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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 1938)
rRTO'R'n MATL TRTRWP!, rFTPT'OTm, OT?T!GQy. THTD'STO'D'AY. iOCTOBTTE 5. T938. , By M A X J ALTM A R SH J" The Character Archie Luawlen, myself, ut ifor to fh Frmeh Riuiero. Rent Gelu, master mind be hind a murder plot. . Venner, on o Getu's confed erates, who objected to killing me. Yeeterdiyi The hotel tenant comet out of Venner't room with bloody hands. Chapter 31 Grcnmstantlal Evidence THE door was locked. I lent Amedie for the key to the room next door, unlocked It, and en tered Venner't room from the bal cony. The bed lay directly before me, and a tumbled heap of blank ets upon it showed me that for once Mr. Venner had overslept But as I took a step forward, something brought me up with a Jerk, and wave after wave of cold terror cwep' over me. It waa a human leg. With one stride I was beside the bed and had dragged aside the shrouding blank its. Blood was everywhere. My nerve cracked. I made one bolt for the door, tore it open, wrestled with the lock of the ante room, and flung througl into the corridor, sending the tray crashing rrom Ameaee s hands. "What is It, monsieur?" he gasped. "It's death," I said soberly. "Lis- it, an. jvut jjutfift lias uceu murdered. I'm sorry for you, but you must come and see. I gripped him by one shaking arm, dragged him into that dread ful darkened place, and showed him what lay there. Next minute we were both back in the corridor, Staring at each other's gray faces. 'The police, I said. You must telephone at once for them and a doctor, but first the door must be locked. After he had locked th . door and pocketed the key, I drew him into my room and gave him a pull from my flask. Then I propelled him gently from the room, but as I turned to follow him, something caught my eye, and halted me sharply in my tracks. My room was small and bare; apart from thr bed, a dresser, and a couple of chairs, the only furnishing was the somewhat lurid floral decoration of the walls, but now, as 1 took a step towards the door, my eye lighted on a pecu liarly gaudy rose, half-hidden by the wooden head-board of the bed. Straight across It showed a lone scratch of white, and as I looked more closely I saw the narrow sliver of torn paper hanging from it It was a fresh scratch, and it seemed to me that it had been made by shifting the bed from its accustomed position. I gave the bed an experimental shove, and something heavy fell with a muffled thud on the pol ished boards. In a flash I was on my knees beside the bed, and next instant i neld It In my hands a foot-long roll of brown paper that held something heavy. I unrolled it carefully and found myself staring at a formidable-looking wrench, whose end was clogged with dried blood. I laid the grisly thing on the floor, still in its paper wrapping, sprang to the door, and shut and locked it; then 1 sat down on the edge of the bed and took my head between my hands. Here was Gelss's final effort the murder that I should, as he had told the tunc d'instruction, Inevitably commit Here was the damning evidence that would, if it hadn't been for that single scratch on the wall paper, infallibly have sent me to the guillotine; but somehow I didn't think that the weapon alone would be considered evidence enough There would be something else, something to suggest a mo tive fo" the crime. Framed TORE open the drawers of the heavy walnut dresser and found them empty. I flung wide the doors of the hanging cupboard and found nothing. The bed was quickly examined, but it was equally unproductive, and there remained only my suitcase. I dragged it out, unsnapped the locks, and there, neatly tucked into the folds of a clean shirt was a thick morocco wallet with gold "V" tamped in one corner. It was full of notes. English and French, of all denominations, but it was not its contents that worried me; I had to And some safe hiding place for it and the wrench and find it quickly, for even now Am6 doe must be wondering at my ab sence. I could not tell which ot the ether bedrooms were occupied, and 1 dared not take the risk of opening strange doors. There was only one solution the loose tile In the corridor. 