PAGE STX
MEDFORD MAIL TRTBTJNE. MEDFORD. OREGON1. TUESDAY. ,TWE 22. 1937.
r
By GLUYAS WILLIAMS
PUDDDD
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
STRANGE AS IT SEEMS By JOHN HIX
Tar further proof addraea th Mthor, lncloalng a stamped envelope for reply. Reg. V. B. Fat. Off.
tW6
I -M HI a I k I III ' i"i I
- a mm mm stassawasi M a aw mam rtrmi
..CtOPSlS. T inuu.lni
.jotinp to dcth 0 Juda filin
iiop. my old tarns, optni our
jtormy wecktnd at Farrinoton
Bluff, home 0 Michael' aunts.
Jlter a series ot itrano attacks,
we find tht body of Michael' mad
father below the bluff. Aunt Mar
tha is shot in the shoulder, then
nearly drugged to death with
sleeping powderi. The Skipper,
Mike's tall and tweedy younger
aunt, disappears and we search
for her frantically. Finally I talk
with Cook, William, the chauf
feur, and Annie, the maid, who
strongly suspect Higgins, the
elderly butler.
Chapter 41
Queer Action
JCOULDNT decide whether Wil
liam was rambling In an attempt to
gain time or because he really con
sidered the. details of his story impor
tant There was nothing to be gained
from the (aces of the others. They
were both seemingly engrossed In the
story.
"Is that all?"
William plunged on eagerly. "All?
Gawd, no! After we'd went to bed, we
couldn't get to sleep, like I told you.
The noise was awful and Annie was
pretty scared. We wee In my room.
Along about 11 o'clock or a little after
Annie got so excited I went out to see
if 1 could get something to make her
sleep. Cook didn't have nothing, so 1
knocked at Hlgglns' door,
"There was a light Inside, but no
body answered. 1 figured ha couldn't
hear me on account or the wind, so 1
open the door and walks In. Hlgglns
wasn't in that room and neither was
anybody else. 1 didn't thlni. nothing
of It then. 1 figured he was out fasten
ing up blinds and things, and thought
ha was a stubborn fool not to ask me
to help him. But next day 1 dona eon
. siderable thinking when he tells you
he went to bed at 11 o clock.
1 restrained a snort of Impatience.
"But that doesn t mean a thing, wll
liam. Higgins only made a rough guess
at the time. It would really be suspic
ious if he'd hit It right on the dot"
William shook his head stubbornly
"Not for Hlgglns. That bird wouldn't
think of rolling over In bed without
looking at the clock to see If It was
the right time for it"
There was an Idea In that "Just
how does it happen that you ara so
sure of what the time was when you
went into nis room?"
"That's why 1 went out at all. I'd
been kidding Annie to make her think
there wasn't nothing wrong in her not
Being asleep yet She made me turn
on the light and look at th clock. And
then I went out"
William was no slouch himself as an
alibi artist "Anu you think you can
turn liiggins over to the ool ce,
said, "because ha happened to be a
few minutes off in his calculation of
the time he went to bed? Use your
nead.
"I am using It!" doggedly. "Annie
Anally got to sleep, but by that time I
was Jumpy myself. 1 thought 'Maybe
I'd oughta go out and help the old
cuss. This Is a hell of a night and no
mistake.' So I got Into my pants and
snirt ana started alter him.
"There'd been a light on In the hall
before, mind you, but It was out now.
You couldn't see your hand In front
ot your race. I was looking for the
light and I hear a door downstairs
bang hard. I turn toward the stairs.
thinking that something had been
blown open and better be fastened,
and all of a sudden I hear someone
coming down the main hill like a
house afire.
"1 thought someont was sick or
something, but before I could more
than turn around, the door into our
hall swings open and Higgins comes
tearing through. There was a light
in tne big nan and I could see him
plain as day. He had all his clothes on
and he looked like all hell was after
him. Before 1 could open my mouth,
ned tore into his room and I could
hear him locking the door."
William paused for breath.
