and It w-aa first believed the loss waa cnslderably larger. To Quarantine Meet SALEM. May ja (API Frank Mc Kennon. head of the plant division of tbi agricultural department, will leave Saturday for Phoenix, Arlr.. to attend the annual meeting of the western plant quarantine board. feoTlft Spies Shot. MOSCOW, May 26 i API Eleven persons were reported today to have been executed at Khabarovsk tn Hie far cut. bringing to 56 the number put to death In Siberia within ths last few days on charges or sabotage, under direction of Japanese Intelli gence agents. I1.0IHI Report Mailed. PORTLAND, May 3i lAPI More than 13.000 copies of Oregon state planning board report have been mailed to every atate to acquaint the nation with Oregon. Ormond R. Bean, board chairman, said today. STRANGE AS IT SEEMS By JOHN MX Tor further proof tdttre-M tho author, Indoclof lUte-pod MY-elop for. reply. Re. U. 8. Pit. Off. Mount Vernon. Originally called "Llttln Hunting Creek Plantation by John Wimhln- ton, rounder of the estate, the lte on which Mount Vernon now stands was deeded to Lawrence Washington, the half-brother of George Washing ton, In 1743, Lawrence, a former of ficer In the British navy, named the estate Mount Vernon In honor of his old-time commander, Admiral Edward Vernon. Thus, strange as tt seems, one of the United states' most eacred, patriotic shrines, the home of George Washington, bears the name of one of England's naval leaders Stranger still, perhaps, is the fact that tht, naval leader for whom Mt. Vernon was named Is the same man from whom "grog", meaning liquor, took its name! In the time of Ad miral Vernon It was the custom in the KnirlfMi navy to ISMie a gallon of lUMittrr i'riiMrlilp, PORTLAND, May 2fl (AP publica tion of reports which show a decline In building permit should not be published, bernucV It "will tend to disturb the minds of thoM who may be tntendlnn to build. H C. Plum. mr. chief of the bureau of build ings, said today. flerurlly Of fire Hrieclrd. WASHINGTON. May atf. lAP The social security board announced today openina: of a new field olflce at Klsmsth Palls. Ore, (Orrgn nana building, with 8hlrl H. BUlock. tfe attl. Wash., in charge. - - Miss Virginia Kelntet im lived for ili years nt 70.1 VlrjiuiM nirmie, Vir ginia Heights Roftuoke. Va. MHMd Hi " A0PIN6 IHSUVT 0UKT VfcRNOH- VjftS HftwtP MtfcR & BRITISH at lffc(?UuTl.LA lArWK. -TUg POV7 IN IO HC IflrWIMlUHTS OWN nunc-- itv rrwviwi. yuur5 im n Answer -fa ypsfara'aiJ's puizle -REMOVING 8MBH5&ttW tPNM lm-l beer dally to every seaman sailing :n home waters. A quart of wine was ordinarily substituted for the beer on cruises In the Mediterranean und a half pint of rum In the West Indies. It was In the West Indies that the admiral gave the order that was forever afterward to associate his own nickname with that of liquor. Irritated over the fact that his sea men tossed off their entire ration of rum immediately after receiving It and consequently became rather "tight," he Issued orders on August 4, 1740, that each half pint of rum be mixed with a quart of water and that this mixture be divided into two parts one-half to be given out In the morning and the other half at night the seamen Immediately dubbed the diluted drink "grog," de riving the word from Admiral Ver- non'a nickname, which he had pre- COhtfrW Pi-th, N.U, il-INKING ,. WiWOUT WM.KIMA n $IN6LB MM vlously received because of his habit of wearing a grogram boating cloak "Grog" eventually came to mean any kind of Intoxicating liquor and Is found under that definition in mod ern dictionaries. Insult to Injur?