1 peered out cau tiously, found no one in sight, and lipped wallet and grisly weapon Into the friendly hole. Amedec was emerging from the ofllce as I came down the stairs. "They are coming." said he "The police chief himself and the police surgeon and the rest" He broke off, looking at me with a troubled face. "Well," I said Impatiently, "what's up, man?" "Monsieur," he answered hesi tantly, "I do not understand itl The first question they asked was If you were In the holel." Oh. well," said I, "they doubt less wanted to be sure of having a reliable witness," but though I spoke cheerfully enough, I was conscious of a distinct uneasiness In the pit of the stomach. My chief desire at the moment was to get some clothes on, for I was stilisketchily attired in bath ing shorts and a damp towel, but I had a feeling that the farther I kept away from my room until the arrival of the police, the better, so for the next half-hour I kicked my heels in Amedee's little pantry, until, with a grinding of brakes, two big cars pulled up on the gravel sweep outside. They came pouring into the hall, the commtssane in the lead and a stout cheerful-looking man at his heels to whom he seemed to pay a certain deference. Following them came the doctor, and after him a horde of men in uniform, men In plain clothes, men with cameras, men with attache-cases. The commissaire bowed form ally to me, but it was to Amedee he turned. "The key of the room?" he de manded, and when the big fellow handed it over: "You, my friend, will accompany us upstairs, but you, on the other hand, Monsieur Lumsden, will remain here until I send for you." After about half an hour I saw a uniformed gendarme coming down the stairs, and when he beckoned me to follow him back to the first floor, ' obeyed with as good a grace as I could. The windows of the bedroom were flung wide. The blanket: had been decently drawn over the hud dled shape on the bed, but as 1 pushed my way through the crowd of men who seemed to fill the room, I saw something black stretched on the floor beneath it and paused on my way across the window, where the commissairs sat installed behind a table, to drop on one knee and see what it war. Fingerprinted IT WAS the big black dog, Lulu, ' and he lay on his back, glazed eyes half-closed. But as I laid a hand on his big chest, 1 felt the heart still faintly beating, and when I lifted his head I saw that though he had a nasty crack over one eye, he was otherwise un touched. "Great Scottl" I said wrathfully. "Thi nnnr hrnla is til1 alia mil you leave him lying therel Ame dee, get a man to help you carry him down to the kitchen and tell the women to look after him. The commijsaire siened to me to be seated, and in the same ges ture indicated the stout man who had entered with him and was now sitting on his right "This is Monsieur Flcuriot head of the police mobile of Marseille." he ex plained "All we wish from you at the moment Monsieur Lumsden, is to tell us your story and to allow us to take you fingerprints." "Surely, said 1 and in as few words as I could. told him what had happened from the time I had returned from my swim. He nodded. "That will do," he said Indifferently, and added, with a certain emphasis: for the pres ent" And so, after I had read through my statement and signed it ana allowed my fingers to be pressed on a black, oilv oad and several sheets of paper, I made my way once more down the stairs. It was more than an hour before 1 was sent for again, and as I fol lowed the gendarme up the stairs for the second time. I reflected that 1 must watch my step and keep a curb on my tongue if I didn't want to 'and