Passaic City record., 1891-10-10
THE JEWELED HAIRPIN;
The Strange Tragedy of the
Grand Hotel.
BY ARTHUR GRIFFITHS.
CHAPTER III.
turrA xvac rJr-o

WHO WAS HEP
Every one now was eager to examine
she ladder.
But they had been forestalled by Mr..
Hasnip. That active officer had already
thrown open the window in the passage
hard by the red notice-b board, which bore
gilt hand and the inscription, To the
fire escape" Just under the window was
O narrow step, surrounded by an iron
hand-rail, below which was the usual
small ladder, with the rungs let in close
to the brick work; q difficult method OF
descent, which none but an acrobat oi
burglar would willingly use unless driven
to 1t by an imperious desire to escape
from pressing danger.
Duty, or curiosity, or both, sent the de.
tective down the ladder hand -handf
and stood with the manager at the win
dow watching him descend.
He stopped suddenly and threw ur
his head
"Why, it's brokeni" he cried, as he
quickly climbed up again and in at the
window.
Then there can be no question that
the fre-escape was not used as means
of exit?' l said, rather triumph ,ntly.
THAT brings US back to my first PROPOSE
tion. The murder was committed by
some one inside the hotel"
You advance that statement very POSI-
lively, my dear Mr. Leslie, said some
one behind, placing his hand familiarly
on my shoulder.
Il turned and found myself face to
face with the chief constable of the
borough police, a man with whom l had
something more than a nodding acquaint-
ance. He had been extremely useful to
IL 3.
to the present narrative, and l had ex-
pressed my gratitude so warmly that
certain amount of intimacy had sprung
up between US.
Mine is only an unofficial opinion, Mr..
Smart. You may take it for what it is
worth.
"Itis far too early TO express opinions
said the chief constable, RAJ her abruptly.
Forgive me, Mr.. Leslie" he went on,
half apologetically, but it is time fol
the law to take this horrible affair in
hand Mr.. Gray, l must ask you 10 al.
low me to clear the bedroom and the
passage. There are too many people
about"
The constable was accompanied by 8
couple of policemen in uniform, tc
whom he issued few short orders.
Within ten minutes none OF the crowd OF
eager and mostly excited busybodies re-
mained but the doctor and myself.
Mr. Smart was a rather stout, smooth
faced man with long gray whiskers and
the well-to- do, altogether respectable ap-
pearance of a prosperous tradesman OF
commercial traveller; one of those placid,
easy-going people, who are sometimes
little too self-satisfed and apt to depre-
ciate the efforts and opinions of others.
We were still in the bedroom-the
manager of the hotel, Mr.. Gray, one OF
the walters, whom he called Cornelis,
and kept to convey messages DR.. Peard,
Captain Fawcett, the chief constable,
Hasnip and myself.
Il don't want to stay here longer than
Can be helped, but there are one or two
little things I should like to know, said
the chief constable.
Are you going to hold an inquiry?'
asked Mr.. Gray. If so, you had better
come downs stairs to one of the sitting.
rooms. Run, Cornelis--"
"Stay, we will all go down together.
only want to look at the corpse again and
ask the doctor one or two questions, pri.
vately, of course. The official inquiry
will be conducted by the Coroner. He
has summoned a jury and will be here
very shortly to open the inquest"
The corpse still lay on the floor.
at had better be laid on the bed, " said
Mr.. Smart.
Lend hand, Hasnip, and you"-to
the waiter.
But the latter shrunk from the unpleas.
ant duty and showed not strange reluc.
taEce to touch the body.
"Why, Cornelis, said the manager tt
him, you're growing very squeamjsh."
Il am always afraid of such things
he confessed, frankly. Il obey, if yor
order, but it makes me shiyer."
The n-evidently foreigner. al
though was not certain of his nationality
was trembling visibly, and his face was
very white 1t was naturally pale face
and with his pale, straw -coiored hair and
white eyebrows he might have been an
albino. Now the little color natural te
his countenance had altogether disap.
peared.
You're not the first man who has hest.
tated to touch a corpse" said the doctor
in kindly, reassuring way. 1t is more
in my line, perhaps. Come, we will lift
1t together, he added, to the detective.
Il want you to tell me the cause Of
death. Yes, yes; know you have given
your opinion positively, but l want it
verified by ocular demonstration.
In that case it will be necessary to
strip the body"
@Let us do So" The clothes were re.
moved ge-sly and the corpse laid on its
stomach
The shape of the orifce indicates that
the knife was double-edged toward the
point, becoming triangular with a fiat
back near the hafr."
1Ahl" said Mr.. Smart, gently; "an
English knife?"
Possibly; it might have been sur
gical knife, bistoury, or even dagger.
This is point that will have to be
looked more into by and by" said Mr..
Smart to his assistant, Hasnip.
The detective nodded and whispered a
few words into his chiefs ear.
"Yes, yes, of course; was going to tell
you so, said Mr.. Smart, aloud. i think
now we will adjourn" he went on. "You
can give us sitting room, Gray, think
you said?"
out wnat had occurred. " said Mr.. Smart
seating himself magisterially at table in
the center of the room, while we ranged
ourselves around.
@The chambermaid.
is she here?"
Emma Jones was called in.
Yes; on the next floor. said the man.
ager.
oeIr.d