The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-21
copyrighted. 1881


of the New York police allowed that
young man a month in every year when
his time was absolutely his own. lie was
then at liberty to rest from all labor, or
TO use his talents for his personal advan-
tage. This blessed period had arrived, and
Preble had begun TO taste anew the joys
OF idleness when he received a sum-
mons promising so rich financial re-
ward that he could not afford to disre-
gard 1t.
Vice President Hersch OF the Euro
pean and North American Life Assurance
Society was the man who desired Preble's
service. He did not state the case in the
note, but ne intimated that the society
would not haggle about the question OF
remuneration.
II will be remembered, perhaps, that
Preble was in the detective business for
money. He hated it from the bottom of
his boots, and, as an abstract proposition,
he would have declared death to be
preferable But he had a false pride
which would not permit him to be
driven to the wall in the battle of life,
and Objectionable means OF livelihood had
come to him when his back was very
close to that wall. He had as little appe-
tite for the investigation of an insurance
fraud as any man alive, but he could be
hired to do it. Men have written immortal
verse for the same lofty motive.
Preble called upon Vice President Hersch
Immediately upon receipt of his note.
The official received him cordially, in
coy office in the society's big building
on lower Broadway. There was a cheer
full CRATE fire in the Office, and the two
men drew their chairs before it, and pro-
ceeded to business.
s'This is the case of fraudulent
claim" said Mr.. Hersch. "Mrs. Albert
Monell"-he referred to some papers,
sshas given the usual legal notice of her
demand for s25, 900, the amount Of her
husbands policies in this company"
SWELL" said Preble, "isn't he dead?"
"Oh, yes; he's dead fast enough"
ssDid the woman murder him?'
ssNo, indeed.
'sThen, what is the matter?"
"Why, the man committed suicide"
SHOW do you know?"
SNOW, that's business" said Hersch,
rubbing his hands. That's the
question / could have expected from
you, Mr.. Preble. How do / know ?'
Well, the fact is, don't know only
suspect 1t is because want to know,
because the company wants to know, that
call upon you"
sit seems to me that / remember some
thing about the case," said Preble.
sDied at his club, didn't he? Doctor
said heart disease, i believer"
"Yes; that was the ostensible cause" F"
swhat did the company's doctor say?"
"He suspected poison, but the rascal
was so internally clever as to leave no
trace of his work. / tell you that O
grain of aconitia distributed through a
mans system is mighty hard to find"
"If you know that he used aconitia"-
"We don't; but that poison would
have produced the results. We shall allege
its use when the case comes to trial"
"But you don't dare to go into court
on the medical testimony alone" said
Preble. "Is that it?''
"That's it exactly"
ssWhat else have you?"
"We believe that he informed his part
ner In business that he was going to do
this, and that the man can be induced
TO testify"
= "Extraordinary confession to make to
q business associate"
'tThey had been intimate friends for
many years" said Hersch. "That could
be presented to the jury"
The jury" said Preble, "would want
something to back it. Even a juryman
would know that a fellow.who would
rise up against the widow of his intimate
friend would lie for what you'd be will
ing to pay. BY the way, what would you
be willing to payH"
"We are becoming very confiden-
tisl," said Hersch.
"Oh, that's all right! There are no
witnesses"
Hersch glanced complacently at the
closed door of the little room. Then he
said in low voice: "From $1,000 to
$4,000, according to the nature of his
evidence"
Preble kicked the CRATE reflectively.
"who is this rascal2'' he asked.
"The partner?"
"Certainly. We've turned up only one
other rascal in the case so far-except my
self"
"One other?''
$50 on. What's his name and ad-
dress?''
"John M. Lawrence His office is I'm
the Storrow building They were working
two or three patented devices-a railroad
signal was one OF them, believe.
There was no money in it. They were
on the verge of failure"
$50 j inferred from Monell's suicide"
"That's point for the jury, GER
tainly."
Preble looked into the fire for n
moment. He was wondering what sort
Of woman Mrs. Mcneil was, and what
chance she would stand in the struggle