myself deeper in the mo rass. , My room door was ODen as 1 passed It and a hasty glance in side showed me the bedclothes tumbled untidily on the floor and the content o' my suitcase strewn over the uncovered mattress, but the broken tile cracked reassur ingly under mv tread as I walked on, and I entered the place of In-' quisition with my head held high. I realized, with an unpleasant shock, that the juoe d'iiMtmctton was aisc. present We exchanged formal bows, but I saw by the ;unt in nis eye mat he had not brgotten our last exchange of compliments and bore me no love tor it "Monsieur Lumsden." he said. and tapped a closely written sheet of paper on the table before -him. I iiave here your account of yout movements this morning, from the time that you went for a bathe, but I find that Monsieur le Com- missntre ha omitted to ask what you wore doing yesterday evening and through the night.'.' mats easy, said l. 1 started the evening by calling, with my frieni Mr. Stern, on Monsleui Rene (ieiss at his villa." My eye was uoot. him. and I saw him start at the cartoonist'l name. "Indeed, said he, "and may I ask what took you there?" I grinned at him. "Surely! 1 retorted "A friend of Mr Stern's. Mr virooe Wills, was alarmed be cause his niece had not returned from a sitting she was giving tc Monsieur Geiss. He did not al together care for what he had heard of Monsieur Geiss's reputa tion and asked us to fetch her which we were lelighted to do After that I returned to the hotel here, had a short talk with Mr. Venner, and went to the Chalel d'Amour where I remained until ten 'And the subject of your con versation with Monsieur Venner! What did you speak of during the half-hour you spent with him?" The subject of that conversatior, was the last thing I was prepared to disclose. fCoplirtpM. IMS. lla gdllmariflj Tomorrow: Suipectcdt PLANE HUNTS FOR P PLACERVILI.E. Cal.. Oct. 6. (AP Two airplanes today joined In the pnrch for Jamet Mortimer, 31, nils Ing for 48 houri In the heavily wood d Cat creek country. ?S mile aouth nt of here. Tha plane, piloted by two local men, Jark Olanellt and Dr. D. W. Bibcock, were aent out to circle over the area In which Mortimer had start ed out on a hunt. A ground crew of 100 men entered the area on a aoarch they estimated would take aeven hour. It wa feared Mortimer had Buffered an in Jury and waa unaMe to make hia way to a ranch or town. . .... Riinw At Timt'crllne OOVCKNMKNT CAMP. IVt. 6. (API Two lncnra of snow covered TlmVrllne lodge today. FVret offic ials mU the fall wita hc.nvier at higher delation on Mount Hood. STRANGE AS IT SEEMS By JOHN HIX For farther proof address the author, Inclosing a stamped envelope for reply. Reg. V. 8. Pat Off. KJUXfNj" ONMNOVBL Tbn Houses cm finish ft r&c oveT? 300,000,000 DimRBtflUMsj 'VflGVIM, , &NoTM iupimj Word IT 1rte WHtTe MhM'S CORRUPTION Of V& iNw&M "weruoMucK, Jfcl WrSflNS BUT ft mcTioH OF A SECOND, CmtV 4 93,000, 000 DAMMB' 3i Lsks Denmark, M J,, , DiARlMe ft 51MMR SfaRlA IN fflbm tf STRUCK a HloH-PDMR U.6.NWftlfMMUNlTlOH DSPoT 1HCR6,4fftRTiN6 ft$i6S OF EXPLOSIONS ft IN AROUND TQK AN EtfRA CHAIR ON THE DAV OF THE FALL TtA PARfV AY THE COMMUNITY CLUB, THE COMMITTEE CAME UPOtf IRE BROWN BftG IN WHICH THEV HAD SEEW FRED PERLEV STUFF THE NOTICES THE DAY HE HAD PROMISED To MAlLTriEM (Copyright. 1938, by The Bell Syndicate, Inc.) vVLUAtfS 3 'MATTER POI $!)3,no0.000 Bolt. Costliest lightning bolt on record waa a flash which struck the U. 8. naval ammunition depot at Lake Denmark, N. J., on July 10, 1926. The terrible consequences of this flash, which occurred at A o'clock In the afternoon, were a serlea of explosions that shook the country side for 30 miles and cost 31 Uvea. Shells from the depot exploded In the Picatlnny army arsenal, one-half mile away. For five miles around the landscape resembled a battle field. Entire villages were destroyed; damage was estimated by a board of Inquiry at $93,000,000.' Damage