Hlgglns' Pretense
"pO ON!" said Annie and I slmul
vJ taneously.
William frowned. "1 didn't know
what to do. If he'd needed help he
could of woke me easy as not And he
hadn't He'd locked his dnor. 1 think,
'He's cracked for fair, that's what and
I'd better tell Miss Farrlngton first
thing in the morning.' So I start to go
Into my own room, but before I could
close the door 1 hears someone else
tearing down the main hall. I opens
my door luit a crack and sees Mr.
Michael come rushing In and begin
to pound on Higgins' door. He was
soaking wet and pretty excited. I open
my mouth to ting out and ask what's
up and lust then Higgins opens his
door. Damned if he ain't In his night-
clothes, blinking like ne'd been asleei
since noon!
"I wasn't going : i get caught listen
ing, not with Higgins the way he'd
been lately. 1 closed my door, but I
stood there listening, and the first
thing I hear is Mr. Michael saying,
'Wake up everybody in the house.
I can't find Miss Barbara and Miss
Blinjhop!'
"I knew right off that the first thing
the old boy would do would be to
come through the bathroom after me,
and there wae Annie sound asleep. 1
routed her out quick and got her over
by the door. The minute she hears
Higgins' door close, she skins across
the hall Into Cook's room. With Mr.
Michael only halfway down the hall,
it was a tight squeak, but it worked!"
William," I said roughly, "If you'd
told this story in the first place, you
might have saved at least one life. Do
you realize that?"
The man's lace was troubled. "Jobs
la scarce.
"Lives are scarcer!" I snapped. "Is
there any more?" . .
It was a stupid attitude to take, and
realized It the minute the words
were out of my mouth. William's lips
set lu a grim and stubborn line. H
was silent
He ain't been withholding no
facts!" rumbled Cook Indignantly.
"He has been withholding' facts-
important ones," I said. "Now look
here, William, I'm not blaming you.
You ve had a rough time. But your
negligence has caused plenty of
trouble. The best thing you can do
now is to be sure that you haven't
overlooked anything."
William's voice was sullen. "1 don t
know nothing more."
I took a wild chance. "It will be In
teresting," I said, "to find out what
fingerprint expert thinks about who
locked Mr. Michael 'and myself in tht
cellar."
There was dead silence. William's
eyes were fixed on the floor.
"All right," he said at last "1 ain't
denying it 1 went off my nut It it
seemed like you was the guy that
konked me, and 1 thought you'd just
tried to bump off the old lady. When
we was looking for Miss Btrbara you
acted like you was stalling, and
Well, you didn't say nothing about
where you was going."
I stared at him. "You're not very
consistent" 1 said. "I thought you
were Just now accusing Higgins?"
"I was!" His expression was mulish.
"I was wrong about you maybe. I got
to thinking while I was sitting with
the old lady, and 1 admit 1 was wrong.
But there's too much fishy business
about Higgins."
"Such as 7" 1 knew he was ready
to continue.
'Well, yesterday, when ha was sun-
posed to stay in the kitchen till you
sent for him when you were in the
living room and the rest was in their
rooms he went upstairs. I saw him.
The Key Case
CO Higgins slaughtered that cat! My
throat tightened and there was Ice
at my back.
"Why didn t you say so?'
His eyes were stilt on the floor.
Where I've been. sir. If vou don't
learn nothing else, you learn to keep
your mouth shut"
"Not when it may cost you your
life!" 1 said savagely.
1 was certain that Higgins had re
moved those letters from Wllliam'r
room. All the years that 1 had known
the old man. all the years that 1 had
considered him as much a part of
Farrlngton Bluff as Long Island Sound
Itself, lell away from me. Higgins
owned the only revolver known to be
on the Bluff. He had lied about his
whereabouts on the night of Jude's
death, and certainly he ha been out
of his room when It occurred. He had
had opportunity for mutilating the cat
and dismantling that bedroom.
The Skipper was missing, and she
would have followed him anywhere.