-. The tarantula hawk (pep&ls for mosa) completes Its life cycle by kill ing a tarantula, dragging the dead victim Into Its own borrow, laying an egg on its body, sealing up the en trance to the borrow and leaving It flies off and dies. When the egg hatches, the larva feasts on the body of Its parent's dead victim, spins a cocoon, develops into a wasp, cuts Its way out of the borrow, mates, then searches for a tarantula victim of Its own. Kismet t Tomorrow: The Pin-headed Monster. LIGHTS OUT By GLUYAS WILLIAMS s-fwtfe rot? BEP- PlKS Olrf LW1W6-ROOM LI6HTS ASJP SlEEPllV PRESSES HAIL U6HSWI1c:H 8VKIlSfAKI POTS OOf UP-S-TA1R6 HALL LI6H1' WHHJE WIFE IS 6EfflH6 foWELS FROM UNEU CLDSEf. HftSP ILV REtflFlES ERROR, WI1M 10WER FlOOR. Irl TARXHESS, S1AR15 UP, WIFE CAUIWfc SHE LET-f' HER HANDKERCHIEF ON "THE SOFA 6R0PES WAV BhCX IKlTO UV1H6 R0Df),PD-rs ON U&HfBVSOFA AMD FlNPS HAHWERCH1EF PUTS UtHf OUT AND StARft FOR HAJX, . CFACKIN6 ANNIE OH R0CK1N& HA1R PlrfSft&OR LANPON.TuTS HAU.LI6rtf0N, PlXS FlOOR LAMP OUT, MAKES WAV SftFELV To STAIRS AND PUTS HALL U6HT 0l)T WIFE CALLS HE'D BET TER MAKE 51) RE SHE DIDN'T LEAVE U6HT 60 Itf6 IW PANTRY. FONBIES FOR HULL SWITCH A6AIN FlHPS SHE DID N'T LEAVE TAIJ1RVL16VIT60IH6, TOTS OlK HALL L16HT AMD 6OEST0 BED. PoRCH UfcHf BURNS ALL NI6HTI Wiuftrtt S-IO (Copyright, 1937, by Wis Bell Syndicate, Inc.) S 'MATTER POP By C. M. PAYNE Urges Sex Education. PORTLAND, May 28 (AP) Sex education for young people and as sistance of physicians In determining tho source of Infection will go far to reduce syphilis, prominent Port land doctors told a large audience last night. Break Blaine Fixed ANQLETON, Tex.. May 26. (UP) Texas prison board members blam ed dilapidated buildings and careless ness today for the escape of 10 dan geroua convict, four of whom were captured, at Retrieve state prison farm. Plan Klamath Picnic. KLAMATH FALLS, May 26 (AP) A giant trl-county picnic at Odell Lake In July for the purpose of rous ing Interest In the Willamette! high way waa planned here late yesterday j i-wuH.y tiuugt-B ueorge nsa OI : Lane and George Drizzle of Klamath. TTjONT TELL tK,VAA"r -"0V-! (PoP I KICKET? VOL). ) ) YraoT-tEretVDJr- l-tfETEEIS A y V VoU fr?) ! , is'li Cjs1 The Bell SyndlcatI'fl TAILSPIN TOMMY Sad Parting By HAL FORREST A RULIMG ''or- THf- AIR DErPAI?T Mtr (-IT, TOMMVlS PILOT LICE-NSt- HAS Bf-trri RE-VOKC-D FOR ONE- YtrAR THIS DtrCISION WAS Rt-ACHErb WHOM Sf-VtRAL WlTHErS SE-S TC-MTATIVE-L V IDE-MTIMtrD HIM A3 THf- PILOT WHO CRASHt-D THf MYSTE-RY PLAhEr. rWE-'RE- SORRY. I i fsTOrlMY! TfRRIBLY, V SORRY CCSSSaaaaaaii 3 I ' ; III I llw.jih c r-T, V. " B CHIfrK YOU'vf K MOWN 1 , . . OA WTOMMv' :'k iTTTn Mt A LOMG TIME".. AP1D(1 TOMMY..., . . KJ LVr-TTT HlV Hrd .1 1 IIW WW fYOU KNOW I WOULD MY K DOM'T .... YOU VT MB 1 17 V-1 ''''" .-! M " 1 1 r r t ii ii ii i . . . yi 1 . -tk -i . . . . j. i m .i i in 1 1 n w i i .j i i i : u ,- i jfj wdHIW Ai OMf:.. I DID NOT J ABOUT THe THirit...I.J H' C WW 'd - VCRASH THAT j ( MOTIcrY I PUT! Y 1( f j3h D f II ilk' BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER Hetty 'i Secret By EDWIN ALGER VJELL, MBA, V0GlVji, NMU'at IVi TVlt ClEArU AflAlU-lJUST PAID PAPea oou'T own T.MW fVfc HUMDRfcO P0LLAtt o PAID OFP IW FULL L.U,lA eaTWHW the 1 nr i v. I i n ruLL - AM0 WOVJ,lHc, 6U5IWE 601W6 TO SEt FULL WE AM AHEAD-W0TH1U6 CAU c,TOP r-.vi"'7 K U WOW Wt B.E way; VJHYER, I SUE99 ARE, BcM- OH, I JEiT CAU'T TELL THAT BOV MORE MOWEV- MEBBE eOMETHlMU TUB.V4 UP "50le I WW PAV IT- I LL KEEP H A tCRET A5 LOWa AS 1 KIN THE NEBBS The Great Luther By 80L HES? SlV 1 A WEUU VLW OPMAKIM1 f ONJ HORSES MOUJ. TlUTWER SETS MUCH FUNJ JeET RAl vT i ' SteM 1T-I- BET TUO DOLLARS OKI I THAT'5 A -HAS LUAV iMFORMATiONJ RIGHT IT 5 GETTIM' MONJEVl iSpUj iAUrc A WORSE AJD SOT-b pp MOKJEV PROM THE TRACX . NOU DOfOT HAVE 7s ot MA I AO ' P