to the naval arsenal and ammunition depot Itself, however, totaled 47 millions of dollars, wltb 300 Injured. Horse nnce Ftnlh. Off In a cloud of dust, a field of 10 horsea racing against each other can finish no less than 319.881.385 different ways, according to D. Victor Steed, head of the University of Southern California mathematics department. First Best Seller. George Santayana, Madrid - born professor of philosophy at Harvard, came to the United states at the age of nine. Educated at Harvard, he later returned there to teach. Santayana won quite a reputation as a verse and sonnet writer, but not until 1935-36, at the age of 73, did he attempt a novel. Called ::The Last Puritan," It achieved Immedi ate auccess and was a best-seller for the 1936 season. Tomorrow: How much of Louisi ana did the Louisiana Purchase add to the U. S.? SALEM GETS MEW TRAFFIC WARNING BALEM. Oct. 8. (AP) A little girl stand at Salem su-eet Intersections In school stones. The little clrl will be quit modern In her dress, but a bit old-fashioned, toa, for she will carry a slate. On the slate will be written "school zone please be care ful." She will stand at those corners where children cross the streets when they go to school. It Is a de'tce of the 20-30 club to prevent accidents. The little girl Is 44 Inches tall, But made of wood, not flesh and blood. Freak Birds to Be i:lllhltp.l TORONTO (UP) One of the freaks of the bird world, a family of emus uito be exhibited at the coming Canadian National Exhibition here. The emus reverse nature when nest ing. Instead of the mother bird hnthclng the e,;gs, the male does It. Nine baby emus andtheir patertial keeper are to be brought here from Australia for exhibition. More Aliens Tnter Canada OTTAWA. Ont. (UP) More than 8.000 people from almost every coun try In the world entered Canada as Immigrants during the first six months of 1938, a report Issued by the Immigration deportment here disclosed. Only 6.827 ellens entered during the first half of 1937. V SSee TlE. Tunny -SOE.) lih-e. vu-melisK -rvc-, J (-PULL4 Vets. J f vjiuuvum- k V) f CtjArfe OUT ( WANT A- K'NoWlOw i-VT it' jj Sit OopTrigtt, 1938, hy The Betty TAILSPIN TOMMY But Jerry Doesn't Know There's Another Onet By HAL FORRESTJ 'pHE COMET HAS mercury in next to the last lap op the great miami air race, but the radio AINMOUMCEIi CALLS THAT "ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN BEFORE THE RATE IS OVER". . . AND SOMETHING DIOl JERRY TRAILED THE MAN WHO GAVE HIM THE OminOuS LETTER, ADDRESSED TO TOMMY, AND HE RETURNS TO TELL SKEET6R . vi&f-lS H f ,SAV TRAILED . Kj -sS r THIS IS UHDID .XT' """TO 'j&b-. fT. Sgk, TH1 BIRD WHO GAVE TH' PLACE, SAY TWO !tW'-:vf'jj s!?k2MfrF&VX THAT THREATEN IN' rsS2 SKEETERf OP 'EM? i fc'WiMi ' SSF'mfffjlti fl NOTE TO YOU FOR C0ME ON- HE AN' T&mST- WW iM S?&"l3lWr; V ftt TOMMY? WHERE D fatW- 'VlTa I'LL SHOW K ANOTHER I Sff life T .fii'.T-T M i? 1 0RUMITt0 TIME ONLY' 3-CENT 5TftMPE0, 'mi BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER Danger Ahead! ey EDWIN ALOEB ( OOOPS! THE GUY ( BUT WE AIN'T GOIN'TO 0A1L f ( GEE, BEN'S SMNST! 7 "V yx DRIVIN THIS BUGGY 'CAUSE BEN A1NT ON BOARD- I AN' IF WOW! ' rf Jv:'' SURE KNOWS HOW . J GOSH! I GOT IT.' IlL BETCHA WE'RE CUBV1N' I f ' I I iPt V T0 C0Ml MOTION J fejy BEN WONDERS IF PROS ADIT'S 7 AN -"''"a. rM ( ) j "j ' ' THE NEBBS The Banker Bt 80t HESS 5A , TUAT BOTMett STEVE OP OURsJ INJ AXlO TOOK UP VOUR. MOSTea.GE.1 TOLD MiM IT VVSNJ'T DUE SO HE SA.O w&O PXY UP &LL IMTEPEST HlM NVTWA5 DueW WELL, UJMA.TS THAT IT WAS ONJE or TUE BAsji5 GOOO , SAE LCAsjS AnjD 1 DONJT likE TO SEE. Tm AT OmD OUT.' l dokjt see wuv mot. IT'S BEEM D5AG&iM3 iAlOmc3 COR a lOsiO 'Tt ME . V SmOULO TUIVJK. . VOU D BE GLAD TO TO IT 2J lOwrr-Uht. IW Til. ILH la. 51 vC f TwAT WAS OME OP Th 1 "X " :fe?S-Ty eETTlsj SIX PE.e CENJT OU-1 "VlLSvB WiSM HE'D KE.EP HIS KJOSEE OuTTA 3ri otmer peoples ArrA'tss but xqj VVmES3,E'E lived r-r 4 I