Poor Norman Farrlngton would have
trusted him Implicitly. He had been
among the first on the scene of the
shooting of M. Farrlngton. 1 had found
him with the gun in his hand, and he
had almost tricked me into planting
my own nngerprlnts on It. My head
was spinning with the mass of evidence.
I again asked William if there was
anything else.
Oetting slowly to his feet he
plunged a hand Into his back pocket
and drew forth a leather case which
he flung upon the table.
That!"
I picked the thing up gingerly. It
contained about two dozen keys of all
sizes and descriptions. Ther conveyed
nothing to me.
"That fell out of his pocket when
he was getting the dinner and 1 nailed
It. Higgins always carries a key to
every room In the house," said Wil
liam slowly.
(CcwHiht. HIT, tllktr Tvltr)
We Imprison Hlgrlns la ftfi
tomorrow.
OFFICERS ELECTED
BY TOWNSENDITES
ROSEBURQ. Ore., Jims 33. (AP)
Mrs O. C. ThomM of Vernon I a wu
elected president of the eieciuive
bourn for the first congressional dis
tiict of Town send clubs t the dlt
trtrt congress held In Row burg Sun
day. More than 1.000 persons Attend
ed the sll-day sessions of the con
vent ion.
Dr. E. H. plev. 51 em, wss made
rlcepresldent; Charles L. Paine, Eu
Irene. -as re-elected secretary, and
Judge C. J Novel Oregon City, s
re-elected treasurer
Each of the officers will represent
his county on the lS-msn executive
boarn
William Perry was elected director
from Jackson county.
The convention re-employed Ar
thur Moore of Monmouth district
manauer.
Debates and visitors were Ad
dressed t the morning session by
District Attorney J. V. Long of Rose
burg end In the afternoon by win
E. Mi honey of Klamsth Falls,
Resolutions adopted carried ;
ususi expressions of spprtcistion tot 1
hospitality: reaffirmation of confi
dence In Dr. Prune is E. Townsend.
author of the pension plan, and an
appenl to cogrena to substitute the
Townsend plan for the present aortal
security act.
An Invitation from CorvAl.lt for
the next district meeting was ac
cepted. The next convention will ne
held In December.
Carson and Bride
Leave For Beach
PORTLAND, June 33. t AP .May.
or Joseph K. Carson and his bride
wera at an unannounced destination
along the Oregon beachea today on
their honeymoon trip, leaving Satur
day night following the wedding eel.
emnhed at the White temple.
Portland's most-talked -of wedding
in rent years, we, a consummated oe
fore 3.000 Invited guests, when the
mayor took as his wife Miss Myrtle
Cradirk. daughter of Mrs. Minnie
Belle Furlong of Heppner. Sle wwa
given In marriage tty Will A. Kntgnt.
MISSING WOMAN'S BODY
DISCOVERED IN DITCH
8T A VTON, June 33 . AP I Tne
body 91 Mrs Minnie Ac h warts Miss
ler. 53. mlMing Stay ton woman, waa
found In Bhelton ditch about five
mile? from here and a mile above
Aumsville Sunday afternoon. St: nd
d!apprrd from her home Saturday
morning. Mrs Misler had oecn in ill
heslti, for some time fth a pt
offlcei of thr tViT'st-'i '..
Cm Mall Tribune ant s4s.
ite Motf&MeRN w infrie u., JL fi
r COCKROACH
let? fo Trie forced
convicTiom MOftan&ociflioH
Of wbwx v&n IN nib,
W b KlPMP-NUlRPER
ttf tthP COMMITTED .
0 dSFORE
-Nevi York City-
KecoRp iKiae srwe year-
ev I aSJn it ill A. a"
nrm -
1 h
M
Sl)6tES-fS "TO EDDIE SEMES,
WITH WHOM HE 16 PiaVlrte
WORK OH HIS $H0Rf WAVE
SE
LEADS "ME WAV IK, IEAVIN6
BBSE8BU. EGUmMENfOr)
TROtK LAWN
IK A fEW MlNO-fES HAS O0L
AffD RADIO PARTS S"tRtWN
OtfEfc CEUAR ROOR
"-rM vilrid -i
NOT MAKIH6 MUCH W06RESS, COVER BEDROOM RDM?
