The true northerner., 1900-11-30
HIS DEATH
WARRANT.
A Story OF a Newspaper
Reporter.


man on the paper who was simply a
crank on homicides, and he was more
than n mere reporter, for he had de-
tcctive talent Of the highest order. He
didn't care much for the common
crimes-burglaries, larcenies and such
hut give him a good, mysterious muir
der and he was splendid. Not only did
he have the history of all the famous
murderers at his fingers ends, but he
delighted i'm fcrreting out the most
mysterious crimes that came within
our province. I'm every case except the
one / ann telling about-and there were
good many crimes I'm that tOwn-he
traced out the murderer before the de-
tcctives even dreamed of his identity.
Il have since thought the secret of
his success was that he put himself
mentally in the place of the murderer
and reasoned il out from motives rath-
er than from the .'clewS' of the ordinary
detective.
"'There is seldom much method in
MURDER he once said to me when in Il
rarely communicative mood. Most
men would commit it in about the
same way under the same circum-
stances. 1t is only when murderer
goes about it systematically, as do the
thugs Of India, that murder becomes
truly mysterious
II once asked him why he did not be-
come a regular detective.
81 was born and bred journalist
he said, and the habit is too strong to
break
"That was literally true in his case.
Otherwise | might not have to tell this
story.
zone morning the body of a fine
looking man was found I'm an alley ad-
joining the electric light works in the
very heart Of the town. The afternoon
papers had 4 chance at it, but didn't
make much out of it, SO ! at once as
signed il to Jones, as we will call him.
Although he did not show up at the
usual hour. | had no doubt he was al
ready at work on il, as il was rs mys-
terious a ease as even he could desire
"The victim was identified as Il trav-
eler who had just arrived. and SO far
as known ne had no friends or ac-
Quantances I'm the town. 1t was not a
case Of robbery for all his money and
valuables were left on his body. There
was a slight confusion on the back Of
the head and small. needlelike hole
through the mans heart. 1t was espe-
cially strange that such Il crime could
have been committed in a public thor
oughfare while there was absolutely
no clew to the murderer or his motive.
"But these difficulties were only such
as would ordinarily put Jones on his
mettle. so | did not doubt that he
would have good account of the af-
fair was therefore somewhat sur
prised when he came sneaking in about
g o'clock In the evening To see what his
assignment was. He looked worn and
haggard, but denied that he was i'll, so
J. gave him the murder job He went
oJN without word.
81 did not see him again that even
Bg. About midnight | began to won
der why had not heard from him, but
only speculated on the possibility Of
something having happened to him, for
the idea that he could possibly fail
never occurred TO me. Finally, after
an hour had gone by, | telephoned to
s the police station. Word came back
that there were no new developments
in the case and that Jones had not
been, there. Sending two men out to
hunt him up, | set to work myself to
make a story of the murder from the
afternoon papers. Just then Jones
came in His step was unsteady and
his face flushed. He had evidently
been drinking heavily, something
!. never knew him to do before, but he
was not drunk; rather he seemed at
Ia nervous tension. although out
billy as calm as ever.
ouiscided to let this breach of disci-
ee pass and merely asked him for
4ls murder story. He replied that he
hadn't written it.
"'Well, get to work on 1t at once l
said rather sharply.
"Then he really surprised me by say
ing that he had nothing to write be-
yond the bare facts already known.
The police had developed nothing new,
and he supposed that l had worked up
the story from the evening papers.
"'And has ii come TO pass that you
wait for the police to develop murder
case for your exclaimed angrily. AS
for the reports In the evening papers,
YOU can "fake" better story than they
had
"He sat down In apparent despair at
his desk. Then Irelented and cajoled
\ him a little, begging him not to spoil
vbis great record by failing In such a
Ease.
"There's starter for YOU said 1,
throwing him the article l had COM
smenced. Now 60 ahead and ill that