Stf66E6f$ lHAf EDDIE RUN OVER Wlfrl SAMR5,-fRADIN(j
AMD (SET HIS. STAMPS ASD fWO OF THEM
fHEV'H IftADE
(OopyrWit, 188T, by Tin, Bell gymUeata, Inc.)
tir-ide Th -Their BifVcift
RlTiF -fHFM FOR A FEW MINUTES.
AND, LEAVING HEM N DRIVEMftJ
60 IN 10 tWIt'D 10 BUs sunt
COOKIES
8 MATTER POP
By 0. M. PAYNB
Key West
Of all cities In the United States
south of the Mason-Dixon line, Key
West, Florida, was the only city that
waa not taken at one time or an
other by Confederate forces during
tha civil wnr. Yet, strange aa It
seems Key West waa and still la the
most scuthern city In the United
Statra With Its harbor defended by
the firbiddlng guna of Port Taylor
which waa built In 1846, the city
managed to hold off Invasion
throughout the war between the
states.
In the Spanish-American war. the
Seminole wal and the Mexican wur.
Key West waa of considerable mili
tary importance.
The Fatal Corkroach
On June 3. 1928. little Orace BuJd,
of New York City, was reported min
ing. A short while later, newspapers
headlined the atory of finding her
body murdered by a person or per
sons unknown. Not until eight ycurs
latar did the clue come to light that
led to the electrocution of the child's
murderer.
A letter waa received by Grace's
parenta one day In 1934. Police were
summoned to examine It. The envel
ope In which It arrived was ldent.
fled a, the same type as that used
by tha chaufteura' license bureau. A
check-up waa made and It was fout.d
that un employee of the bureau fcsd
taken home several ot the envelopes.
He had recently moved, leaving ihe
envelopes In his vacated room.
Police hurried to hrs old address.
Therj they found Abraham Ft':h,
Questioning established him aa tne
murderer. Asked how he had come
to use the license bureau envelope
for the letter that tracked him down.
Pish revealed a weird story. Lacking
an envelope after writing the letter
he hao searched the room. Not find
ing one, he was about to give up
when he noticed a cockroach crawl
ing up the wall. As he got up on a
chair to kill It, his head came level
with n shelf. On It were some envel
opes. He took one to use for nis
letter. The cockroach had directed
him on the road to the electric ch.tr.
Tomorrow: Horseman of the Air!
PORT ORFORD RAINFALL
HEAVIEST SINCE 1852
POKT ORFORD, June 22. f AP) A
.Sail foot of rain the past 48 hours
Mnt this coast point's drenching to
the greatest depth for June since
1853. when records first were kept
The gauge here showed 10.18 Inches
to date.
The nearest approach to this record
was In 1906 Then the figures read
8 67. The average rainfall Is a. lb
inches.
LARGEST PEACH CROP
EXPECTED THIS YEAR
BAKER, June 22. (AP) W. E.
Baker, reputed here to be the largest
orciiver in th PAlfl(? north west
said he expected to exceed all prevl- I
ous records because of perfect crop
conditions this year.
His largest previous crop on his
orchard 16 miles below Huntington
was 72.600 boxes In 1935.
SALEM. June 22. f AP) County
Agent Vantrump said recent rains did
heavy damage to both strawberry
and cherry crops in Marlon county.
He said that 50 percent of the cher
ries wpic crocked.
ltr ; ; VB10epyrltht, 1937, by The Bell Byndicsts, Inc.) Q jj
TA1XSPIN TOMMY Tommy Bluffs It Out I
By HAL FORRESX
Tommy was just
OONGRATULATiriG
HIMStLF- THAT Ht WC
COMVIMCt-D JUSTiriA,
MErMBt-R Of- THfr
ESPIOMAGf GAMS,
THAT Ht IS TONY LACEY
SLAIM SPY PILOT AMD
BOY F-RIE-MD OF- THE
tXOTlC GIRL, WHOM
she- hao mot se-eri
fOR SIX MONTHS j
WHt-M 8C-TTY-LOU
and SKt-ers trrrreeo
THE" BLUE- LANTERN INN
TO DANCe-, AND THtN
it HApPt-ne-o !
, (tommy.
mm
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WHO IS
THIS ...
TONY?
ikz Jft 1 1 . Aa. . 'I 51 1
TOMMYS
insTRUcrioNS
ARt. .nOT TO
RtcosriiZE
apiy or- his
PRIE-MPS...
BtCAUSt- IT
WOULD Ruin
the secret
se-rvice-'s
PLAC1 TO
APPRtHEMO
THE" SPY
LE-AOtR ...
AMD MIGHT
MEAN DEATH
fOR TOMMY.'
fYl MEVER SAW THE- LADY Vj
j i in ny Lire tJfPORE-.
O-OH. SKE-E-TeR
I TAKE" ME AWAY hf
BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER The Campaign Opens
r
By EDWIN ALOEtt
' WTH UUCLft WAT e Ust 1 )
6UE.6 V CAVJ CONt MOST
OF TH6 PLACE'S IH AFVERUOOUi
TUWM. vLL eflMtt WITH TWt BILL
KR0&ER9 TW6N'R. B.EAL
Utt, I'M WORftiEO-DNOU L-,r-P-,rnJ
aectcou amxtwiw' happened i " n " n I
a..v i . -Ti in ttJtk i' 11 i aiiii la. miJJ
nni inu uenae7 i ui i if
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iuu rvu-i MAvt 'HATl cWOUdH rOR WIW UUCLE WAT UsT 11
CTY OB. MOB.C J A TAOTta-l LL PICK. (Twl W GUtM V CAVJ COVt MOST
BO. Or WCt ) UP iOMt HAWO VUA ) ' OF THE PLACE'S "Mfc AFTERUOOUH TO WW TWUVilW MACWUC MfWffif
I K'vi DCM JL-Ai THE pUVf EC . f SJ MVUK U WTW TMt BU K OVEttJWoaK, MEftftE ? HA Ht II II III
F - j"mriBLyn'UT JCl &s Ikro&er9 then 'w real h
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Hvaaiu5. 6LIT ROU'T YomViooOW
abou- that, boy' thivjwucj TAWvt-l
n 5 VJuRKiUe OVERTIME POR VAVCjCjIUS f
qiORE AS10 Ko MOT THE KUD THAT
s ( 6REAK.9 OOWU
R- M
THE NEBBS Another Prospect (or)?
By SOL HESS
I.D (5RiU0R'S
15 REMfiovjiiOGj
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asc eeioc
MADE IVJ
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RADIO STATlOvJ
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A vewus, pcom wer apcw;av..e )v
' i tMA&ivje sues still yj U
'
:; f MAMS AlsjV .-ENJUSITS EMMV."
7-t EMMY oROMTLEY AVJO "TUB RlCWESr
' reCCvl IM TDVLiW CUTSiDE r-IEBSE TVE
eMKEQ. ROTTS Av-'D (?Sv-CT KIOSW TM5EE J
WEt TO A CrrCWEW SWOUJ A CCiLE S
veS MSSPLg. -BFiA A. POLICE;
rVAM, 1 SET
basses;
V-
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Aik.iT & Da. o-r rr- a. rs. J
. j ' t Q'-A-l-r 1
I
CUTSiOE C HER BE
A fVr CmijRRv .ust
SO HARD TO LO3 AT.
she:s got doosm.. eveb. elsf s-t?
WOVJ MUCH DO YOO IMAOE3--ES SOT.SuF
jw-nj3t o-is aoi, COWT LETLCCIEOP
--, 7 f' it 1 L VESO
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